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Wednesday, July 31st 1974 Attendance 14, 614 Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, Michigan The Birmingham American, sporting a 3-0 record traveled to Ypsilanti, Michigan to face the 0-3 Detroit Wheels. While the Wheels were winless, they were, nevertheless, a tough football team. Birmingham Escaped Rynearson Stadium with a hard-fought come-from-behind win over the Wheels 21-18. Birmingham, led by Matthew Reed, scored late to squelch Wheels’ bid for the upset. Reed, the big rookie from Grambling, was pressed into the starter’s role due to George Mira’s ankle injury suffered the previous week against Memphis. The Ams took the opening kickoff and drove to the Wheels’ 24, but the drive stalled and Earl Sark missed his 41-yard field goal attempt. Both teams were sluggish with the first quarter ending with no score. Detroit recovered an Art Cantrelle fumble in the second quarter but missed a 33-yard field goal attempt. Warren Capone intercepted a Detroit pass at the Birmingham 4-yard line but Detroit came back to score the only TD of the first half. Bubba Wyche drove the Detroit offense 58 yards, passing the final 20 yards to Cullen for the TD. Birmingham stopped the action point attempt, but Detroit led 7-0. Birmingham, attempting to generate some offense, began to move the ball. Reed threw to Dennis Homan across the middle. Homan was weaving through the Detroit secondary with the ball when he was absolutely leveled by a Detroit safety. Homan fumbled and Detroit recovered. The American’s defense held and gave the offense the ball back. Homan came right back with a 59 yard catch and run to set up Birmingham’s only point of the first half, a 27 yard field goal by Sark with 14 seconds remaining.Reed began to move the offense in the 3rd quarter, moving the Birmingham offense 78 yards for their first touchdown. Reed passed 21 yards to Jenkins, and then threw to Homan who made a diving catch at the 1-yard line. Carl Bartles rammed in from there and Paul Robinson caught Reed’s pass for the AP, giving Birmingham its first lead, 11-7.The Americans then moved the ball, mainly on the strength of the ground attack to the Detroit 19, where the drive stalled and Sark came on to convert a 36-yarder to give Birmingham a 14-7 advantage. The lead didn’t last long. Detroit scored in 3 plays, with Wheels RB Mims running around right end for 55 yards for the score. Wyche the passed to David Sadler for the AP. Wheels led 15-14. On the Wheel’s next possession, Mims ripped another long run, 64 yards to the Birmingham 26. The Americans defense held, forcing Detroit to settle for a 29 yard Grant Guthrie field goal, stretching their lead to 18-14.The Birmingham offense set up shop at their own 33, thanks to a fine kick return by Jimmy Edwards. Reed threw to Alfred Jenkins for 13 yards, Ted Powell for 32, and Homan for 12 more. On the next play Reed rolled to his left, took off and leaped over a defender into the end zone. Detroit defender Floyd Priester, attempting to tackle the big quarterback, took a shot to the head by Reed’s knee and he leapt over the goal line. Priester was knocked out cold, suffering a concussion. The folks back in Alabama, watching the game courtesy of Channel 6, watched the slow-motion replay as Reed’s knee went forward as Priester lowered his head. Priester’s head snapped back and he went to the ground motionless. The Ams celebration was dampened momentarily as the fallen Detroit player was ministered to. But Priester soon regained consciousness and was taken off the field. The action point attempt was no good and Birmingham led 21-18. Detroit fought back for one last-gasp attempt for the win, driving deep into Birmingham territory. On 4th down Wyche passed into the end zone, but Larry Willingham got a hand on the ball, breaking up the play, thereby ensuring the win. Robinson was the leading Birmingham ground gainer followed by Bartles. Homan led all receivers with 110 yards on 4 catches. Defensively Capone, Willingham, Ross Brupbacher, Dicky Lyons, and Steve Manstedt were the leaders, while John Matlock and Paul Costa had fine games leading the offensive line.
Captains John Matlock & Ross Brupbacher meet for the coin toss
Matthew Reed, who went the distance at QB for the Ams, calls signals Behind, l-r, Paul Costa, Joe O’Donnell, & John Matlock
LB Warren Capone comes up with a big interception
Ronald Foxx, Clarence Washington, & Tiny Andrews stop a Wheels ball carrier
Birmingham would face the Wheels again the next week at Legion Field. This ad appeared in the Birmingham News, beckoning fans to come.
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