Wikipedia / Minnesota Fighting Pike
Wikipedia / Minnesota Fighting Pike
The Minnesota Fighting Pike were an Arena football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They joined the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1996 as an expansion team. The Fighting Pike were the first ever attempt at an arena/indoor football team in the state of Minnesota. The owner of the Fighting Pike was Tom Scallen. The Fighting Pike played at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The team colors were green and gold. In a 2012 AFL Poll, the Fighting Pike were voted as the 8th greatest nickname in AFL history.
Franchise history
In November 1995, the announced that they would be nicknamed the "Fighting Pike" and that Art Haege was named the team's head coach.
During the team's first tryout, Haege walked out, stating he was going "Back to Iowa." The next day, Haege faxed in his resignation to team owner Tom Scallen.
The Pike were 0-7 at home, and the average attendance for the seven home games was 8,894.
The roster was full of players who had played at the University of Minnesota or other Minnesota colleges and universities. Tony Levine, a former Golden Gopher, joined the team and received 8 passes for a total of 83 yards and 1 touchdown. Former Gopher Rickey Foggie was the quarterback and he struggled adapting to the Arena Football League after many years in the Canadian Football League. Once during the season he was benched in favor of Southwest State's Jeff Loots, who threw four interceptions in a game. Loots was playing on his third expansion team in three seasons. Another player from Southwest State was Alvin Ashley. The best-known ex-Pike is kicker Mike Vanderjagt, later a star in the CFL and NFL.
Ray Jauch was the head coach. He was assisted by John Coatta Jr. on offense and Frank Haege on defense.
The team's lack of exposure or advertising was the key reason for the team's folding at the end of the 1996 season. The team did not have a regional television deal to promote their games or have the games advertised in newspapers and other media.
The Pike's final game of the season against the Memphis Pharaohs was played in Tupelo, Mississippi, because the Pharaohs had been evicted from their arena.
The Pike's official mascot was a giant Pike named "Tackle." He was known to "dive" into a promotional hot tub at the arena.
Legacy
In 2024, a revival of the Arena Football League brought it the Minnesota Myth, a team which played only two games (one at Target Center) before folding themselves.
Players
Final roster
Coaches
Head coaches
Coaching staff
1996 season results
Statistics
Team leaders
Leading rusher: Harry Jackson 22 carries, 26 yards and 0 touchdowns
Leading passer: Rickey Foggie 224-443 for 2,269 yards, 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Leading receiver: Reggie Brown 79 catches, 964 yards 17, touchdowns
Offense
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Touchdowns
Defense
Special teams
Kick return
Kicking
1996 regular season
Week 1: vs Houston ThunderbearsTexas Terror
Attendance: 4,520
Week 2: vs Iowa BarnstormersIowa Barnstormers
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 14,840
Week 3: vs St. Louis StampedeSt. Louis Stampede
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 8,726
Week 4: vs Albany FirebirdsAlbany Firebirds
at the Times Union Center, Albany, New York
Attendance: 11,712
Week 5: vs Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay Storm
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 7,781
Week 6: vs Anaheim PiranhasAnaheim Piranhas
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 8,117
Week 7: vs Arizona RattlersArizona Rattlers
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 8,207
Week 8: vs Florida BobcatsFlorida Bobcats
at the West Palm Beach Auditorium, West Palm Beach, Florida
Attendance: 4,450
Week 10: vs Milwaukee Mustangs (1994–2001)Milwaukee Mustangs
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 7,207
Week 11: vs Connecticut CoyotesConnecticut Coyotes
at the Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Attendance: 9,249
Week 12: vs Orlando PredatorsOrlando Predators
at the Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 15,107
Week 13: vs Houston ThunderbearsTexas Terror
at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 7,380
Week 14: vs San Jose SaberCatsSan Jose SaberCats
at the HP Pavilion, San Jose, California
Attendance: 14,901
Week 15: vs Memphis PharaohsMemphis Pharaohs
at the BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo, Mississippi
Attendance: 4,520
Other media
The team appeared on the game EA Sports Arena Football as a hidden bonus team.
Notes
All game scores and statistics are from arenafan.com
External links