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 Birmingham
Vulcans vs.  Chicago
Winds
August 2nd 1975
Attendance 29,000
Legion Field
Birmingham
The Birmingham Vulcans started
the 1975 season in a rather lackluster fashion, squaring away a rather sloppy
10-0 win the Chicago Winds. The Vulcans committed 5 turnovers while the Winds
gave the ball up 5 times as well. Quarterback Matthew Reed led the Vulcan
offense before going down in the 2nd
quarter with a hip pointer. Denny Duron came on in relief and moved the offense
well. The Vulcan defense was stellar holding Chicago scoreless and generally
dominating the entire game.
Steve Manstedt set the tone early by halting a
Chicago drive by intercepting at the Birmingham 12 yard line. The Vulcans then
marched 88 yards in 10 plays to score. The big play of the drive was a 53 yards
Reed aerial to Cephus Witherspoon, who was brought down at the 13. Art Cantrelle
ran for 10, Joe Profit made 2, and Cantrelle took it in from the one. Reeds
action point pass was unsuccessful and
Birmingham led 7-0.
Chicago intercepted a Reed pass and returned it
to the Vulcans’ 26, but the Vulcan defense held and Chicago missed a 38-yard
field goal attempt. On Birmingham’s next possession, Chicago partially blocked
the Vulcan punt and recovered at the home team’s 33. However Manstedt forced
Mark Kellar to fumble and Willie Smith recovered to stop the threat.
Chris Arnold turned in an interception on the
Winds’ next possession, but then Chicago’s Tommy Rousell picked off Reed’s pass.
However, 3 plays later, Warren Capone drilled Kellar, separating him from the
ball and Bob Tatarek recovered at the
Chicago 30. 3 plays later it was
4th and 1, so Ron Slovensky came on to kick a 38 yard field goal to
end the scoring with 3:36 left until halftime.
The second half was scoreless mainly both
offenses trying to move against rather stingy defense. Duron was solid in moving
the offense but the Chicago defense would allow no more scores.
Art Cantrell lead the Vulcan offense with 94
yards, while Johnny Musso, making his WFL debut, tallied 72 yards. The Ground
attack wore down the Winds defense as well as the clock. Chicago did manage to
get close enough to attempt 2 second-half field goals, missing both. Turnovers
again played a part in the second half, stopping drives for both teams.
Warren Capone, who had 13 tackles & 2 assists,
paced the defense, while Bob Tatarek, Steve Manstedt, Willie Smith, & Chris
Arnold also stood out defensively. Former Minnesota Viking John Gilliam, in his
first WFL action, was limited to 3 catches for 43 yards.
Bob Tatarek, JessieWolf, and Warren Capone stack up a Winds ball carrier
Matthew Reed starts out 1975 as the starting QB
Chicago RB Cyril Pinder found very little
running room
QB Denny Duron throws downfield for Dennis Homan
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