Cleveland Thunderbolts

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Cleveland Thunderbolts
Cleveland Thunderbolts
Year founded 1991
Year folded 1994
Prior names Columbus Thunderbolts
ArenaBowl championships none

Contents

[edit] History

The Cleveland Thunderbolts were a professional American football team in the Arena Football League.

[edit] Columbus Thunderbolts

Established as the Columbus Thunderbolts and playing its home games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, the team relocated to Cleveland after a disastrous, winless single season in the Arena Football League in 1991.

Perhaps the highlight of the team's one year in Columbus was the play of quarterback Major Harris, who rushed for 429 yards during that season, a remarkable achievement given the predominance of passing in the play of the AFL. His record was broken however in 2005 when Michael Bishop ran for 459 yards.

[edit] Cleveland Thunderbolts

They operated in the Cleveland area for three subsequent seasons, playing their home games in the suburban Richfield Coliseum, a considerable distance from downtown Cleveland, sharing it with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Crunch of the National Professional Soccer League. The team did somewhat better than it had in Columbus and qualified for the playoffs in the 1993 season, but was disbanded after the 1994 campaign.

[edit] Season-by-season

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

Season W L T Finish Playoff Results
Columbus Thunderbolts
1991 0 10 0 8th --
Cleveland Thunderbolts
1992 4 6 0 4th Northern Lost Week 1 (Orlando Predators)
1993 2 10 0 4th AC --
1994 2 10 0 5th AC --
Totals 8 37 0 (including playoffs)

[edit] Notable players

  • George Cooper, Fullback/Linebacker 1991-92
  • Major Harris, Quarterback 1991-94
  • Anthony Howard, Wide Receiver/Linebacker 1994
  • John Kaleo, Quarterback 1994
  • Cedric McKinnon, Fullback/Linebacker 1992-94
  • Tony Missick, Wide Receiver/Linebacker 1991-92
  • Brian Mitchell (kicker), 1994

[edit] External links

Arena Football League

American Conference National Conference
Central Division

Chicago Rush
Colorado Crush
Grand Rapids Rampage
Kansas City Brigade
Nashville Kats

Western Division

Arizona Rattlers
Las Vegas Gladiators
Los Angeles Avengers
San Jose SaberCats
Utah Blaze

Eastern Division

Columbus Destroyers
Dallas Desperados
New York Dragons
Philadelphia Soul

Southern Division

Austin Wranglers
Georgia Force
New Orleans VooDoo
Orlando Predators
Tampa Bay Storm


Defunct Teams
Albany Firebirds | Anaheim Piranhas | Buffalo Destroyers | Carolina Cobras | Charlotte Rage | Chicago Bruisers | Chicago Politicians | Cincinnati Rockers | Cleveland Thunderbolts | Columbus Thunderbolts | Connecticut Coyotes | Dallas Texans | Denver Dynamite | Detroit Drive | Detroit Fury | Florida Bobcats | Fort Worth Cavalry | Houston Thunderbears | Indiana Firebirds | Iowa Barnstormers | Las Vegas Sting | Los Angeles Cobras | Maryland Commandos | Massachusetts Marauders | Memphis Pharaohs | Miami Hooters | Miami Vise | Milwaukee Mustangs | Minnesota Fighting Pike | New England Sea Wolves | New England Steamrollers | New Jersey Gladiators | New Jersey Red Dogs | New Orleans Night | New York CityHawks | New York Knights | Oklahoma Wranglers | Pittsburgh Gladiators | Portland Forest Dragons | Rockford Metros | Sacramento Attack | San Antonio Force | St. Louis Stampede | Texas Terror | Toronto Phantoms | Washington Commandos
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