The Baltimore Mariners were an indoor football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The team was a member of American Indoor Football. The team was founded when the American Indoor Football Association expelled the Baltimore Blackbirds for negotiating with another league. The AIFA maintained the lease rights to 1st Mariner Arena, so the Mariners were the league's replacement. On September 3, 2010, team owner Dwayne Wells was arrested on charges of wire fraud from an engineering firm he partially owned, allegedly using embezzled money from the firm to buy stakes in the Mariners franchise. Wells forfeited his ownership of the team, causing the Mariners to fold after the 2010 season. The Southern Indoor Football League, as successor to the eastern half of the AIFA, held the lease on the arena, now called Baltimore Arena, until it folded in 2011. The Mariners, after three seasons out of play, returned for one final season in 2014, winning the league championship before folding again. The Mariners were succeeded by the Baltimore Brigade of the Arena Football League in 2017, until the league folded in 2019.
History Expansion (2008–2009) 2009 season schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayResult March 15Erie RiverRatsHomeWon 60-32March 22Reading ExpressHomeWon 59-44March 28Harrisburg StampedeAwayLost 37-43April 4Columbus LionsAwayLost 82-19April 18Reading ExpressAwayWon 40-36April 24Florence PhantomsHomeLost 52-58May 2Harrisburg StampedeAwayWon 37-27May 10Erie RiverRatsAwayLost 50-53May 23Columbus LionsHomeWon 52-32May 30D.C. ArmorHomeWon 57-24June 6D.C. ArmorAwayWon 57-28June 14Harrisburg StampedeHomeWon 58-55June 20South Carolina ForceAwayLoss 62-38June 27D.C. ArmorHomeWon 70-22July 2^Reading ExpressAwayLost 50-20
First Championship and collapse (2010) On March 21, 2010, the Mariners became the first team in AIFA history to earn a shutout win, as they won over the Fayetteville Guard 59–0.
On April 24, 2010, Baltimore continued its record-setting performances during a 91–19 home win over the Guard. They would set the team record for most points in one half (59) and the most points in one game (91).
On June 26, 2010, Baltimore became the first team in AIFA history to finish the regular season undefeated with a record of 14–0. Baltimore went on to win the AIFA Championship and complete their undefeated season with a 57–42 victory on July 25, 2010, over the Western Conference champions, the Wyoming Cavalry. In winning AIFA Bowl IV, the Mariners not only brought the city of Baltimore its first pro indoor football title, but also increased the city's number of overall pro football championships to eight (Baltimore Colts (NFL) in 1958, 1959, 1968, and 1970; Baltimore Stars (USFL) in 1985; Baltimore Stallions (CFL) in 1995;Baltimore Ravens (NFL) in 2000 and 2012; and, Baltimore Mariners (AIFA) in 2010).
2010 season schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayResult March 6Harrisburg StampedeAwayWon 55-48March 14New Jersey RevolutionHomeWon 68-23March 21Fayetteville GuardHomeWon 59-0March 28Richmond RaidersHomeWon 49-45April 11New Jersey RevolutionAwayWon 61-27April 17Reading ExpressAwayWon 51-27April 24Fayetteville GuardAwayWon 91-19May 2Harrisburg StampedeHomeWon 50-17May 13Fayetteville GuardAwayWon 63-34May 29Richmond RaidersAwayWon 57-39June 5Erie StormHomeWon 51-34June 13Erie StormAwayWon 39-37June 19New Jersey RevolutionHomeWon 84-6June 26Reading ExpressHomeWon 69-35July 10^Harrisburg StampedeHomeWon 63-15July 25^Wyoming CavalryHomeWon 57-42
^ - indicates playoff game
The coach of the undefeated 2010 Mariners, Chris Simpson, would move to the Richmond Raiders for the 2011 season.
In October 2011, the AIFA announced that it would include a team from Maryland, presumably the remains/continuation of the Mariners, in its 2012 relaunch; the league more explicitly stated that the Mariners would be revived for the 2014 season.
Rebirth (2013–2014) In September 2013, the AIF announced that Baltimore would be re-joining the league in 2014. On October 9, 2013, the Mariners announced Ron Meehan would be returning as head coach. In 2014, they won the AIF Championship against the Cape Fear Heroes.
2014 season schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayResult March 20 [A.S.I. PANTHERS Preseason]HomeW 56-46April 4Rochester RaidersAwayW 52-28April 19Atlanta SharksHomeW 65-18May 3York CapitalsAwayW 40-31May 9York CapitalsHomeW 61-26May 17Cape Fear HeroesAwayL 47-57May 24Atlanta SharksHomeL ForfeitMay 31^Rochester RaidersAwayW 46-40June 14^Cape Fear HeroesAwayW 45-44
^ - indicates playoff game
Statistics and records
Season-by-season results Note: The finish, wins, losses, and ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.
League championsConference championsDivision championsWild card berthLeague leader
SeasonTeam League Conference Division Regular season Postseason resultsFinishWinsLossesTies 2008 2008 AIFA North Eastern 3rd 4 10 0 2009 2009 AIFA North 2nd 9 5 0Lost North Division Playoff (Express) 20-50 2010 2010 AIFA Eastern 1st 14 0 0Won Eastern Divisional Championship (Stampede) 63-15Won AIFA Championship Bowl VI (Cavalry) 57-42 2014 2014 AIF 2nd 4 2 0Won Wild Card Playoff (Raiders) 46-40Won AIFA Championship Bowl IX (Heroes) 45-44Totals31170All-time regular season record (2008–2014)41-All-time postseason record (2008–2014)35180All-time regular season and postseason record (2008–2014)
* Season currently in progress
References
External links Official website Mariners' 2008 stats Mariners' 2009 stats Mariners' 2010 stats