Tag Archives: Wild Card WLAF 1992

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Simmons, Stacey (2)

 Cards: Pacific 1991, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Stacey Simmons Sports Training
Sent: 6/11/10   Received: 1/11/12  (579 days)
See Also: Simmons, Stacey

A track man, Stacey was part of a team at Florida that set the nation’s fastest time in the 4×200 relay with 1:26:31.  The first pick of the Colts in the 4th round of 1990 that played both receiver and punt returner, Stacey saw playing time also with the Buccaneers, before heading over to the Orlando Thunder in 1992.  After a short off-season with the 49ers, Stacey found a home for 8 seasons in the Arena Football League playing for the Tampa Bay Storm, winning two AFL Championships.

I have to give credit to Sotl for this find, as I had given up on this one some time ago. Seeing his name on the website, I easily recognized him as a member of the Orlando Thunder and nudged him a bit for those autographs and amazingly they arrived a bit over a year and a half later setting a new record at a fat 579 days.
He also included a nice note for it taking so long and welcomed me to check out his site at www.staceysimmons.com. It’s amazing looking at these autographs from the two posts gotten some 20 years apart, and realizing that the autograph is authentic, because the signature is still the same.

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Bell, Grantis

Card: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 6/11/10  Received: 12/3/11  (540 days)

Grantis Bell finished his career at WV with 46 receptions for 819 yards and 6 TDs and after a great Fiesta Bowl appearance, (where Grantis would make 4 catches for 44 yards,) he’d be signed as a free agent  by the Washington Redskins in 1989.  The next two seasons would be with the New York Jets, before he made his appearance in the WLAF for the Orlando Thunder in 1992. A smallish receiver at 5’10”, 160, Grantis could stop on a dime and run routes in traffic, -perfect for the Thunder’s spread offense. Bell in the end had a really nice season playing receiver on the Thunder, hauling in 36 receptions for 435 yards and 4 touchdowns. He’d also serve as backup kick returner with 11 returns for 200 yards and an 18.2 yard average, helping the team appear in World Bowl II, where they’d fall to the Sacramento Surge.

Grantis signed with the Arena Football League and made his debut with the Detroit Drive catching 39 passes for 681 yards and eight touchdowns as the team’s number three receiver in 1993. In ArenaBowl VII against the Tampa Bay Storm, he caught five passes for 77 yards and scored on a 34-yard touchdown catch. Bell transitioned with the team to Massachusetts in 1994, but had an injury shortened season after breaking his elbow, and then the Marauders folded. Grantis made the move to the Storm in Tampa Bay, and play there in 1995 and again in 1997 before retiring. He finished his Arena career with 62 receptions for 1017 yards, a 16.4 average and 13 touchdowns in 4 seasons of play.

I did not have a card of Grantis when the Thunder throttled the Riders in San Marcos back in 1992, however after acquiring the Wild Card WLAF 1992 set, I sent off for him last year. I was surprised that I did not get a response, but recently through SotL, I was able to contact him, where I sent him a new letter with the card.  This one was a bit odd, as he sent this one back in the original envelope I sent him from 2010, so this one officially becomes the longest wait at 540 days.  Shortly before the date of this post he also sent back the other card as well signed and personalized it. Below are Grantis’ WLAF statistics:

G 10   Rec  36    Yds   435     Avg   12.1    Td 4     Lg 46t

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Shaw, Ricky


Cards: Ultimate WLAF 1992, WildCard WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent:  10/6  Received: 10/17 (11 days)

A 4th round pick out of Oklahoma State in 1988 by the New York Giants, Ricky Shaw recovered a fumble playing primarily on special teams his rookie year. Cut midway through the 1989 season, the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles would sign Shaw where he’d spend the rest of the season and 1990. Originally meant as a replacement for Paul McGowan, the Birmingham Fire of the WLAF would draft Shaw to play in their 3-4 defense alongside John Brantley and Maurice Oliver, at linebacker in 1992, but the London Monarchs had different plans and traded to get Ricky from the Fire.

The London Monarchs, fresh off of their World Bowl I victory, had their work cut out for them – reassembling the team from coaches to players as much of their staff had been picked clean for NFL and CFL rosters. They’d make the move and Shaw would provide valuable depth to a depleted Monarchs team notching .5 sacks during the season. After the season the WLAF would reorganize and Ricky would return stateside.

He’d play in the Arena Football League for the Orlando Predators, then in 1995 sign with the San Jose Sabrecats and play alongside WLAF veteran Pat McGuirk through 1996, recording 5 receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 7 tackles and a sack. In 1997, Ricky played one final season for the Miluaukee Mustangs and retired.

Post retirement, I stumbled Ricky through Sotl.com, and found that he was working as a school teacher. He was more than happy to sign a few cards for me and signed these 2 cards in 11 days. I also included a few duplicates for him to keep and pass out to his students.