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Arena, NFL, WLAF

Hammel, Todd

CARD: Pro Set 1991 World League Insert
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2025
FAILURE: TTM 2013, C/O WORK. TTM 2017, C/O HOME. TTM 2022, C/O HOME. TTM 2024, C/O WORK

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Todd Hammel played QB three years at SF Austin from 1987-’89.
  • He had a year to remember in 1989, tossing for a whopping 5,364 yards and 48 TDs on 316 of 577 throws (23 interceptions).
  • A twelfth round pick of the Bucs in 1990.
  • Cut, he spent about a week on the Falcons later that year.
  • Hammel was selected by the New York/ New Jersey Knights in the 1991 WLAF positional draft.
  • He’d start the first contest in franchise history against the Barcelona Dragons, but was supplanted in the lineup by Jeff Graham.
  • Throughout the season, Hammel saw spotty playing time.
  • Signed with the Arena Football League in 1992 and joined the Dallas Texans.
  • After two seasons in Dallas, this led to a stint with the Fort Worth Calvary in 1994.
  • Then in 1995, it was off to Milwaukee where he saw his greatest success.
  • In 1998, Todd threw for 60 TDs and 3,100 yards.
  • Later in 1999, he became the first Arena player to throw for 300 TDs, 1,500 completions and 18,000+ yards.
  • From 2000 on, Todd entered the journeyman phase of his career, with stops no longer than a season playing for the Bobcats (’00), Thunderbears (’01), Rampage (’02), Gladiators (’03), Soul (’04), Rush (’05), and Crush (’06).
  • After a 2 year break from the AFL, Hammel returned again to play for the Iron (’09), Sharks/Rush (’10), and finally with the Blaze (’11).
  • Todd has gone into coaching and has been teaching in the Dallas, Tx area.

ACCOLADES:

  • J Association Hall of Fame 2003
  • SFA Hall of Fame 2003
  • AFL All-Star 1993

NOTES:

As you can see here, I’ve tried Todd quite a few times. One time I even asked a TTM friend of mine who worked in a neighboring school district if he could hit him up for me. No dice on that even. I saw a few successes on him throughout the years so I always wondered what gived? Furthermore I even got a ringing endorsement from his former teammate at SF Austin- Melvin Patterson, to hit Todd up. So after 4 attempts, I spied out an autograph on eBay and pulled the trigger.

That being said, I can finally close the book on the Pro Set 1991 Series II World League player inserts. The 32 card set- not including the 10 helmets, was a laborious effort, as many of these players I really had to work to find their addresses. Two of them were dead when I restarted the project, so I got lucky with Mike Lynn and Jack Elway. Later I also added the only international name in Jacques Dussault. Over the years, I had to eBay out Mark Maye, Ben Bennett– and Todd.

ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRATLG
552532145.52353.739
WLAF
ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRATLG
396422552802256.944215091.0N/A
ARENA
Arena

Yarnell, Lucas

 

Autograph Memorabilia
Stampede Inaugural Magazine Austin Wranglers
Acquired: Gift 2004

 

My cousin got me a game program full of autographs back in 2004, that I found recently when digging through some boxes. I went to 2-3 Wranglers games at Frank Erwin Center, including their inaugural home game, but the AFL schedule of games which was spread out over 4 days of the week at the time, made consistently following the team difficult.

Lucas Yarnell was the true definition of a journeyman lineman who signed as a free agent with the Wranglers in 2004. Previously he had spent time with Detroit, Grand Rapids, and San Jose. In 2005 he joined Las Vegas and had his best season as a pro making 10 tackles and 14 assists before wrapping up his career with the Kansas City Brigade in 2006.

 

Arena

Richardson, Ramon

 

Autograph Memorabilia
Stampede Inaugural Magazine Austin Wranglers
Acquired: Gift 2004

 

I am a big fan of football and even went to Texas Terminator games in 2001 of the IPFL, Austin Knights/Rockers in 2002, and then finally followed the Austin Wranglers of the AFL in 2004- but by this point, I hadn’t gotten back into collecting autographs myself yet.  That wouldn’t happen for another 5 years or so.  Thankfully though my cousin got me a game program full of autographs back in 2004, that I found recently when digging through some boxes.

Ramon Richardson played 5 seasons in the AFL after being signed by the Austin Wranglers in 2004. His best season came in 2006 where he recorded 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the team. Richardson played one final season in 2008 for the Cleveland Gladiators recording 12 tackles and a sack before retiring in 2009. In addition to his time in the AFL Ramon played 2 seasons for the Tulsa Talons in 2002 and 2003 notching 47 tackles and 9.5 sacks.