1974
7–12–1
240 points scored, 415 allowed, across 20 games. Houston’s stretch was 3–7–1 . After the name change, Shreveport went 4–4 .
1975 primary mark
1974 – 1975
Shreveport Steamer
The Houston Texans of the World Football League crossed the state line in the middle of 1974. Shreveport gave them a name, a gold helmet, and two unfinished years at State Fair Stadium.
- Renamed
- September 23, 1974
- Home
- State Fair Stadium
- Colors
- Green and gold
- Last game
- October 19, 1975
01 — The move
Eleven games in Houston. Then a new city.
On September 18, 1974, a failing Houston franchise crossed into Louisiana. It had opened the World Football League season as the Houston Texans, in green and gold, at the Astrodome. That club is not the National Football League Texans, who began play in 2002. Eleven games in, the record was 3–7–1, the building had gone quiet, and owner R. Steven Arnold turned the club over to the league.
Shreveport took it. On September 23 the team was rechristened the Shreveport Steamer. People called them the Boats. The home debut was September 25 against the Memphis Southmen, before 21,357 at State Fair Stadium. Memphis won, 17–3. A week later the Steamer beat the Detroit Wheels, 14–11, and The Shreveport Times said the boat was whistling.
“Rinky dink.”
Garrett had coached the Texans and would not make the trip. Marshall Taylor, a former Tennessee Tech player, took the sideline. Quarterback Mike Taliaferro, an AFL veteran, retired rather than follow the team. The league’s phrase for the whole arrangement was “play now, pay later.”
- Sep 11 Last night in the Astrodome Lost to the Hawaiians, 24–17, in front of 9,061.
- Sep 19 Still between names At Birmingham, papers used Houston and Shreveport in the same breath.
- Sep 25 The Steamer, at home State Fair Stadium. Memphis 17, Shreveport 3.
02 — Two seasons
They never played a full year in Louisiana.
1975
5–7
276 points scored, 313 allowed, in a season the league closed on October 22. The last kick was three days earlier: 41–31 over San Antonio, in front of 8,500.
03 — The book
Every game on the published log.
Thirty-two results, from the Astrodome opener to the last afternoon on the fairgrounds. Filter the book. Open a line when it has a note.
32 games · 12–19–1 · 516 scored, 728 allowed
-
Wed Jul 10 1974Houston at Chicago Fire Soldier Field
L 0 – 17
42,000
-
Wed Jul 17 1974Houston Philadelphia Bell Astrodome
W 11 – 0
26,227
-
Wed Jul 24 1974Houston at Florida Blazers Tangerine Bowl, Orlando
L 3 – 15
15,729
-
Wed Jul 31 1974Houston Florida Blazers Astrodome
W 7 – 6
16,268
-
Wed Aug 7 1974Houston at Portland Storm Civic Stadium
T 15 – 15
15,686
-
Thu Aug 15 1974Houston Southern California Sun Astrodome
L 7 – 18
31,227
-
Wed Aug 21 1974Houston at New York Stars Downing Stadium
L 10 – 43
12,042
-
Wed Aug 28 1974Houston New York Stars Astrodome
W 14 – 11
10,126
-
Sun Sep 1 1974Houston at The Hawaiians Honolulu Stadium
L 15 – 33
10,248
-
Sat Sep 7 1974Houston at Memphis Southmen Memorial Stadium, Memphis
L 0 – 45
15,291
-
Wed Sep 11 1974Houston The Hawaiians Astrodome
L 17 – 24
9,061
-
Thu Sep 19 1974The move at Birmingham Americans Legion Field
L 14 – 42
33,619
-
Wed Sep 25 1974Shreveport Memphis Southmen State Fair Stadium
L 3 – 17
21,357
-
Wed Oct 2 1974Shreveport Detroit Wheels State Fair Stadium
W 14 – 11
22,012
-
Thu Oct 10 1974Shreveport at Southern California Sun Anaheim Stadium
L 23 – 25
24,223
-
Wed Oct 16 1974Shreveport at Philadelphia Bell JFK Stadium
W 30 – 25
750
-
Wed Oct 23 1974Shreveport Birmingham Americans State Fair Stadium
W 31 – 0
24,617
-
Thu Oct 31 1974Shreveport Portland Storm State Fair Stadium
L 0 – 14
20,402
-
Wed Nov 6 1974Shreveport Charlotte Hornets State Fair Stadium
W 19 – 14
10,697
-
Wed Nov 13 1974Shreveport at Birmingham Americans Legion Field
L 7 – 40
14,794
-
Sun Aug 2 1975Shreveport at San Antonio Wings Alamo Stadium
L 3 – 19
10,411
-
Sun Aug 9 1975Shreveport Chicago Winds State Fair Stadium
W 38 – 18
10,611
-
Sun Aug 16 1975Shreveport Philadelphia Bell State Fair Stadium
W 10 – 3
12,016
-
Sun Aug 23 1975Shreveport at Portland Thunder Civic Stadium
L 24 – 33
6,576
-
Sun Aug 30 1975Shreveport at Birmingham Vulcans Legion Field
L 8 – 21
18,700
-
Sat Sep 6 1975Shreveport Jacksonville Express State Fair Stadium
L 15 – 22
13,638
-
Sun Sep 14 1975Shreveport at Memphis Grizzlies Memorial Stadium, Memphis
L 23 – 34
18,003
-
Sat Sep 20 1975Shreveport Southern California Sun State Fair Stadium
W 38 – 29
18,777
-
Sun Sep 28 1975Shreveport The Hawaiians State Fair Stadium
W 32 – 25
21,349
-
Sun Oct 5 1975Shreveport Charlotte Hornets State Fair Stadium
L 14 – 39
20,407
-
Sun Oct 12 1975Shreveport at Southern California Sun Anaheim Stadium
L 30 – 39
10,505
-
Sun Oct 19 1975Shreveport San Antonio Wings State Fair Stadium
W 41 – 31
8,500
04 — Names
The people the record still names.
A short catalog, not a complete roster. Each line stays inside what the published histories actually say. The photographs are earlier or later pictures. The year is printed on each one.
22 names
Fullback
Jim Nance
The Boston Patriots' AFL most valuable player in 1966. He came with the club from Houston and stayed. Published totals give him 1,240 yards and 8 touchdowns in 1974, then 767 yards at 5 yards a carry in 1975, his last professional season. He died on June 17, 1992, at 49.
Head coach
Marshall Taylor
A former Tennessee Tech player who took the sideline in Shreveport after Jim Garrett refused the move. The Steamer went 4–4 under the new name in 1974. He is the coach of record for the 5–7 season in 1975.
Wide receiver
Don Maynard
Pro Football Hall of Famer and the deep threat of the New York Jets. He was among the veterans on the Houston and Shreveport rosters.
Broadcaster
Larry King
Called Steamer games on local radio, years before Larry King Live. Franchise histories describe him as a color commentator on the broadcasts.
Owner and coach
Harry Lander
Revived the name in 1978 for a minor-league club in the American Football Association. He bought what was left of the WFL gear for $3,000, coached an 11–1 regular season, and was also the league president that year. The September 30 title game against the San Jose Tigers was billed as the King Kong Bowl. The programs arrived printed for the Hong Kong Bowl. San Jose won, 32–6.
-
B.C. Lions halfback, August 21, 1955. Art Jones, Vancouver Public Library. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Jim Garrett Head coach, HoustonCoached the Texans through an 11-game start of 3–7–1. He called Shreveport a “rinky dink” town and was replaced rather than make the trip.
-
Mike Taliaferro Quarterback
An AFL veteran. His passing is credited with the August 28 win over the New York Stars at the Astrodome. He retired rather than follow the franchise to Louisiana.
-
Edmonton Eskimos, October 12, 1970. The green and gold here are the Eskimos, not the Steamer. Provincial Archives of Alberta, PA7981/10. No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons. Don Trull QuarterbackBaylor star and AFL veteran, in the Houston quarterback room with Taliaferro and D. C. Nobles.
-
D. C. Nobles Quarterback
University of Houston quarterback, noted in franchise histories as ambidextrous.
-
Edd Hargett Quarterback
Former LSU quarterback. Compiled 1975 totals credit him with 2,100 passing yards.
-
Rick Eber Wide receiver
Veteran receiver listed with the club in both seasons. Compiled 1975 notes also credit Ricky Scales with 505 receiving yards and Johnny Odom with 37 catches.
-
San Diego Chargers, about 1969. 1969 Glendale stamp. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Willie Frazier Tight endAFL veteran tight end on the Houston roster that became the Steamer.
-
1969, from a family collection. Texrzrbak17, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Glen Ray Hines TackleAll-AFL tackle with the Houston Oilers, still blocking in green and gold.
-
Garland Boyette Linebacker
AFL linebacker. One of the defensive veterans who gave the new league a familiar name.
-
John Villapiano Linebacker
A rookie linebacker, brother of Oakland Raiders defender Phil Villapiano.
-
Richmond Flowers Jr. Defensive back
Tennessee star and hurdler, playing defensive back. Teammates in the secondary included Daryl Johnson, John Mallory, and Art McMahon. Leon Jenkins is credited with 6 interceptions in 1975.
-
Al Dotson Defensive end
Defensive end on the veteran Houston group that arrived in Shreveport.
-
R. Steven Arnold Owner, Houston
Texans owner who, eleven games in, turned a broke franchise over to the league. The club left for Shreveport on September 18, 1974.
-
Bill Bernard Local investor, 1974
Named in franchise histories among the local group that took the club on after the move. The league's own phrase for the operation was “play now, pay later.”
-
John B. Atkins Lead investor, 1975
Headed the local group for the Steamer's second, and last, World Football League season.
-
Ed Powell Owner, 1979–1981
Shreveport Buick dealer who headed the club after Lander left. He folded it in early August 1981, with two regular-season games left, citing strife with the players over pay.
-
Clint Longley Quarterback
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, signed in June 1979. He played sparingly that year and again in 1981. Home players were paid from the gate. In 1980 the Shreveport Times put a typical game check near $35.
05 — Fairgrounds
State Fair Stadium, now Independence Stadium.
The bowl opened in 1924 on the state fairgrounds. Wire copy at the time of the move called it a 30,000-seat stadium. Later guides list a larger capacity. The crowds in this archive are the ones printed beside each game, not a guess at how many seats existed.
The biggest Shreveport house in the log is 24,617 , on Oct 23 , 1974 , a 31 – 0 win over the Birmingham Americans . The smallest home crowd is 8,500 , the last game. The smallest crowd anywhere is not a home date: 750 people in the rain at Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium, on October 16, 1974, watched Shreveport win 30–25.
On November 6, 1974, Sheriff James M. Goslin was at the fairgrounds with a federal court order. Charlotte owed more than $26,000. He let the Hornets play, then seized their equipment. The Steamer won, 19–14.
Loudest home date
24,617
Oct 23 , 1974 · Birmingham Americans
Smallest home crowd
8,500
Oct 19 , 1975 · San Antonio Wings
06 — The league around them
A 7-point touchdown, and an action point instead of a kick.
Gary Davidson, already a founder of the ABA and the World Hockey Association, opened the World Football League on July 10, 1974. Twelve teams played on weeknights, ahead of the NFL calendar. Touchdowns counted 7. The extra point was an action point: a run or pass, not a kick. On the eve of the opener, The New York Times put that play on the 2½-yard line.
Kickoffs came from the 30. A catch needed one foot in bounds. There was no fair catch. The only championship, the World Bowl, was December 5, 1974, at Legion Field. Birmingham beat Florida, 22–21. The margin was one action point. Shreveport was not in it.
The league came back in 1975 under Chris Hemmeter and did not finish. Chicago’s second franchise, the Winds, quit on September 2. On October 22 the owners voted to close. The Steamer had already played its last game.
07 — A different league
The name came back. The club did not.
From 1978 to 1981 a minor-league team in the American Football Association used the Steamer name, the mark, and what was left of the equipment. Harry Lander bought the stored gear for $3,000. He was owner, general manager, head coach, and, in 1978, president of that league. This was not the World Football League club.
The revival opened June 17, 1978, with a 32–16 win at the Wichita Falls Roughnecks, and ran to an 11–1 regular season. On September 30 Lander staged a title game against the San Jose Tigers and called it the King Kong Bowl. The printer delivered programs for the Hong Kong Bowl. A crowd later estimated at 15,000 to 18,000 saw San Jose win, 32–6.
Lander left for Birmingham in 1979. A local group headed by Ed Powell kept the team. Home players were paid a slice of the gate. In 1980 The Shreveport Times put a typical check near $35. The last game was August 1, 1981, a 15–3 loss at the Texas Wranglers. Powell folded the club days later, with two games left on the schedule. In 1982 a new entry, the Shreveport Americans, took the same league’s next turn.
08 — Questions
The short answers.
What was the Shreveport Steamer?
A World Football League team that played in Shreveport in 1974 and 1975. The franchise opened the 1974 season as the Houston Texans, moved on September 18, and was renamed the Shreveport Steamer on September 23. Home games were at State Fair Stadium, now Independence Stadium. The colors were green and gold. People called them the Boats.
What was the Shreveport Steamer's record?
In 1974 the franchise finished 7–12–1, scoring 240 points and allowing 415 across 20 games. The Houston stretch was 3–7–1. Games played under the Shreveport name that year were 4–4. In 1975 the Steamer went 5–7, scoring 276 and allowing 313, in 12 games. The league closed on October 22, 1975.
Where did the Shreveport Steamer play?
State Fair Stadium, on the Louisiana state fairgrounds in Shreveport. The building is now Independence Stadium. The home debut was September 25, 1974, a 17–3 loss to the Memphis Southmen, with 21,357 in the stands.
Were the 1974 Houston Texans the NFL Texans?
No. The 1974 Houston Texans were a World Football League team that played at the Astrodome and became the Shreveport Steamer in September. The National Football League Houston Texans are a later club, which began play in 2002.
Who played for the Shreveport Steamer?
Published histories name fullback Jim Nance, quarterbacks Edd Hargett, Don Trull, and Mike Taliaferro, receiver Don Maynard, and coaches Jim Garrett and Marshall Taylor. Larry King called games on local radio. The Names section is a short catalog, not a complete roster.
What happened to the Shreveport Steamer?
The last World Football League game was October 19, 1975, a 41–31 win over the San Antonio Wings. The league closed three days later. From 1978 to 1981 a separate American Football Association club reused the Steamer name. That team was not the World Football League franchise.
09 — Sources
Where the numbers come from.
-
Shreveport Steamer game log
Dates, scores, sites, and crowds for 1974 and 1975 follow the log assembled on Wikipedia from contemporary newspaper accounts, including The Shreveport Times.
-
1975 league table
The 5–7 record and the 276–313 point totals are the figures in the 1975 World Football League standings.
-
Fun While It Lasted
Ownership, the Garrett remark, Taliaferro's retirement, Nance's yardage, Larry King, and the 1978–1981 American Football Association club.
-
The New York Times, July 7, 1974
Opening-week description of the action point: a run or pass from the 2½-yard line, with touchdowns counted as 7.
An independent history project for the Shreveport Steamer. Not affiliated with the World Football League, the American Football Association, or the people named here. The mark beside the name is the 1975 Steamer logo. The portraits under Names are free photographs from other years, credited on the picture. Steamer game photographs stay with the people who hold those pictures.