Established 1962 League titles 2 (1962, 1963) Date founded 1962 | Owner(s) Mike Valan Ground Wheeling Island Stadium Folded 1969 | |
Based in Wheeling, West Virginia Home stadium Wheeling Island Stadium League United Football League (1962–64)
Continental Football League (1965–69) Location Wheeling, West Virginia, United States | ||
The Wheeling Ironmen were a professional American football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia, and played their home games at Wheeling Island Stadium. The team began play in 1962 as a member of the United Football League, where they played for three seasons until that league dissolved. The Ironmen won the UFL championship during their first two seasons in the league.
Wheeling became a charter member of the new Continental Football League in 1965, along with four other former UFL teams. Financial difficulties prompted the team to file for bankruptcy in April 1968, and also vote to give up their CFL franchise. Later that month the team announced they would in fact stay in the league, and hold a fundraising drive. Prior to the start of the 1968 CFL season the team changed their name to the Ohio Valley Ironmen.
On December 15, 1969 the CFL revoked the Ironmen's franchise for failure to meet the league's financial obligations.