Category Archives: WLAF

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

NFL, WLAF

Witkowski, John

Card: ProSet 1991
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o home
Sent: 10/16    Received: 11/1  (17 days)

Drafted in 1984 draft in the 6th round by the Detroit Lions out of Columbia, John Witkowski was an offensive juggernaut for the Ivy League school setting numerous passing and Ivy league records. John would make the final roster of the Lions that year passing for 210 yards on 34 attempts but wouldn’t make the roster in 1985. He’d remain on the radar of the NFL however, signing with the Houston Oilers in 1986 as a strike player backing up Brent Pease playing for the team through 1987 before heading back to the Lions for 1988. Witkowski in the meantime began pursuing a career in financial services and continued to remain in playing shape after 1988.

In 1991, the World League of American Football invited John to workout, and the London Monarchs liked him so much they drafted him in the league’s positional draft. He’d play in one season in the league and throw two touchdowns. A little known fact about Witkowski is that he was the starting quarterback for the Monarchs on opening day of 1991, but yielded the job to Stan Gelbaugh (who was picked up later by the Monarchs in the Supplemental Draft) during the first game of the season.  John would play in a bit more garbage time, but he wouldn’t see anymore starting time for the team after that.  Witkowski since retiring has continued to be involved in financial management and climbed the ranks into being an executive vice president for the Five Star Bank Corporation and has done quite well.

ProSet made this card along with 31 other player cards in 1991 to promote the league and its upcoming WLAF set. They took a gamble that the players that they selected for cards would perhaps be marquee players as well. This would be the only card that was made of John, but it’s a nice one, and would appear on the cover of the WLAF magazine available for purchase at the games. John would write me back, “Thanking me for bringing back some great memories and for taking the time to build this site.” What a nice guy. Below are his WLAF statistics.

G/Gs 10/1    Att 40    Comp 23     Yds 232     Pct 57.5%    Td 2   Int 2    Rat 70.0

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