Today in Wheeling History: July 2—Tom Bland, Minor League Football Hall of Famer, Canadian Football League (CFL) veteran, and standout wide receiver for the Wheeling Ironmen, was born in Wheeling (1937).
Thomas Robert “Tom” Bland Sr. was born on July 2, 1937, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He attended Wheeling High School, where he excelled in athletics, and later enrolled at West Liberty College (now West Liberty University), playing both football and basketball. Bland’s athleticism and versatility earned him a place in West Liberty’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. After college, he joined the Wheeling Ironmen of the United Football League (UFL), where he quickly became a fan favorite. In 1963, he was named All-UFL after recording 55 receptions for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns. Following the UFL’s dissolution, Bland played for the Fort Wayne Warriors and then the Orlando Panthers in the Continental Football League, becoming the league’s all-time leading receiver with 5,418 yards and 60 touchdowns. He also played one season with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (1970). After retiring, Bland coached at the University of Central Florida and later worked in football operations for the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits and Orlando Renegades. He also coached in the Arena Football League. Bland passed away on March 8, 2021, at age 83. His legacy as one of Wheeling’s most accomplished athletes endures.
To learn more: Tom Bland – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/yc2u7upz), West Liberty University Hall of Fame (https://tinyurl.com/2xd46n2w), DeGusipe Funeral Home (https://tinyurl.com/3x74t2ms)
Photo credits: West Liberty University Hall of Fame, DeGusipe Funeral Home
Thomas Robert “Tom” Bland Sr. was born on July 2, 1937, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He attended Wheeling High School, where he excelled in athletics, and later enrolled at West Liberty College (now West Liberty University), playing both football and basketball. Bland’s athleticism and versatility earned him a place in West Liberty’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. After college, he joined the Wheeling Ironmen of the United Football League (UFL), where he quickly became a fan favorite. In 1963, he was named All-UFL after recording 55 receptions for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns. Following the UFL’s dissolution, Bland played for the Fort Wayne Warriors and then the Orlando Panthers in the Continental Football League, becoming the league’s all-time leading receiver with 5,418 yards and 60 touchdowns. He also played one season with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (1970). After retiring, Bland coached at the University of Central Florida and later worked in football operations for the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits and Orlando Renegades. He also coached in the Arena Football League. Bland passed away on March 8, 2021, at age 83. His legacy as one of Wheeling’s most accomplished athletes endures.
To learn more: Tom Bland – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/yc2u7upz), West Liberty University Hall of Fame (https://tinyurl.com/2xd46n2w), DeGusipe Funeral Home (https://tinyurl.com/3x74t2ms)
Photo credits: West Liberty University Hall of Fame, DeGusipe Funeral Home
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