Tag Archives: Wild Card WLAF 1992

NFL, WLAF

Miller, John (2)

wcwlaf92 jmiller ultwlaf92 jmiller
Cards: Wild Card WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Work
Sent:  12/9/15       Received: 1/7/16   (29 days)
See Also:  John Miller

Okay- John took a lot of work to track down, because John Miller is a pretty common name. Eventually using the power of Google, cross referenced with the data off of Miller’s 3 cards, I was able to locate leads off of a networking site and sent these cards out. John was kind enough to respond, personalizing these cards, including a small note, and his business card. John apparently still keeps in touch with many of his Birmingham Fire from his days in the WLAF.  His son carries on his legacy playing at John’s Alma Mater, Michigan State.

NFL, WLAF

Witkowski, Dean

wcwlaf92 witkowskiCard: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 3/4  Received:  3/27  (24 days)

Dean Witkowski was an outstanding player at North Dakota. He arrived at the college in 1987, and was the school’s all-time leading tackler at the time of his departure in 1990, with 548.  He is also notable for holding the single season school record for tackles in a season with 185 in his final season.  Witkowski was selected in the 9th round of the 1991 draft by the Green Bay Packers, and joined a selected handful of North Dakota players who have been drafted into the NFL.

In 1992 Dean was selected by the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football in the 11th round. Coach Galen Hall was rebuilding after the Thunder defense collapsed late in the 1991 season.  Among his moves was bringing in Witkowski.  The defense indeed saw an improvement over the 1992 season, culminating in an appearance in World Bowl II against the Sacramento Surge.

He was inducted into the North Dakota Fighting Sioux Hall of Fame in 2004. Dean sent me a nice note along with the autograph.

WLAF     Tac  N/a     Sac 1.0     Fum N/a
Int  0      Yds  0     Avg -.-     Td 0    Lg 0

NFL, WLAF

Brown, Ivory Lee (2)

phomem ibrownCard: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: IP 2015, Adrian Peterson Day, Palestine,Tx.
See Also:  Ivory Lee Brown
Failure:  TTM 2011, C/o Home

I had tried- and failed to acquire the bell cow of the Riders offense TTM a few years ago.  Knowing that Ivory Lee Brown was Adrian Peterson‘s uncle, I hoped to track him down at the Peterson event.

wcwlaf92 ibrownI got Adrian early, but Ivory arrived in style- late. There were intermittent downpours in which I’d get soaked, and then dry out long enough to baste, but it was totally worth it. Ivory was really nice and gave me his autograph on this card and photo that I had.  He’s the same giant man mountain- maybe a bit more reticent and quiet from his playing days; However, he flashed that clever smile when I asked him about his gaudy yards per carry from his college days at Arkansas Pine Bluff. He also very much liked when I brought up how he was the World League’s leading rusher in 1992.

The photo he signed was from a set given away in Central Texas’ HEB Super Markets promoting the Riders 1992 season. The 1992 Wild Card WLAF card was the only issued card that featured him in a San Antonio Riders uniform. I got it many years after the league disbanded and had him pen the card at the event.

From what I understand, he still lives in the Palestine area.