View source for Massachusetts Marauders

{{short description|Arena football team}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox indoor American football team
| name = Massachusetts Marauders
| logo = MassMarauders.gif
| founded = [[1988 Arena Football League season|1988]]
| folded = [[1994 Arena Football League season|1994]]
| city = [[Worcester Centrum]] in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]]
| misc =
| uniform = 
| colors = Maroon, fuchsia, black, white<br>{{color box|#800000}} {{color box|#FF00FF}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|white}}
| coach = [[Don Strock]]
| league = 
[[Arena Football League]] ({{AFL Year|1988}}–{{AFL Year|1994}})
*[[Central Division (AFL)|Central]] (1988–1993)
*[[East Division (AFL)|East]] (1994)
| team_history =
*Detroit Drive (1988–1993)
*Massachusetts Marauders (1994)
| no_conf_champs      = 4
| conf_champs         = * {{AFL Year|1989}}, {{AFL Year|1990}}, {{AFL Year|1991}}, {{AFL Year|1993}}
<small>Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games</small>
| no_div_champs       = 1
| div_champs          = 
*'''Central:''' {{AFL Year|1992}}
| no_league_champs    = 4
| league_champs       = (as Detroit Drive) [[ArenaBowl II|1988]], [[ArenaBowl III|1989]], [[ArenaBowl IV|1990]], [[ArenaBowl VI|1992]]
| playoff_appearances = * {{AFL Year|1988}}, {{AFL Year|1989}}, {{AFL Year|1990}}, {{AFL Year|1991}}, {{AFL Year|1992}}, {{AFL Year|1993}}, {{AFL Year|1994}}
| no_playoff_appearances = 7
| arena_years         = 
*[[Joe Louis Arena]] (1988–1993)
*[[Worcester Centrum]] (1994)
}}

The '''Massachusetts Marauders''' were a professional [[arena football]] team that was based in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]]. They were a member of the [[Arena Football League]] (AFL) from 1988 to 1994. The team was established in [[Detroit]] in 1988, as the '''Detroit Drive''' and was a member of the AFL in {{AFL Year|1988}} and in all subsequent years through {{AFL Year|1993}}.  The club then moved to [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], in {{AFL Year|1994}} and played in that city through the end of the 1994 season.

The franchise has four AFL championships, all while it was based in Detroit. The first three occurred in back-to-back-to-back fashion from [[1988 Detroit Drive season|1988]] to [[1990 Detroit Drive season|1990]], and the final one occurred in [[1992 Detroit Drive season|1992]].

==History==

===Detroit Drive (1988–1993)===

====Expansion (1988)====
{{main|1988 Detroit Drive season}}

In 1987, [[Mike Ilitch]] began negotiations with the [[Arena Football League]] (AFL), to join for the 1988 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19870708&id=uylQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=olUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3283,5363714 |title=Detroit may get arena football |date=July 8, 1987 |newspaper=Ludington Daily News |access-date=March 14, 2014}}</ref> The Drive began play in {{AFL Year|1988}} as a member of the AFL.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2706&dat=19880325&id=zw1KAAAAIBAJ&sjid=th4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3016,3456703 |title=Arena football hits Detroit |author=David Webster |date=March 25, 1988 |newspaper=The Michigan Daily |access-date=March 14, 2014}}</ref> Under head coach [[Tim Marcum]], the Drive finished the regular season 9–3 after starting the season 2–3.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/05/28/controversial-call-lifts-the-undefeated-bruisers-over-drive/ |title=Controversial Call Lifts The Undefeated Bruisers Over Drive |author=Andrew Bagnato |date=May 28, 1988 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19880707&id=Oq5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1G0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6884,1805593 |title=Detroit driving with Ingold at QB |author=Gary Tuma |date=July 7, 1988 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> Two of the Drive's losses came at the hands of the [[Chicago Bruisers]], who finished the season with one loss. The Drive would get a chance at revenge when they advanced to [[ArenaBowl II]] against the Bruisers,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-30-sp-6692-story.html |title=Chicago Bruisers, Detroit Drive Square Off in ArenaBowl |date=July 30, 1988 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> and they were able to defeat the Bruisers 24–13.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/07/31/drive-downs-bruisers-for-arena-bowl-title/ |title=Drive Downs Bruisers For Arena Bowl Title |date=July 31, 1988 |author=Andrew Bagnato |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref>

====Back-to-back (1989)====
{{main|1989 Detroit Drive season}}

With the AFL suspending operations prior to the 1989 season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/21/sports/football-arena-football-is-halted.html |title=Football; Arena Football Is Halted |date=February 21, 1989 |work=The New York Times Company |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> the league was revived and decided to play a short season, but that forced the Drive to begin the 1989 season by replacing quarterback [[Rich Ingold]], who didn't want to take the pay cut of the short season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19890622&id=QOlRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zm4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1875,6873002 |title=Rich Ingold will pass on Arena Football's short season |author=Mark Madden |date=June 22, 1989 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> The Drive won [[ArenaBowl III]] 39–26 over the Pittsburgh Gladiators.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CGciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fa0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4089,4385640&dq=pittsburgh+gladiators+detroit+drive&hl=en |title=Drive Arena Bowl Champs |date=August 18, 1989 |newspaper=The Argus-Press |access-date=September 20, 2013}}</ref>

====3-peat (1990)====
{{main|1990 Detroit Drive season}}

Head Coach Tim Marcum stepped away from the Drive in 1990 to join the [[University of Florida]]'s football staff, and was replaced by [[Perry Moss]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1992/08/22/moss-caught-in-role-reversal/ |title=Moss Caught In Role Reversal |author=Brian Campbell |date=August 22, 1992 |work=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> The Drive bolstered their offense by signing quarterback [[Art Schlichter]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1665&dat=19900510&id=HlgaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yyQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6632,2933920 |title=Schlichter signs pact with Drive |date=May 10, 1990 |newspaper=The Times-News |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> (Who would become the AFL's MVP in 1990). Moss lead the Drive to a 6–2 regular season record and they remained a dominant force, leading the going to [[ArenaBowl IV]], where they defeated the [[Dallas Texans (Arena)|Dallas Texans]] 51–27.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dWciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ua0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1707,3465449&dq=gary+mullen+detroit&hl=en |title=Schlichter drives Detroit to another Arena football title |date=August 13, 1990 |newspaper=The Argus-Press |access-date=February 15, 2013}}</ref>

====The return of Marcum (1991)====
{{main|1991 Detroit Drive season}}
Marcum returned to coach the Drive in 1991. The Drive didn't miss a beat, finishing with the best record in the league for the fourth season in a row. However, despite hosting [[ArenaBowl V|ArenaBowl '91]], they were defeated by the [[Tampa Bay Storm]], ending their three-year reign as league champions.

====A fourth title (1992)====
{{main|1992 Detroit Drive season}}
The Drive traded Schlichter to the expansion [[Cincinnati Rockers]], partly because the league believed that since he'd grown up in the area and starred at [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]], he'd lend the new franchise needed credibility.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YSdDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2786,1480558&dq=cincinnati+rockers&hl=en |title=Rockers bail out Schlichter |date=July 20, 1992 |newspaper=The Daily Sentinel |access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Busted>{{cite book |title=Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter |first=Art |last=Schlichter |others=withJeff Snook |publisher=Orange Frazer Press |date=2009 |isbn=978-1933197678 }}</ref>  However, another factor was the [[problem gambling|compulsive gambling]] that had derailed his NFL career almost a decade earlier. Despite Ilitch's efforts to keep Schlichter on the straight and narrow, by the end of 1991 it was no longer safe for Schlichter to stay in Detroit.<ref name=ColumbusMontly>{{cite news|url=https://www.columbusmonthly.com/news/20200504/from-archives-art-schlichters-fall-from-glory|title=Art Schlichter's Fall From Glory|author1=Jeff Long|publisher=[[Columbus Monthly]]|date=April 1995}}</ref>

In 1992, the Drive played in the [[Northern Division (AFL)|Northern Division]]. The Drive won [[ArenaBowl VI]], claiming their fourth title in five seasons.

====Final season in Detroit (1993)====
{{main|1993 Detroit Drive season}}
Following the 1992 season, Ilitch purchased the [[Detroit Tigers]] of [[Major League Baseball]] and Vitto was transferred to the Tigers front office. Marcum assumed GM duties for 1993 and led the team to its final Arena Bowl. Ilitch sold the Drive so that they would not compete with the Tigers for attendance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20120122/SUB01/301229966/arena-football-league-wants-rematch-with-detroit |title=Arena Football League wants rematch with Detroit |date=January 22, 2012 |author=Bill Shea |publisher=Crain Communications Inc. |work=www.crainsdetroit.com |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> Ilitch still claims that he only kept the Drive because they were constant contenders.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

The Drive had, arguably, the best management team in the league. Owner [[Mike Ilitch]], General Manager Gary Vitto, and Head Coach [[Tim Marcum]] are all in the AFL Hall of Fame.

===Massachusetts Marauders (1994)===
{{main|1994 Massachusetts Marauders season}}

The new owners moved the team to [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] as the Massachusetts Marauders, playing their home games at the [[Worcester Centrum]], but folded after going 8–4 and making the semifinals in their first and only season. Whereas the Drive averaged over 14,000 fans a game during their six seasons in Detroit, the Marauders averaged less than 7,400 a game.
Nearly three years after the Marauders folded, [[Dan DeVos]] won their assets in [[bankruptcy]] court and used them to launch the [[Grand Rapids Rampage]], who played until 2008.

===Later AFL in Detroit===
Detroit later received a second Arena Football team, the [[Detroit Fury]]. The Fury played from 2001 to 2004 in [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]] and were co-owned by [[Bill Davidson (businessman)|William Davidson]], owner of the [[Detroit Pistons]] and [[William Clay Ford, Jr.]], son of the owner of the [[Detroit Lions]]. The Fury were never as successful as the Drive, compiling a 22–41 record and averaging 8,152 fans per game before they folded in 2004.

While the Drive's history was relatively brief, they had an inarguable importance in the history of Arena Football, with [[ArenaBowl]] trips every year of their existence, and creating the first [[Dynasty (sports)|dynasty]] in the Arena Football League.

==Notable players==

===Arena Football League Hall of Famers===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
| colspan="5" style= "background: #800000; color: white"| '''Detroit Drive Hall of Famers'''
|-
!style="background: #ACACAC; color: #800000" |No.
!style="background: #ACACAC; color: #800000" |Name
!style="background: #ACACAC; color: #800000" |Year inducted
!style="background: #ACACAC; color: #800000" |Position(s)
!style="background: #ACACAC; color: #800000" |Years w/ Marauders
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 88 || [[John Corker]] || style="text-align:center;"| 2002 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Offensive lineman|OL]]/[[Defensive lineman|DL]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 98 || [[Dwayne Dixon]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1998 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Linebacker|LB]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1991
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| – || [[Mike Ilitch]] || style="text-align:center;"| 2002 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Owner]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 27 || [[George LaFrance]] || style="text-align:center;"| 2011 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Defensive back|DB]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| – || [[Tim Marcum]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1998 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Head Coach]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1989, 1991–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| – || [[Perry Moss]] || style="text-align:center;"| 2000 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Head Coach]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1990
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 || [[Gary Mullen (arena football)|Gary Mullen]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1998 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Defensive back|DB]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1989–1992
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 29, 35 || [[Tate Randle]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1998 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Linebacker|LB]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988, 1990–1992
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 44 || [[Alvin Rettig]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1998 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Fullback (American football)|FB]]/[[Linebacker|LB]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 62 || [[Jon Roehlk]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1999 || style="text-align:center;"|[[Offensive lineman|OL]]/[[Defensive lineman|DL]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| – || [[Gary Vitto]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1999 || style="text-align:center;"|[[General Manager]] || style="text-align:center;"| 1988–1993
|}

===Individual awards===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#800000; color:white;"| '''AFL MVP'''
|-
!  style="width:50px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Season   
!  style="width:150px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Player
!  style="width:100px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Position
|-
|{{AFL Year|1989}}||[[George LaFrance]]||[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Defensive back|DB]]
|-
|{{AFL Year|1990}}||[[Art Schlichter]]||[[Quarterback|QB]]
|-
|{{AFL Year|1991}}||[[George LaFrance]]||[[Offensive specialist|OS]]/[[Kickoff returner|KR]]
|}

{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#800000; color:white;"| '''Ironman of the Year'''
|-
!  style="width:50px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Season   
!  style="width:150px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Player
!  style="width:100px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Position
|-
|{{AFL Year|1988}}||[[Dwayne Dixon]]||[[Wide receiver|WR]]/[[Defensive back|DB]]
|}

{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#800000; color:white;"| '''Kicker of the Year'''
|-
!  style="width:50px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Season   
!  style="width:150px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Player
!  style="width:100px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Position
|-
|{{AFL Year|1990}}||[[Novo Bojovic]]||[[Placekicker|K]]
|}

{{col-3}}
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#800000; color:white;"| '''Lineman of the Year'''
|-
!  style="width:50px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Season   
!  style="width:150px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Player
!  style="width:100px; background:#ACACAC; color:#800000;"| Position
|-
|{{AFL Year|1991}}||[[John Corker]]||[[Offensive lineman|OL]]/[[Defensive lineman|DL]]
|}

{{col-3}}
{{col-end}}

===All-Arena players===
The following Drive/Marauders players were named to [[All-Arena]] Teams:
*'''QB''' [[Art Schlichter]] (2)
*'''FB/LB''' [[Walter Holman]] (1), [[Lynn Bradford]] (1), [[Alvin Rettig]] (3), [[Broderick Sargent]] (1), [[Tony Burse]] (1)
*'''WR/DB''' [[Dwayne Dixon]] (1), [[George LaFrance]] (2), [[Gary Mullen (American football)|Gary Mullen]] (2), [[Michael Clark (arena football)|Michael Clark]] (1)
*'''WR/LB''' [[Niu Sale]] (1)
*'''OL/DL''' [[Jon Roehlk]] (2), [[Reggie Mathis]] (1), [[Greg Orton (offensive lineman)|Greg Orton]] (1), [[John Corker]] (1), [[Flint Fleming]] (2), [[Danny Lockett]] (2), [[Ralph Jarvis]] (1)
*'''DS''' [[Nate Miller (defensive back)|Nate Miller]] (1), [[Tate Randle]] (2), [[Rod McSwain]] (1), [[Riley Ware]] (1)
*'''OS/KR''' [[Gary Mullen (American football)|Gary Mullen]] (1), [[George LaFrance]] (1)
*'''K''' [[Novo Bojovic]] (2)

==Head coaches==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"|Name
! rowspan="2" | Term
! colspan="4" | Regular season
! colspan="2" | Playoffs
! rowspan="2" | Awards
! rowspan="2" | Reference
|-
! W
! L
! T
! Win%
! W
! L
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Tim Marcum]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Year|1988}}–{{AFL Year|1989}}, {{AFL Year|1991}}–{{AFL Year|1993}}
| style="text-align:center;"|40
| style="text-align:center;"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|40|8}}
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=coaches&coach=26 |title=ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Tim Marcum |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Perry Moss]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Year|1990}}
| style="text-align:center;"|6
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|6|2}}
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=coaches&coach=27 |title=ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Perry Moss |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com |access-date=September 26, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Don Strock]]
| style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Year|1994}}
| style="text-align:center;"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|4
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|8|4}}
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arenafan.com/history/?page=coaches&coach=35 |title=ArenaFan Online: AFL Coaches: Don Strock |publisher=ArenaFan |work=www.arenafan.com |access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref>
|}

==Video games==
The Drive and Marauders both appeared on the game ''[[EA Sports Arena Football]]'' as hidden bonus teams.

==Season-by-season==
{{Main|List of Massachusetts Marauders seasons}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=history&team=6&year=1993 Detroit Drive at ArenaFan.com]
*[http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=history&team=39 Massachusetts Marauders at ArenaFan.com]

{{Massachusetts Marauders}}
{{Navboxes|title=ArenaBowl Championships|titlestyle=background:#800000; color:white|list1=
{{ArenaBowl II}}
{{ArenaBowl III}}
{{ArenaBowl IV}}
{{ArenaBowl VI}}
}}
{{Defunct Arena Football League franchises}}

[[Category:Massachusetts Marauders| ]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:1994 disestablishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American football teams established in 1988]]
[[Category:American football teams disestablished in 1994]]
[[Category:American football teams in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Defunct sports clubs and teams in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Worcester, Massachusetts]]