Card: Ultimate World League 1992 Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home Sent: 9/11 Received: 9/22 (11 days) Failure: TTM 2019, C/o Home
A 4th round selection of the Barcelona Dragons in 1991 out of Delaware State, TE had a brief 4 game stint with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL in 1990, after being in camp with the Cincinnati Bengals. A dangerous and shifty return man and receiver, Tim led Delaware State 3 years running from 1987 through 1989. His best year came in 1989, when he caught 34 passes for 525 yards and 5 TDs. On special teams, he carved up opponents to the tune of 59 career punt returns for 951 yards and FIVE… count em… 5 TDs… snapping fellow alum John Taylor’s record. Among his returns for touchdowns, he had 3 greater than 67 yards.
While playing for the Barcelona Dragons in ’91 Tim had 27 catches for 336 yards and a 57 yard long, and 10 punt returns for 91 yards. He joined the Cleveland Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League in 1993 and recorded 5 catches for 94 yards and 2 TDs, while seeing action also on defense, with 9.5 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.
As I round the final turn here on the Ultimate set, now with well over 100 of the base 180 signed, I’m starting to refocus on some names that I may have missed over the years. I doubled down on Tim and had a decent feeling that the mail may have gotten lost. He has a great looking action card and was a key contributor to the Dragons’ offense. He responded in a short 11 days and thanked me and said he’d be honored to sign my card, signing on both the front and back.
As a local from Spain, Xisco Marcos became the Barcelona Dragons unofficial mascot and was undeniably fans’ favorite player. He also provided tour guide services to other players and educated them about the area and the culture as well.
An Operation Discovery product, Xisco played football in Spain’s American Football League reaching the league’s equivalent of their Super Bowl, and was known in that league for making tough grabs and having sticky fingers. With a pretty deep roster at WR, Xisco didn’t see much action on the field for the Dragons, playing for the franchise in 1991, 1992, and 1995. He’d catch one pass over his career in the World League for 5 yards.
Xisco had become a white whale for me, and after much research I found him in Mallorca- a city on the Balearic Islands of Spain. (You can barely see it creeping up off the top of the bottom of the interior of the facemask.) Eventually I dropped these two cards to him in the mail where I quickly got an RTS because the local PO didn’t know where the Balearic Islands were… So after waiting a few months I was sure to go into the PO and discuss with them that the Balearic Islands of Spain were a real place.
Xisco responded to me in about 3 months time writing me an incredibly nice note.
“I remember very fondly the trip to San Antonio, as I could see, Texas charmed me, and I’m sure Austin must be a beautiful place to live.”
With Xisco’s autograph, I now only have remaining the two deceased players from the franchise card set, Demetrius Davis and Barry Voorhess. While Xisco’s response isn’t the furthest I’ve corresponded with a player, it certainly wins the prize for the most exotic return.
An 8th round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1990, Thomas ‘TD’ Woods played college ball for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1986-1989. At 5’6″, 182 TD was one of the smallest speedsters to hit the gridiron. He caught 124 passes for 1617 yards and 7 TDs, and 60 punt returns for 656 yards and a TD as well. After not making the final roster of the squad, TD was selected by the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. In 1991 he caught 20 passes for 223 yards, returned 13 kicks for 263 yards, and returned 9 punts for 123 yards.
In 1992, Woods became the primary receiver after the departure of Gene Taylor. He caught 51 passes for 546 yards, and a barn burning 86 yard TD. Thomas was also the primary punt returner, with 19 punt returns for 147 yards.
He returned to Tennessee and finished out his degree in 1996. Since that point, TD has spent a lot of time at the college level as a wide receivers coach for Appalachian State, Western Carolina, Mississippi, Jacksonville State, Tulane, and Eastern Illinois.
TD has two cards in the Ultimate World League 1992 set. I had hoped he’d sign both of his cards, but I was happy to get one of two out of him, after searching high and low for years, for his address.
WLAF
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
71
769
10.8
1
86T
PR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
28
270
9.6
0
35
KR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
13
263
20.2
0
29
RUSH
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
1
28
28.0
1
28T
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
