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. A year later, they were leading the West when the league folded on October 22, 1975, in midseason.
Schedule and results
{| cellpadding=5 style="border:1px solid #BBB"
|-
| Key: || | Win || | Loss || style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Bye
|}
1974 regular season
Source:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style=""| Week
!style=""| Date
!style=""| Opponent
!style=""| Result
!style=""| Record
!style=""| Venue
!style=""| Attendance
|-
! 1
|
| at Birmingham Americans
| L 7–11
| 0–1
| Legion Field
| 53,231
|-
! 2
|
| Hawaiians
| W 38–31
| 1–1
| Anaheim Stadium
| 32,018
|-
! 3
|
| at Jacksonville Sharks
| W 21–19
| 2–1
| Gator Bowl
| 46,780
|-
! 4
|
| at Memphis Southmen
| L 15–25
| 2–2
| Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
| 25,175
|-
! 5
|
| New York Stars
| L 8–11
| 2–3
| Anaheim Stadium
| 28,174
|-
! 6
|
| at Houston Texans
| W 18–7
| 3–3
| Astrodome
| 31,227
|-
! 7
|
| at Philadelphia Bell
| W 31–28
| 4–3
| John F. Kennedy Stadium
| 14,600
|-
! 8
|
| Portland Storm
| W 45–15
| 5–3
| Anaheim Stadium
| 27,814
|-
! 9
|
| Chicago Fire
| L 22–32
| 5–4
| Anaheim Stadium
| 27,133
|-
! 10
|
| at Detroit Wheels
| W 10–7
| 6–4
| Rynearson Stadium
| 6,351
|-
! 11
|
| at Chicago Fire
| W 31–28
| 7–4
| Soldier Field
| 24,837
|-
! 12
|
| Detroit Wheels
| W 29–24
| 8–4
| Anaheim Stadium
| 12,169
|-
! 13
|
| Jacksonville Sharks
| W 57–7
| 9–4
| Anaheim Stadium
| 22,017
|-
! 14
|
| at Portland Storm
| W 26–22
| 10–4
| Civic Stadium
| 20,469
|-
! 15
|
| Shreveport Steamer
| W 25–23
| 11–4
| Anaheim Stadium
| 24,223
|-
! 16
|
| Birmingham Americans
| W 29–25
| 12–4
| Anaheim Stadium
| 25,247
|-
! 17
|
| Philadelphia Bell
| L 7–45
| 12–5
| Anaheim Stadium
| 26,412
|-
! 18
|
| at Charlotte Hornets
| W 34–25
| 13–5
| American Legion Memorial Stadium
| 19,436
|-
! 19
|
| at Hawaiians
| L 8–29
| 13–6
| Honolulu Stadium
| 13,780
|-
! 20
|
| Florida Blazers
| L 24–27
| 13–7
| Anaheim Stadium
| 28,213
|}
Playoffs
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style=""| Round
!style=""| Date
!style=""| Opponent
!style=""| Result
!style=""| Record
!style=""| Venue
!style=""| Attendance
|-
! Quarterfinals
|
| Hawaiians
| L 14–32
| 0–1
| Anaheim Stadium
| 11,430
|}
1975 regular season
Source:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style=""| Week
!style=""| Date
!style=""| Opponent
!style=""| Result
!style=""| Venue
!style=""| Record
!style=""| Attendance
!style=""| Source
|-
! 1
|
| Portland Thunder
| W 21–15
| Anaheim Stadium
| 1–0
| 14,362
|
|-
! 2
| August 9
| at San Antonio Wings
| L 22–54
| Alamo Stadium
| 1–1
| 21,000
|
|-
! 3
| August 16
| at Hawaiians
| W 37–19
| Honolulu Stadium
| 2–1
| 15,862
|
|-
! 4
| August 23
| at Birmingham Vulcans
| W 35–25
| Legion Field
| 3–1
| 32,000
|
|-
! 5
|
| Philadelphia Bell
| W 58–39
| Anaheim Stadium
| 4–1
| 17,811
|
|-
! 6
|
| at San Antonio Wings
| L 8–30
| Alamo Stadium
| 4–2
| 10,470
|
|-
! 7
| September 14
| Charlotte Hornets
| L 22–30
| Anaheim Stadium
| 4–3
| 13,405
|
|-
! 8
|
| at Shreveport Steamer
| L 29–38
| State Fair Stadium
| 4–4
| 18,777
|
|-
! 9
|
| at Charlotte Hornets
| W 24–17
| American Legion Memorial Stadium
| 5–4
| 17,000
|
|-
! 10
| October 5
| at Memphis Grizzlies
| L 33–37
| Memphis Memorial Stadium
| 5–5
| 18,129
|
|-
! 11
| October 12
| Shreveport Steamer
| W 39–30
| Anaheim Stadium
| 6–5
| 10,505
|
|-
! 12
| October 19
| at Hawaiians
| W 26–7
| Aloha Stadium
| 7–5
| 15,905
|
|}
See also
- 1974 World Football League season
- 1975 World Football League season