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Massachusetts Marauders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Massachusetts Marauders | ||
|
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| Year founded | 1988 | |
| Year folded | 1994 | |
| Prior names | Detroit Drive | |
| ArenaBowl championships | 4: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992 |
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Contents |
The Detroit Drive were a professional American football team playing as an Arena Football League team from 1988-1993. They were in six consecutive championship ArenaBowls, one for each season of the team's Detroit existence, winning four of them, making them the dominant team of the League's early period. In 1992 they played in the Northern Division.
Their home games were played at the Joe Louis Arena, also home to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
The Drive won the ArenaBowl in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992.
The team's on-field success did not mean equivalent business success, although the team was the most profitable in the AFL, setting attendance records, owner Mike Ilitch sold the team following his purchase of the Detroit Tigers in 1993. They were sold, and competed in 1994 as the Massachusetts Marauders at the Worcester Centrum. They folded after an altercation between the new owner and the AFL commissioner.
Technically, the franchise still exists today. Nearly three years after the Marauders folded, Dan DeVos purchased the franchise out of bankruptcy court, and in 1998 they became the Grand Rapids Rampage, who are still playing today.
While the Drive's history may have been short, they have an unforgettable legacy to Arena Football fans, with Arena Bowl trips every year of their existence, and creating the first dynasty in the Arena Football League.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Drive | |||||
| 1988 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2nd League | Won ArenaBowl II (Chicago Bruisers) |
| 1989 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1st League | Won ArenaBowl III (Pittsburgh Gladiators) |
| 1990 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1st League | Won ArenaBowl IV (Dallas Texans) |
| 1991 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1st League | Lost ArenaBowl V (Tampa Bay Storm) |
| 1992 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1st Northern | Won ArenaBowl VI (Orlando Predators) |
| 1993 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1st AC | Lost ArenaBowl VII (Tampa Bay Storm) |
| Massachusetts Marauders | |||||
| 1994 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3rd AC | Lost Week 2 (Orlando Predators) |
| Totals | 67 | 17 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
- Novo Bojovic, K 1988-92
- Lynn Bradford, FB/LB 1989-90
- Tony Burse, FB/LB 1993-94
- Dwayne Dixon, WR/LB 1988-91
- David Evans, WR/DB 1988-91
- Walter Holman, FB/LB 1988
- Rich Ingold, QB 1988
- George LaFrance, OS/KR 1988-89, 1991-93
- Reggie Mathis, OL/DLine 1988-90
- Mike Pagel, QB 1994
- Alvin Rettig, FB/LB 1988-93
- Art Schlichter, QB 1990-91
- The Drive and Maraduers both appeared on the game EA_Sports_Arena_Football as hidden bonus teams.
- Mike Ilitch sold the Drive so that they would not compete with the Tigers for attendance. Shortly after his purchase of them, the Tigers began their worst drought in team history, posting a losing record in every season from 1994 to 2005. Ilitch still claims that he only kept the Drive because they were constant contenders.