Tag Archives: 1991 wlaf leader in carries

NFL, WLAF

Baker, Tony (2)

pset91 baker LLultwlaf92 tbaker PromoCards: Pro Set 1991 WLAF League Leader, Ultimate WLAF 1992 Galaxy Team card, Ultimate WLAF 1992 Promo Card
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o home
Sent: 1/29    Received: 3/13
See also:  Tony Baker

ultwlaf92 galaxyOutside of Stan Gelbaugh, I think the card companies were betting early on that Tony Baker was going to be a star of the young WLAF. Counting all the ones I’ve had signed, I think Baker had 8 cards or so.

I had gotten the Ultimate WLAF promo card inside a copy of Gametime Magazine back during a game back in 1992. There was very little difference between this card and the regular issue card. The regular issue had the team flag in purple, not orange, and the back promoted their contest for a $1,000,000- (that I seriously question whether or not anybody actually won).  I had gotten Kerwin Bell previously in person, but otherwise there was Gelbaugh, Eric Wilkerson, Pete Mandley, and Peter Najarian that I was aware of.

I had gotten Tony back in 2010, and realized after I had dug up the lion’s share of my cards, that I had missed one or two. I threw in the Galaxy team card- since he symbolized the team most to me in those early years, and sent it out with an extra promo for him to keep. Much to Tony’s credit he signed these 3 cards for me in about 40 days.

WLAF

Baker, Tony


Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, ProSet WLAF LL 1991, Ultimate WLAF LL 1991, Ultimate 1991, Wildcard WLAF 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 7/30   Received:   8/7   (8 days)

After debuting with the Atlanta Falcons out of the 1986 draft Tony Baker would hop over to the Browns that year where he’d sit out two seasons rehabbing, and then played with the Cardinals in 1989. The Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF drafted him in the first round of the league’s positional draft. He’d provide the third best team in the league in 1991 a shot in the arm as their workhorse utility back, leading the WLAF in rushing attempts, yards from scrimmage and two point conversions. (Baker would be the only player in the league that year to have over 1,000 yards in 1991 with 648 on the ground, 423 through receptions and 296 in kick return yards.)  He would also be named WLAF player of the week (7) for his preposterous performance against the Orlando Thunder where he notched 192 total yards.  In the 1992 season, the Frankfurt offensive line would be decimated by injuries and this would hamper Baker’s average per carry and receiving average drastically.  He’d finish 11th in rushing yards that year and had only 857 yards from scrimmage. (The Galaxy would also slump to a 3-7 record.)  Baker would finish his WLAF career far and away the leader in yards from scrimmage with 2,224 yards while the league reorganized after the 1992 season.

Games 20   Att 322  Yds 995  Avg 3.1  Lg 26  Td 7
Rec 78   Yds 745  Avg 9.6  Lg 35  Td  1
Ret  14   Yds 478  Avg  19.9   Lg 49   Td 0