Tag Archives: 1991 2nd team all-world team

NFL, WLAF

Shelton, Richard

psetwlaf91 sheltonCards: Ultimate WLAF 1992, Pro Set WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 11/16/12     Received: 1/4/14   (419 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o The Tennessee Titans

I had a feeling that I might get something from my old address, I just didn’t expect it to be from so long ago. I had failed previously to get Shelton via the Titans for whom he was a long time scout back in 2010, but armed with his home address I just wasn’t ready to give up yet. With this TTM from 2012 it pushes my successes from that year to nearly 70%.

Richard  was a standout defensive back and punt returner for Liberty. His college totals include 12 picks, 136 tackles, 21 punt returns for 176 yards and a TD.  He was originally taken by the Denver Broncos in the 1989 draft. Unable to make the team Shelton bounced around the league with the Seahawks and Steelers before being drafted by the Montreal Machine of the WLAF in 1991.

ultwlaf92 sheltonRichard had a strong season for the team and became one of the league’s better known success stories along with Chris Mohr and Anthony Parker. He finished 1991 with 28 tackles, 3 interceptions for 65 yards and a TD. He also demonstrated his knack for special teams both on kick returns and punt returns, as Richard became the first player in the league to score a touchdown on a kick return and punt return in the same game. Richard also earned WLAF Player of the Week honors against Birmingham when he picked off a pass and returned it 63 yards for a score and also returned a fumble 25 yards in the Machine’s 23-10 win. After the season Richard earned All World League Second Team Honors, and resigned with Pittsburgh.

In the season finale in 1992 against the Browns, Richard made 3 interceptions for 57 yards and a TD, earning player of the week honors.  The next season in 3 starts he’d have 2 fumble recoveries coming off the bench. After his career ended in 1993, Shelton moved right into coaching and scouting and is currently a scout for the Tennessee Titans organization.

NFL 44/8     Tac  N/a    Sac   0      Fum  4      Int   3     Yds  72      Avg  24.0   Td  1   Lg 57t
WLAF   Tac  28      Sac  N/a    Fum N/a    Int 3    Yds  65    Avg 21.6    Td  1    Lg 63t
Kr 2     Yds 108    Avg 54.0    Td 1    Lg 90t   |
Pr 25   Yds 228    Avg 9.1       Td 1     Lg 67t

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Wilkerson, Eric (2)

Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991 TD leader, ProSet WLAF 1991 Rushing leader, ProSet 1991 WLAF, Ultimate WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992 LL, Wild Card WLAF 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Kent State Alumni Association*
Sent:  6/16    Received: 7/28  (34 days)
See Also: Eric Wilkerson
* Donation requested

The paid side of SportsCollectors.net has been really good to me, and I’ve been able to unearth some very nice gems recently out of there recently. Case in point: Eric Wilkerson. I had been looking for Eric for quite a while. After hearing he had been stabbed, I hadn’t been able to find anymore information on him, but combing the archives of SC I found a success for the elusive runningback by writing to him care of Kent State’s Alumni Association. Since I had reached a desperate level on him, and he is one of those players with a bunch of cards, I decided to give it a shot and throw in a donation, since I felt so guilty about sending so many cards. While reconciling my bank account statements, I noticed that he cashed the check out a few days earlier, and then crossed my fingers on the return.  I would not be disappointed as he signed all 6 cards, which represents the single highest haul from a player since probably – Stan Gelbaugh? With Eric’s autographs on his 3 ProSet WLAF 1991 cards, it officially puts me over the halfway mark on the set (76/150).  Among the cards is the really slick touchdown league leader card, that he split with Orlando Thunder receiver Byron Williams. Nearly all of these cards are just really great heroic images of Eric in action, with probably his regular base card from the Ultimate 1992 WLAF set being my favorite. He signed each one, and wrote 91/92 on either one indicating the year.

During his time at Kent State, Eric ran his way into the record books rushing for 3,380 yards from scrimmage, and crushing the Mid-American Conference’s combined yardage record with 5,974 all purpose yards. During his senior season he set a single season school record with 1,325 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Due to his diminutive size, and the small school he went to, Wilkerson went undrafted but signed with the Steelers in 1989, and the Lions in 1990.

The WLAF gave him a shot in 1991. He’d be the 8th runningback taken in the draft, by the New York New Jersey Knights, and lead the league in rushing in 1991 with 717 yards and 11 TDs.  While his 1992 season was not as successful, it was more about the Knights offense diversifying as much as anything else. Eric is unofficially the WLAF’s career leading rusher- since the league reorganized after the season and was not seen again until three years later in 1995.

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Wilkerson, Eric

Card: ProSet 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, C/o New York/ New Jersey Knights
See also: Eric Wilkerson (2)

Okay, unlike most fans, I don’t care if a player signs with a ball point pen. It’s not really a big deal and as far as I know it could be a part of that player’s style. I know it technically ‘ruins’ the card, but I am just happy to get the autograph.

The all time leading rusher at Kent State, (and MAC player of the year in 1987) Eric Wilkerson ran for 3,830 career yards (before the mark was broken in 1997). Wilkerson was a free agent signee by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1989. Unable to crack the starting lineup he was out of football for the next season when he was drafted by the New York/ New Jersey Knights of the WLAF. The Knights under Mouse Davis were a Run and Shoot offense, where you pass first and run second. It became evident by week 2 though that Wilkerson was going to handle the load for the team as he rushed for 121 yards on 11 carries against future World Bowl Champion, the London Monarchs. Wilkerson in fact went on to lead the WLAF in 1991 with 717 rushing yards, placing him on the Second-Team All World League. He tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns with 11, and second in total yards (990). He also was third in the league in rushing average, and had 3 touchdowns in one game against Orlando. His 4 touchdowns receiving topped the team as well.

His Sophomore season would not be as spectacular as Reggie Slack emerged as a force at quarterback for the team. Wilkerson still finished 8th in the league in rushing with a respectable 4.4 yards per carry but the WLAF reorganized shortly thereafter and Eric became the short lived original league’s career leading rusher. His 72 yard scamper in 1991 would also stand as the league record. He’d play one final season of football for his hometown Cleveland Thunderbolts in the Arena leagues as a WR/DB and then retire.

Since football, Wilkerson had his number retired at Kent State, and was inducted into the Varsity “K” Hall of Fame in 1995. He also was inducted into his local high school’s hall of fame at Central Catholic High.  In 2007, Wilkerson was stabbed in the arm and was in critical condition, however there is no follow up information after this. His current whereabouts are unknown, but I was able to reach him a few years later via the Kent State Alumni Association.

Games n/a  Att 208  Yds  1121   Avg 5.4  Td 10  Lg 74 |  Rec 37  Yds 414  Avg 11.2  Td 6  Lg 31