San Antonio Texans

Canadian Football League (1995)

Our Favorite Stuff

Order at Old School Shirts

San Antonio Texans 1995
Logo T-Shirt

One of San Antonio’s many blink-and-you-missed ’em pro football teams, the 1995 Texans were the southern-most outpost of the Canadian Football League. They were also the first – and for many years the only – pro team to play in the city’s new 59,000-seat Alamodome. The Texans were a solid team, but lasted only one season when the CFL ended its south-of-the-border adventure in 1996. 

This Texans design is also available as a Crewneck Sweatshirt or as a Women’s Tank Top today from Cincinnati’s Old School Shirts!

When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Background

The San Antonio Texans were a One-Year Wonder in the Canadian Football League, playing a single season at the Alamodome in the autumn of 1995. The franchise had a twisty backstory, dating back to the formation of the NFL-backed World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1990.

Owner Fred Anderson was a self-made building materials baron in Sacramento, California. Anderson owned the WLAF’s Sacramento Surge and won the World Bowl championship of that league in 1992. But the NFL shuttered the World League after two seasons in October of that year.

Anderson applied for an expansion team in the Canadian Football League in late 1992, along with another WLAF refugee owner, Larry Benson of the San Antonio Riders. The CFL voted to accept both franchises for the 1993 season in early January 1993. Trademark issues meant that both teams had to choose new names. Anderson’s Sacramento team would be known as the Gold Miners in the CFL. Benson’s Riders would become the San Antonio Texans. But just two weeks later, Larry Benson backed out of the league leaving the blind-sided Anderson to go it along as the CFL’s only American club in 1993.

Fred Anderson operated the Gold Miners for two CFL seasons in 1993 and 1994. Expansion teams in Baltimore, Las Vegas and Shreveport arrived in 1994, giving the Gold Miners some company in the CFL’s American experiment. After two years of heavy financial losses and stadium challenges in Sacramento, Anderson moved the Gold Miners to San Antonio in 1995. After the move, the franchise adopted the San Antonio Texans moniker – the same name Larry Benson planned to use for his aborted CFL expansion bid two years earlier.

On The Field

Former Buffalo Bills head coach Kay Stephenson followed the team from Sacramento. Stephenson, in fact, coach the Surge/Gold Miners/Texans through the franchise’s entire five-year odyssey through the World League and the CFL.

After a 4-5 start, the Texans reeled off eight victories in their final nine games to finish with a 12-6 record. That was good for 2nd place in the CFL’s South Divison, which was comprised on the league’s 5 American clubs. The offense, directed by Surge/Gold Miners holdover and NFL veteran David Archer (4,471 yards, 30 TDs) was outstanding. The Texans averaged 35 points per game, second best in the CFL.

On November 5th, 1995 the Texans demolished the expansion Birmingham Barracudas 52-9 in the South Division semi-final playoff game before 13,031 at the Alamodome. San Antonio’s 52-point explosion was the third most in CFL postseason history. The victory placed the Texans one step away from the 1995 Grey Cup final. Unfortunately, this turned out to the team’s final game in San Antonio.

The following week the Texans travelled to Baltimore for the South Division final against the division champion Baltimore Stallions. The Stallions eliminated San Antonio 21-11 before 30,217 fans at Memorial Stadium in what would be the last CFL game played on American soil.

Fullack Mike Saunders (1,030 yards, 8 TDs) and placekicker Roman Anderson were named to the CFL’s postseason All-Star team.

Demise

The Texans averaged 15,855 for nine regular season home games, which ranked 11th among the CFL’s 13 franchises in 1995. Owner Fred Anderson lost an estimated $14 million over three CFL seasons in Sacramento and San Antonio. Nevertheless, Anderson appeared committed to another season in 1996. However, the CFL’s remaining American franchises in Baltimore, Birmingham, Memphis and Shreveport were not prepared to continue. In February 1996 the CFL announced the end of its American experiment and the Texans ceased operations.

Anderson, suffering from cancer, passed away just over a year later.

San Antonio Texans Shop

OUR FAVORITE STUFF

10% off with Promo Code funwhileitlasted
at Royal Retros!

San Antonio Texans
1995 Replica Jersey

When it comes to Replica Jerseys, we turn to our friends at Royal Retros, who put extraordinary detail into their fully customizable USFL, WFL, CFL and WLAF jerseys.

• Free Customization Included

• Any name and number

• Sublimated graphics

• 100% polyester

 

When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

ROYAL RETROS MINI-HELMETS

10% off with Promo Code funwhileitlasted
at Royal Retros!

San Antonio TEXANS
Mini-Helmet

This replica Mini Helmet is available through Royal Retros.

• 15 oz. mini helmet

• Style worn by the Texans in 1995

• Available in the classic helmet style by Schutt or modern style by Riddell

• Typically ships in 3-5 business days

• Fulfilled by 417 Helmets
  
  

When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

In Memoriam

Texans owner Fred Anderson passed away on March 24, 1997 at age 72.

Downloads

7-8-1995 Texans Roster & Depth Chart @ Baltimore Stallions

Links

Canadian Football League Media Guides

Canadian Football League Programs

##