25 years ago today Baltimore fans had their world turned upside down. Years of history was packed into Mayflower moving fans in the middle of a snowy March night and shipped to Indianapolis.
Without hesitation, before anything could be done, the Colts left Baltimore and changed football history in Charm City forever. As a 21 year old fan, I missed the Colts by 4 years, but I am passionate about all young fans recognizing this day in Baltimore history.
Image Courtesy of The Baltimore Sun
A lot of people ask me why I care about something that never took place in my generations. The answer is because it’s in my blood. I didn’t have a pro franchise until I was 13 years old, so for the first half of my life my father brought me up to hate everything about Indy.
Any young fan that takes a trip to Sports Legends and soaks up the history instilled in Baltimore by Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Art Donovan, Gino Marchetti, and tons of other guys will leave upset that their history and records belong to a city in Indiana.
Without an NFL franchise, my father told me that Baltimore would win a Super Bowl before Indianapolis ever would. It was a crazy notion, but he said it with such confidence. Sure enough the Modell family blessed Baltimore by moving the Browns in 1996 and after just four years the Ravens held up the Lombardi Trophy after being victorious in Super Bowl XXXV.
I bleed purple, but the Colts’ history was taught to me from a young age and even though I wasn’t there I can’t imagine losing the team I love in the middle of a snowy night in March.
I remember it as if it was yesterday. Also, remember when they traded #19 to San Diego. Mike Curtis hitting the fan that ran on the field. The infamous field goal in the fog that never happened. #24, Spats running down the sideline. The first Championship Game in 1958 and the power went out. It was if it all just happened. If it is 2:00PM and a Sunday afternoon it was time for Colt’s Football. Chuck Thompson, and there was Bailey Goss who died in a tragic car accident on Northern Parkway at Falls Rd. Joe Don Looney who was the craziest Colt ever. The plane crashing in the upperdeck after the playoff game.
RC Owens and the infamous Alley Oop play under the goal post after he was traded here from the 49’ers
Just Memories.
Thanks for sharing that Happytown09. It’s good to hear some of the memories from the old Baltimore Colts. I wrote this article because I want people to always remember the past and cherish the history of football in this great city. I appreciate your thoughts.
Good article. While I am a bit older, I was a high school senior when the Colts left Baltimore. I remember all those years without a football team in the city to root for. I also remember the shame of the expansion sweepstakes, when Baltimore did everything it could to bring a team back to the city, only to see Paul Tagliabue deny a city that played an important part in football (NFL) history.
And while many still cry foul over the Browns moving to Baltimore from Cleveland, is it really any different than when the Rams left LA, or the Raiders left Oakland? I still often wonder why Cleveland gets tons of sympathy, but Baltimore doesn’t?
Great piece! Good work, that image is despicable.
I was not in Maryland when this happened but I’ve learned the pain from my husband and others who were here. This is/was unforgivable.
I grew up in Bufallo and wonder how long till the Bills move? (They are my second team)
You know I am not from here. Originally from Niagara Falls and I have to say that this night is one that even though I wasn’t here for, I can feel what people went through.
My hubby Neil has me dialed in to that whole past. I took him to his first NFL game n Buffalo after the Colts had left and it was really incredible watching him. Like a kid in a candy store-
Great post. Really hits all the high points and low points of that time.
This comment was originally posted on Mind Pinball
Good article. While I am a bit older, I was a high school senior when the Colts left Baltimore. I remember all those years without a football team in the city to root for. I also remember the shame of the expansion sweepstakes, when Baltimore did everything it could to bring a team back to the city, only to see Paul Tagliabue deny a city that played an important part in football (NFL) history.
And while many still cry foul over the Browns moving to Baltimore from Cleveland, is it really any different than when the Rams left LA, or the Raiders left Oakland? I still often wonder why Cleveland gets tons of sympathy, but Baltimore doesn't?