The Chicago Bruisers were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the four-team "demonstration season" of 1987. They played their home games in the former Rosemont Horizon, now the Allstate Arena, home of the Chicago Rush.

History

The Bruisers were an outgrowth of the Chicago Politicians, a team put together by Jim Foster to play an exhibition game to prove the feasibility of the sport the previous year. The team logo depicted a bulldog. One of the founders of the Bruisers was former Chicago Bears linebacker and WSCR host Doug Buffone.

The Bruisers were part of the 1987 "Showcase Game", losing to the Miami Vise by a score of 33-30.

The Bruisers Play By Play Announcer on Radio and TV for all three of their seasons was Les Grobstein and their Color Announcer was Chicago Bears Tight End Emery Moorehead

The Bruisers, like the Pittsburgh Gladiators but unlike the other two charter teams, the Denver Dynamite and the Washington Commandos, returned to play in the 1988 season. The team competed in the ArenaBowl that year, losing to the Detroit Drive. The Bruisers would be disbanded after competing in the 1989 season.The final two games they played were in Exhibition Games overseas against the Detroit Drive in Paris and then London in October 1989. These games are famous for Punter Mike Stein losing both games on botched punts.

The Chicago Bruisers are also featured in the film Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Charles Bronson. The game shown sees the Bruisers visit the Los Angeles Cobras. It was released in early 1989. The Bruisers Name is returning in 2010 as AF1 has Copyrighted the name According the Stormer nation site

Season-by-season

Notable players

• Mike Hold, Quarterback 1987 - Current Coach of the Mahoning Valley Thunder
• Sean Payton, Quarterback 1987 - Current Coach of the New Orleans Saints
• Brent Johnson, Offensive/Defensive line 1987-88
• Durwood Roquemore, Wide Receiver/Defensive back 1987-88
• Reggie Smith, Wide Receiver/Defensive back 1987-89
• Mike Stein, Punter 1987-89 - Bouncer at the Waterhouse Bar
• Michael Carfagnini, Middle Linebacker/Guard 1987-88
• Rich Salzer, Safety/Wide Receiver/Kicker 1986-87

AFL Hall of Famers

• Durwood Roquemore

• Perry Moss

• Carl Aikens

• Ben Bennett

• Reggie Smith

Notes

• The team appeared on the game EA Sports Arena Football as a hidden bonus team.

Chronology

predecessor:Chicago Politicians successor:Chicago Rush

External links

• AFL Official Website
• Chicago Bruisers at ArenaFan.com

1987	2	4	0	3rd	--
1988	10	1	1	1st	Won Semifinals (Los Angeles 29-16) Lost ArenaBowl II (Detroit 23-14)
1989	1	3	0	4th	Lost Week 1 (Detroit 43-10)
Totals	14	9	1
(including playoffs)