SWFL 1973
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| Eastern Division | |||||||
| *Oklahoma City Wranglers | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 442 | 110 | .900 |
| *San Antonio Toros | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 239 | 170 | .750 |
| Albuquerque Thunderbirds | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 212 | 173 | .500 |
| Denver Oilers | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 87 | 372 | .125 |
| Kansas City Steers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 139 | .000 |
| Western Division | |||||||
| *Las Vegas Casinos | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 192 | 129 | .750 |
| Phoenix Blazers | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 217 | 181 | .667 |
| Southern California Razorbacks | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 164 | 147 | .333 |
| Los Angeles Mustangs | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 128 | 221 | .111 |
Reference: [1]
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Semi-Final Playoff | ||||
| 01.09.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 45 | Las Vegas Casinos | 3 |
| Championship Game | ||||
| 08.09.1973 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 19 | San Antonio Toros | 16 |
Reference: [1; 37-40]
Regular Season Results
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Week 1 | ||||
| 16.06.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 32 | Los Angeles Mustangs | 6 |
| 16.06.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | 20 | Southern California Razorbacks | 18 |
| 16.06.1973 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 57 | Denver Oilers | 0 |
| Week 2 | ||||
| 23.06.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | 27 | New Mexico Thuncerbirds | 33 ot |
| 23.06.1973 | Kansas City Steers | 0 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 37 |
| Week 3 | ||||
| 30.06.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 21 | Southern California Razorbacks | 27 |
| 30.06.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 35 | Denver Oilers | 10 |
| 30.06.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | 27 | Los Angeles Mustangs | 7 |
| 30.06.1973 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 75 | Kansas City steers | 0 |
| Week 4 | ||||
| 07.07.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 14 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 37 |
| 07.07.1973 | Denver Oilers | 6 | Phoenix Blazers | 39 |
| 07.07.1973 | Las Vegas Casinos | 26 | Southern California Razorbacks | 12 |
| 07.07.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 25 | Los Angeles Mustangs | 15 |
| Week 5 | ||||
| 14.07.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 43 | Phoenix Blazers | 7 |
| Week 6 | ||||
| 21.07.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 17 | Southern California Razorbacks | 0 |
| 21.07.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 26 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 17 |
| 21.07.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | 22 | Las Vegas Casinos | 17 |
| Week 7 | ||||
| 28.07.1973 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 38 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 22 |
| 28.07.1973 | Las Vegas Casinos | 39 | San Antonio Toros | 27 |
| 28.07.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | 52 | Denver Oilers | 19 |
| 28.07.1973 | Southern California Razorbacks | 27 | Los Angeles Mustangs | 4 |
| Week 8 | ||||
| 04.08.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 31 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 24 |
| 04.08.1973 | Oklahoma City Wranglers | 63 | Denver Oilers | 3 |
| 04.08.1973 | Phoenix Blazers | c | Los Angeles Mustangs | c |
| 04.08.1973 | Las Vegas Casinos | 13 | Southern California Razorbacks | 11 |
| Week 9 | ||||
| 11.08.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | 50 | Denver Oilers | 7 |
| 11.08.1973 | Las Vegas Casinos | 47 | Phoenix Blazers | 7 |
| 11.08.1973 | San Antonio Toros | 32 | Southern California Razorbacks | 7 |
| Week 10 | ||||
| 18.08.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | c | Phoenix Blazers | c |
| 18.08.1973 | Oklahoma City Warriors | 42 | San Antonio Toros | 14 |
| Week 11 | ||||
| 25.08.1973 | New Mexico Thunderbirds | c | San Antonio Toros | c |
| 25.08.1973 | Las Vegas Casinos | 0 # | Southern California Razorbacks | 1 |
| Week 12 | ||||
| 01.09.1973 | Los Angeles Mustangs | Southern California Razorbacks |
Reference: [2-36; 41-47]
Report
The Soujthwestern Football League expanded to nine teams from six in 1973. The Kansas City Steers folded after 3 games, and were stricken from the record. The top teams all season were the San Antonio Toros, Las Vegas Casinos and Oklahoma City Wranglers.
The New Mexico Thunderbirds and Phoenix Blazers both finished with average records, and ran into financial trouble late on in the season, both cancelling games.
The Toros were the defending Champions, andhad a shot at repeating, beating Western Division Champions Las Vegas Casinos in the Semi-Final Playoff 45-3, before losing to Eastern Division Champions Oklahoma City Wranglers 19-16 in the Championship Game.
About
The Southwestern Football League (1972-1973) was a AAA (2nd Level) American Football League – when asked by a reporter if they were any good, the New Mexico Thunderbirds Head Coach said the Southwestern Football League Champs were to the NFL Super Bowl Champs what the Albuquerque Dukes were to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Baseball – in other words a AAA team.
It was based, as its name suggests, in the American Southwest, featuring teams from Texas (San Antonio Toros & Dallas Rockets), Kansas City, Oklahoma (Oklahoma City Wranglers), Colorado (Denver Oilers), New Mexico (Albuquerque Thunderbirds), Arizona (Phoenix Blazers), Nevada (Las Vegas) and California (Southern California Razorbacks, Los Angeles Mustangs).
It was preceded by the Texas Football League (1966-1971) and the Continental Football League – 1965-1969 – AAA – 2nd Level) and was succeeded by the California Football League (1977-1982) and the American Football Association (1977-1983 – Texas and Southern States further east – AAA). The World Football League of 1974-1975 took up a lot of the players of Minor Football Leagues at the time, leaving just one League at AAA & AA level.
Note on Team Names
A lot of the teams in the Southwestern Football League made reference to the “Cowboy & Indian” culture of the region – the Kansas City Steers and San Antonio Toros were both named after Bulls, the Los Angeles Mustangs were named after a Wild Horse found in the West, and the Oklahoma City Wranglers were named after Cowboys. The Albuquerque Thunderbirds were named after a mythical Native American bird. There were also teams named after the Oil Industry – the Denver Oilers; the Space Industry – Dallas Rockets; and the Gambling Industry – Las Vegas Casinos, all of which would employ people in the Southwest. The Phoenix Blazers is also a reference to a mythical bird, this time the one from Ancient Egyptian & Christian mythology, the Phoenix who rose from the flames, after which the city is named.
Reference:
Bibliography
[1] Gill, Bob et al (2010) “Season-by-Season Listings- Other Leagues” Outsiders II – Minor League and Independent Football 1951-1985 pg. 120-121. St. Johann Press, Haworth, NJ (USA), 2010
Sources
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[42] Anon. (1973) “Razorbacks in near upset” Santa Ana Register. June 18, 1973. pg. 24. [Internet] Available from: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-jun-18-1973-p-24/ [Accessed 7 December 2019]
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[45] Anon. (1973) “Razorbacks score early to rout Mustangs, 27-4” Santa Ana Register. July 30, 1973. pg. 21. [Internet] Available from: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-jul-30-1973-p-21/ [Accessed 7 December 2019]
[46] Anon. (1973) “Razorbacks Fall 13-11” Santa Ana Register. Aug 7, 1973. pg. 28. [Internet] Available from: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-aug-07-1973-p-28/ [Accessed 7 December 2019]
[47] Anon. (1973) “Razorbacks get 2nd – on Forfeit” Santa Ana Register. Aug 26, 1973. pg. 32. [Internet] Available from: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-aug-25-1973-p-32/ [Accessed 7 December 2019]
References
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Fiona Corrigan, Caoimhe Mullaney, Alan Delaney, John Kane, John Wills, Louise Kenny, John Cummins, John Morahan, Jean-Paul O’Flynn.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 7 December 2019
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.