When I was doing “6 Things to Consider” I put together pieces on each of the NFL teams. I did the baseball teams as well.
Since today is the Anniversary of the Colts leaving Baltimore, I thought I’d republish the one I did for the Colts.
The Baltimore Colts were created in 1953 out of the failed NFL franchise Dallas Texans. There were two other football teams in Baltimore prior to 1953 to use the name Colts. In 1947 the Miami Seahawks of the All-American Football Conference moved to Baltimore and took the name Colts. In 1950 the AAFC merged with the NFL and played for one NFL season before folding.
In 1958 the team led by Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas won the NFL championship 23-17 over the New York Giants. It was an overtime contest that many call ‘the greatest game ever played’. This game is credited with helping to make football the game it is today.
The Baltimore Colts were in 2 of the first 5 Super Bowls. They lost to the AFL New York Jets, a team with much less talent, but led by Joe Namath, in Super Bowl III. After the AFL merged with the NFL after Super Bowl IV, they moved to the AFC and won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys.
On July 13, 1972 Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of the Colts, exchanged ownership of franchises with Robert Irsay, owner of the Los Angeles Rams.
At the end of the 1982 season, the Baltimore Colts had the number 1 draft pick and selected John Elway. Elway refused to talk with the Colts, threatening to play baseball instead. They traded Elway to the Denver Broncos for 2 players and Denver’s 1984 1st round draft choice.
On March 28,1984, on a snowy morning, the Colts packed their belongings into Mayflower trucks and moved to Indianapolis. The Baltimore region was so angered with the move that many fans and former players completely disassociated themselves from the Colts.