Tag Archives: orlando predators

Arena, CFL, NFL, NFLE, WLAF

Ervin, Corris

Cards: ProSet WLAF Helmet Card 1991, ProSet 1991, ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o work.
Sent: 10/15  Received: 10/26 (11 days)

Corris Ervin would be an outstanding defensive back for the Central Florida Knights- being so good as to be drafted by the Denver Broncos with their 5th round pick in the 1988 draft. Ervin would spend time on the San Fransisco 49ers developmental squad in 1989 and would walk by me a few times in Dallas Cowboys Training camp in 1990. In 1991, the London Monarchs would draft Corris first in the WLAF positional draft for the defensive secondary. He’d form a cornerstone of the Monarchs #1 defense and secondary, helping the team win the World Bowl in 1991. After winning All-World League honors, he’d return to the states after the 1991 season, but in 1995 decided to take another shot- this time with the NFLE playing for the Scottish Claymores. Corris would make another 2 interceptions playing for the team and return back to the United States to play in the CFL for the Baltimore Stallions and in Canada with the Blue Bombers. In 1996 Ervin would go to the Arena Football league playing for both the Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators that year. He’d hang onto the roster of the Predators through 1999 where he was then traded to the Florida Bobcats, retiring after the season. Corris would also make an appearance as a defensive back in the movie “The Waterboy”. I started trying to track down players through social network sites and quickly found Corris after I was able to acquire teammate Howard Feggins. He kindly signed 3 cards for me and currently runs his own cabinetry business out of the Orlando area. Below are his statistics from the London Monarchs in 1991.

G/Gs  10/10   Tac  37  Sac 0  Fum n/a    Int 2   Yds 13  Avg 6.5  Td 0  lg 13

Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Baumann, Charlie

Card: Ultimate 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz

I struck out badly with most of the Orlando Thunder trying to get autographs as there was a massive amount of turnover on the franchise from 1991 to 1992, so many of the WLAF ProSet cards I had were completely out of date. I got lucky when I sent a stack to the Patriots that year and Baumann was on the team.

Charlie bounced around a lot, being treated as a stop-gap by many teams before landing comfortably in Orland0- twice. From 1989 to 1991, Baumann would fail at tryouts for the Bills and Seahawks but would find a home with the Orlando Thunder in the WLAF in 1991, finishing 3rd in scoring in the fledgling league with 54 points. Charlie was solid inside the 35, but wildly inconsistent only making 2 of 7 from outside of 40 yards. When the 1991 season ended, he was signed quickly by the Dolphins who needed a quick fix to replace injured Pete Stoyanovich for a few games, but when Stoyanovich returned, Baumann would be out of a job. After losing the kicking competition to Al Del Greco in Houston, Charlie then’d sign almost immediately with the Patriots where he’d finish the season, and play through the next season before losing the kicking job to Matt Bahr. Charlie would head North of the border and play in the CFL replacing controversial Donald Igwebuike at kicker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1994 and in 1996 Baumann would move to the AFL where he played for the Orlando Predators through the 1997 season.  Since retiring Baumann has earned another 2 degrees and lives comfortably in Orlando. Below are his statistics from the 1991 WLAF season.

G/GS  10/10      Pat 24/26     Fga 16     Fgm  10      Pct .625    Blk 1     lg 48

Arena, NFL

Clark Jr., Bernard ‘Tiger’

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1991.

Part of Jimmy Johnson‘s first recruiting class at the University of Miami, Bernard Clark was a player who showed up in big games, winning the MVP award of the 1987 Orange Bowl National Championship Game making 14 solo tackles in the game. In another shining moment, Bernard almost singlehandedly end Notre Dame’s 23 game winning streak in the Orange Bowl in 1989, pulling down an interception and making 17 tackles.

He parlayed these big performances into being drafted in the 3rd round by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1990, but never started a game. In 1991, he spent 12 games with the Bengals before being cut and playing for the Seahawks for 2 games. He subsequently was picked up by his college coach Jimmy Johnson who was trying to create competition at middle linebacker in 1992 where I’d get his autograph in training camp that year. After he was cut, he would then play for the Orlando Predators of the AFL in 1994 and 1996.

After playing professional football, Bernard then pursued a career in coaching with a variety of stops at the NCAA Division I level before returning to coach in Florida and then Hampton. As of 2010, Bernard continues to climb the college coaching ranks now handling linebackers for the University of Pittsburgh and his college coach Dave Wannstedt. Clark’s nickname is “Tiger” – given to him by his parents when he was a baby because of his loud growling.

Games 24   Tac 0  Sac 0  FF 0   Int 0  Yds 0 Avg 0 Td 0