The World Bowl Trophy. Photo © WLAF

SCOTTISH CLAYMORES 32, FRANKFURT GALAXY 27 -- QUARTERBACK Jim Ballard and wide receiver Yo Murphy hooked up for three touchdowns as the Claymores were crowned champions in front of 38,982 fans at Murrayfield.

Scotland scored through Markus Thomas when Frankfurt fumbled the opening kickoff (Claymores safety George Coghill stripped the ball from Mario Bailey's arms) but the Galaxy led on touchdowns by Jay Kearney, on a reverse, and Mario Bailey, on a pass from Steve Pelluer, early in the second quarter. Ballard and Murphy turned the game by hooking up for two scores before halftime, the second a magnificent one-handed catch in the corner of the endzone. The first of these two scores was set up when the Galaxy once again fumbled the kickoff. Claymores LB Shannon Jones fell on the ball to give the Claymores great field position.

Photo © WLAF

After Paul McCallum stretched the Claymores lead with a field goal and Bailey cut the gap with his second touchdown, Ballard found Murphy streaking clear for a 71-yard touchdown for a 28-20 Scotland lead. McCallum landed a 50-yard field goal (good for 4 points) before Mike Bellamy's touchdown reception from Pelluer with 3:50 remaining set up a tense climax.

Inside the final minute the Galaxy had one last drive to score the winning touchdown before time ran out. Quick passes to the sidelines moved Frankfurt past midfield.

Fourth Down Fumble On a play from scrimmage, if an offensive player fumbles anywhere on the field on fourth down, only the fumbling player is permitted to recover and/or advance the ball. If any player fumbles after the two-minute warning in a half, only the fumbling player is permitted to recover and/or advance the ball. If recovered by any other offensive player, the ball is dead at the spot of the fumble unless it is recovered behind the spot of the fumble. In that case, the ball is dead at the spot of recovery. Any defensive player may recover and/or advance any fumble at any time.

With Frankfurt facing a 4th and short, players, coaches held their breath while the 39,000 fans roared in the stands to prevent the play-calling from reaching all the offensive players on the field.

The ball was snapped, the hand-off to the German national Ingo Seibert was FUMBLED! Steve Pelleur recovered and gained enough for the first down. The crowd went silent.

Suddenly, a flag was thrown. An obscure rule called the fourth down fumble states that if the ball is fumbled on fourth down, only the player who fumbled can advance the ball. As Steve Pelleur recovered the fumble the play was blown dead and Scotland took over on downs. Scotland was only sure of victory after Ingo Seibert's last-minute fumble.

Jim Ballard took a knee to run out the clock and Scotland were World Bowl Champions 1996.