Category Archives: CFL

CFL, WLAF

Ledbetter, Mark


Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Birmingham Fire

At 6-3, 239, Mark Ledbetter was a rangy tweener from Washington State who saw playing time at a variety of positions along the line in college. A jarring hitter, he once broke an opponent’s jaw during a game.

Signed as a free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 1990, Mark was eventually drafted by the Riders in 1991. Ledbetter would end up playing both outside linebacker and defensive end for San Antonio, where he’d finish third on the team on tackles with 35 solo stops, and second on the team with 6 sacks.  San Antonio coaches loved to move Mark around the Riders’ defensive alignment to create mismatches and overloads. He was considered the team’s (91) best overall defender.

In 1992, Ledbetter was named second team All World League as he made 5 sacks. Ledbetter finished as the franchise’s all time leader in sacks with 11. After the WLAF reorganized in 1992, Mark joined the Sacramento Goldminers during the CFL’s ill fated attempt to expand into the United States, and then later played with the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995 as a down lineman.

After football it appears that Mark has pursued football coaching and at last glance in 2008 he was coaching high school football on Vashon-Maury Island.

WLAF
Games 20  Tac n/a  Sac 11   FF n/a   Int 0   Yds 0  Avg -.-  Td 0

CFL

Kulka, Glenn ‘The Kulkster’

Card: All World CFL 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, C/o the CFL

To say the least Glenn Kulka has had a controversial and colorful career. A mouthy player who never had a problem speaking his mind, Kulka was quite an athlete, not only playing gridiron football but also in hockey and professional wrestling. Nicknamed, “the Kulkster”, Kulka has amazing upper body strength and constitution, once bench pressing an amazing 225 pounds a record 53 repetitions. Glenn initially played minor league hockey, and based on his amazing athleticism was signed as an offensive lineman by the Edmonton Eskimos in 1986. Glenn wouldn’t really find his position of calling in football till he signed with the Ottawa Rough Riders who converted him from a linebacker to a  defensive end. In 1991 he was named a CFL All Star.  Unfortunately in 1992 Kulka was busted for cocaine possession but he turned this into a positive by serving as the league’s spokesperson against drug use.

After a meeting with Bret “The Hitman” Hart in 1995, Glenn would decide to pursue a career in pro wrestling and started transitioning out of gridiron football.  He’d continue wrestling working his way up the minors reaching the apex of his career wrestling from the WWE in 1999. He’d go on to wrestle in a variety of leagues after leaving the WWE, and retired briefly from the sport in 2000.  Later Kulka admitted to rampant steroid abuse that he started when he was with the Rough Riders and throughout his career in wrestling.  In retrospect Kulka has felt that he has lived a blessed life.  Glenn since retirement has enjoyed a variety of interests and business pursuits including car dealership and gym ownership, CFL commentary, some more wrestling, and as a theater performer.  As the master sportsman Kulka hasn’t finished his life in sports and has started pursuing a career in MMA. He also speaks out regularly against drug and steroid usage.

This card was part of the blitz of CFL players that I received when I mailed out to the CFL after they announced expansion plans. It is an error card as Glenn’s name reads as ‘Glen’ on the card.

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Wilson, Walter

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score Supplemental 1990
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Ohio Glory
See Also: Walter Wilson (2)

The San Diego Chargers selected Walter Wilson with their 3rd round choice of the 1990 draft. Limited to 14 games that year as a back up he posted 10 catches for 87 yards. In 1992 The Ohio Glory selected Walter in their supplemental draft and he did not disappoint. Walter would lead the league in receptions and be ranked 3rd in yards.

By 1994, Walter would go on to play for the CFL and established himself as one of the better receivers playing for the Baltimore Colts, earning the nickname “franchise” by teammates by his prediction that he’d be the ‘franchise player on the team within 3 years’. He helped lead the team to the Grey Cup that year with his outstanding play (50 receptions for 900 yards and 4TD), but in early 1995 he injured his shoulder in the final preseason game and was released by the Colts.

He would be claimed by the Memphis Mad Dogs and filed a grievance with the CFL players union claiming that one of the teams violated the league’s collective bargaining agreement. He’d play for the Mad Dogs for an additional season before the league would fold its North American Expansion plans.

Games 10   Rec 65     Yds 776      Avg  11.9     Lg 52   Td 2