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
Newsome would always manage to keep his streak alive and ended up notching 150 straight games with a catch and retired at the end of 1990 after 13 seasons with the Browns. He was inducted into the HOF in 1999. Newsome moved with the Modell franchise to Baltimore where he has become an extremely successful general manager and the first black GM in the NFL for the Ravens.