This Week in AFL History

July 23,1988


AFL Communications



On July 23, 1988, the first dynasty in Arena Football history began to take shape as the Detroit Drive defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators, 34-25, in the semifinals to advance to ArenaBowl II. The Drive were a first-year franchise led by a young up-and-coming coach named Tim Marcum. The previous season, Marcum earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Denver Dynamite to a victory in ArenaBowl I.  
In 1988, Marcum navigated a youthful Drive team to a 9-3 record in the regular season with the three losses coming at the hands of Pittsburgh and the Chicago Bruisers. Marcum and the Drive would avenge those losses in the playoffs, the first of which came against Pittsburgh in the semifinals. Behind an efficient and stoic performance by quarterback Rich Ingold, the Drive prevailed to earn the franchise’s first trip to the ArenaBowl.
Detroit rode that momentum to a 24-13 victory over Chicago in the ArenaBowl.
ArenaBowl II was the spark that ignited the Drive dynasty. In a six year period, the Drive completed the only three-peat in League history (1988-90) to date and appeared in six ArenaBowls, winning four.
The 1988 Detroit Drive roster was put together by a pair of Arena Football Hall of Famers in owner Mike Ilitch and general manager Gary Vitto. It also featured a handful of future Hall of Fame players in Dwayne Dixon, Alvin Rettig, Jon Roehlk and George LaFrance.