Southern California Sun

Defunct American football team

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Southern California Sun" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Southern California Sun

Established| 1974
Folded| October 22, 1975
Based in| Anaheim, California
Home field| Anaheim Stadium
Head coach| Tom Fears
General manager| Curly Morrison
Owner(s)| Larry Hatfield
League| World Football League
Division| Western
Colours| Magenta and orange

The Southern California Sun were an American football team based in Anaheim, California, that played in the World Football League in 1974 and 1975. Their records were 13–7 in 1974 and 7–5 in 1975. Their home stadium was Anaheim Stadium. They were coached by former Rams great and Hall of Famer Tom Fears and owned by trucking magnate Larry Hatfield.

Former USC greats Anthony Davis and Pat Haden played for the Sun in 1975, along with former Oakland Raiders QB Daryle Lamonica, also known as the "Mad Bomber."

The Sun won the 1974 Western Division title but lost their playoff game against the Hawaiians when three of their best players–Kermit Johnson, James McAlister, and Booker Brown—sat out the game. The three players were owed back pay and claimed the missed checks breached their contracts.[1] A year later, they were leading the West when the league folded on October 22, 1975, in midseason.

## Schedule and results

[edit]

Key: | Win | Loss | Bye

|
|
|

### 1974 regular season [2]

[edit]

Week  | Day  | Date  | Opponent  | Result  | Attendance

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Wednesday  | July 10, 1974  | at Birmingham Americans | L 7–11  | 53,231
2  | Wednesday  | July 17, 1974  | Hawaiians | W 38–31  | 32,018
3  | Wednesday  | July 24, 1974  | at Jacksonville Sharks | W 21–19  | 46,780
4  | Thursday  | August 1, 1974  | at Memphis Southmen | L 15–25  | 25,175
5  | Wednesday  | August 7, 1974  | New York Stars | L 8–11  | 28,174
6  | Thursday  | August 15, 1974  | at Houston Texans | W 18–7  | 31,227
7  | Wednesday  | August 21, 1974  | at Philadelphia Bell | W 31–28  | 14,600
8  | Wednesday  | August 28, 1974  | Portland Storm | W 45–15  | 27,814
9  | Monday  | September 2, 1974  | Chicago Fire | L 22–32  | 27,133
10  | Friday  | September 6, 1974  | at Detroit Wheels | W 10–7  | 6,351
11  | Wednesday  | September 11, 1974  | at Chicago Fire | W 31–28  | 24,837
12  | Wednesday  | September 18, 1974  | Detroit Wheels | W 29–24  | 12,169
13  | Wednesday  | September 25, 1974  | Jacksonville Sharks | W 57–7  | 22,017
14  | Wednesday  | October 2, 1974  | at Portland Storm | W 26–22  | 20,469
15  | Thursday  | October 10, 1974  | Shreveport Steamer | W 25–23  | 24,223
16  | Thursday  | October 17, 1974  | Birmingham Americans | W 29–25  | 25,247
17  | Wednesday  | October 23, 1974  | Philadelphia Bell | L 7–45  | 26,412
18  | Wednesday  | October 30, 1974  | at Charlotte Hornets | W 34–25  | 19,436
19  | Wednesday  | November 6, 1974  | at Hawaiians | L 8–29  | 13,780
20  | Thursday  | November 14, 1974  | Florida Blazers | L 24–27  | 28,213

### Playoffs

[edit]

Game  | Day  | Date  | Opponent  | Result  | Attendance

|
|
|
|
|

Quarter-finals  | Wednesday  | November 20, 1974  | Hawaiians | L 14–32  | 11,430

### 1975 regular season [3]

[edit]

Week  | Day  | Date  | Opponent  | Result  | Attendance

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Monday  | August 3, 1975  | Portland Thunder | W 21–15  | 14,362
2  | Sunday  | August 9, 1975  | at San Antonio Wings | L 22–54  | 21,000
3  | Sunday  | August 16, 1975  | at Hawaiians | W 37–19  | 15,862
4  | Sunday  | August 23, 1975  | at Birmingham Vulcans | W 35–25  | 32,000
5  | Saturday  | August 29, 1975  | Philadelphia Bell | W 58–39  | 17,811
6  | Saturday  | September 6, 1975  | at San Antonio Wings | L 8–30  | 10,470
7  | Sunday  | September 14, 1975  | Charlotte Hornets | L 22–30  | 13,405
8  | Saturday  | September 20, 1975  | at Shreveport Steamer | L 29–38  | 18,777
9  | Saturday  | September 27, 1975  | at Charlotte Hornets | W 24–17  | 17,000
10  | Sunday  | October 5, 1975  | at Memphis Grizzlies | L 33–37  | 18,129
11  | Sunday  | October 12, 1975  | Shreveport Steamer | W 39–30  | 10,505
12  | Sunday  | October 19, 1975  | at Hawaiians | W 26–7  | 15,905

## See also

[edit]

* 1974 World Football League season
* 1975 World Football League season

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Marshall, Joe. World Bowl in crisis. Sports Illustrated, 1974-12-16.
2. ^ "1974 World Football League Game Results". Retrieved November 11, 2015.
3. ^ "1975 World Football League Results". Retrieved November 11, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Southern California Sun on FunWhileItLasted.net
* Southern California Sun Helmets

* v
* t
* e

Sports in Orange County, California

Baseball|

MLB
Los Angeles Angels

Ice hockey|

NHL
Anaheim Ducks

Soccer|

USLC
Orange County SC
NISA
Capo FC
Irvine Zeta FC
USL2
AMSG FC
Capo FC
USLW
AMSG FC
Capo FC
OC Sporting FC
UPSL
La Máquina FC
Orange County FC 2
Santa Ana Winds FC

Tennis|

WTT
Orange County Breakers

Roller derby|

RDCL
Orange County Roller Derby

College athletics|

NCAA Division I
Cal State Fullerton
UC Irvine

Defunct/Relocated|

NFL
Los Angeles Rams
ABA
Anaheim Amigos
NBA
Los Angeles Clippers1
NBA D-League
Anaheim Arsenal
NASL
California Surf
APSL
Los Angeles Salsa
AFL
Anaheim Piranhas
NLL
Anaheim Storm
RHI
Anaheim Bullfrogs
WFL
Southern California Sun
CISL
Anaheim Splash

Venues|

* Anaheim Convention Center
* Angel Stadium
* Anteater Ballpark
* Anteater Recreation Center
* Anteater Stadium
* Breakers Stadium at the Newport Beach Tennis Club
* Bren Events Center
* Championship Stadium
* Costa Mesa Speedway
* Crawford Hall
* Fairgrounds Grandstand Arena
* Goodwin Field
* Heritage Park Aquatic Center
* Honda Center
* LeBard Stadium
* Los Alamitos Race Course
* Santa Ana Stadium
* Titan Gym
* Titan Stadium

1Only played occasional games in Orange County

* v
* t
* e

World Football League

Teams|

| 1974|

* Birmingham Americans
* New York Stars / Charlotte Hornets
* Chicago Fire
* Detroit Wheels
* Florida Blazers
* The Hawaiians
* Jacksonville Sharks
* Memphis Southmen
* Philadelphia Bell
* Portland Storm
* Houston Texans / Shreveport Steamer
* Southern California Sun

|

1975|

* Birmingham Vulcans
* Charlotte Hornets
* Chicago Winds
* The Hawaiians
* Jacksonville Express
* Memphis Southmen
* Philadelphia Bell
* Portland Thunder
* San Antonio Wings
* Shreveport Steamer
* Southern California Sun

Commissioners|

* Gary Davidson
* Christopher Hemmeter

Misc.|

* World Bowl I
* Dicker-rod
* Canadian Football Act
* Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL
* 1974 season
* 1975 season

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template