1.
Don Shula
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He was previously the head coach of the Baltimore Colts, with whom he won the 1968 NFL Championship. Shula was drafted out of John Carroll University in the 1951 NFL Draft, and he played professionally as a back for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated and he had only two losing seasons in his 36-year career of coaching in the NFL. Shula led his teams to six Super Bowls, a record broken by Bill Belichick. In his first Super Bowl, the Colts set the record for the longest period to be shut out, at his next Super Bowl, the Dolphins set the Super Bowl record for the lowest points scored by any team, with one field goal. The following year, he coached a season and broke the record of longest shutout. The Dolphins repeated as Super Bowl champions the following season, as they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24–7 and he currently holds the NFL record for most career wins as a head coach, with 347. Shula was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997, Shula was born in Grand River, Ohio, a small town along the Lake Erie shore in the northeastern part of the state. His parents, Dan and Mary, were of Hungarian origin, Shulas father Dan worked for $9 a week at a rose nursery and saved up to buy the small house where Shula spent his early childhood. The house was next door to a store in Grand River owned by Marys parents. Shula played football in his neighborhood as a child, but his parents forbade it after he got a gash on his face when he was 11. Shula attended elementary school at St. Marys, a private Catholic school in Painesville, his mother was a devout Catholic and he later attended Thomas W. Harvey in Painesville and played on its football team starting in 1945. Shula forged his parents signatures to sign up, within weeks of joining Harveys football team, Shula was a starting left halfback in the schools single-wing offense. He handled a portion of the teams rushing and passing duties. It was the first time in 18 years that Harvey had a seven-win season, the team would have won a league title had it not lost an early game to Willoughby. Shula also ran track at Harvey and was an 11-time letterman in his three years there, as Shula prepared to graduate from high school in 1947, many men whose football careers were delayed by service in World War II were returning and competing for athletic scholarships. As a result, Shula was unable to get a scholarship and that summer, however, he had a chance meeting at a gas station with former Painesville football coach Howard Bauchman, who suggested he ask about a scholarship at John Carroll University. Shula got a scholarship at the private Jesuit school in University Heights
2.
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
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Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an oversized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue, 36th Street, and Ednor Road. The rebuilt multi-sport stadium, when reconstruction was completed in the summer of 1954, the stadium was also known as The Old Gray Lady of 33rd Street, and also as The Worlds Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum. C. Canadian Football League, 1994–1995 Baltimore Ravens, National Football League, 1996–1997 Baltimore City College vs Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Thanksgiving Day 1954–1999, Calvert Hall College vs Loyola Blakefield Thanksgiving Day 1957–1999, known as Calvert Hall vs. Loyola, the Turkey Bowl. Army vs Navy United States Military Academy, vs. United States Naval Academy, Memorial Stadium started out in life as Municipal Stadium, also known as Baltimore Stadium, and as Venable Stadium. Designed by Pleasants Pennington and Albert W. Lewis, it was built in 1922 over a period at the urging of the Mayor. It was also known for a time as Babe Ruth Stadium, after the then-recently deceased Hall of Famer and Baltimore native. Seating 31,000 at the time, the new stadium consisted of a single, horseshoe-shaped deck, with the end facing north. A roofless upper deck was added later in 1953–1954 when the St, during the 90-minute parade, the new Birds signed autographs, handed out pictures and threw styrofoam balls to crowd as the throngs marched down several major city streets ending on East 33rd Street. Inside, more than 46,000 watched the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox, 3–1, to win their home opener, both the new Orioles and the Colts had some great successes over the next few decades, winning several championships. Among the Colts greats were quarterback Johnny Unitas, wide receiver Raymond Berry, over the next few decades, both teams became among the winningest and competitive franchises in their sports, sending a number of players to their respective Halls of Fame. On May 2,1964, an accident involving a stadium escalator caused the death of a teenaged girl. That day, the Orioles held Safety Patrol Day to honor schoolchildren who served in their schools safety patrols, in which helped their fellow students travel to. For the event,20,000 schoolchildren from around the state of Maryland were given admission to the Orioles game against the Cleveland Indians. The moving steps cut and mutilated the children until a stadium usher, 65-year-old Melville Gibson, finally reached the escalators emergency shut-off switch and turned the escalator off. Previously, the switch had been moved to a wall across from the escalator in order to prevent pranksters from turning it off while people were on it. A 14-year-old girl, Annette S. Costantini, was killed in the accident,46 other children were injured, some seriously. The gate at the top of the escalator — called a people channeler — had apparently been left there after a previous event, the gates purpose was to control the flow of people getting onto the escalator. Children heading for the deck then got onto the escalator
3.
Johnny Unitas
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John Constantine Unitas, nicknamed Johnny U and The Golden Arm, was an American football player in the National Football League. He spent the majority of his playing for the Baltimore Colts. He was a quarterback, and the NFLs most valuable player in 1957,1959,1964. For 52 years he held the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass, Unitas was the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback with a strong passing game, media fanfare, and widespread popularity. He has been listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time. John Constantine Unitas was born in Pittsburgh in 1933 to Francis J. Unitas and Helen Superfisky, who both were of Lithuanian descent, he grew up in the Mount Washington neighborhood. When Johnny was five years old, his father died of renal disease complicated by pneumonia, leaving the young boy to be raised by his mother. His surname was a result of a transliteration of a common Lithuanian last name Jonaitis. Attending St. Justins High School in Pittsburgh, Unitas played halfback and quarterback, after high school, Unitas looked for an opportunity to play college football. The University of Louisville came through and Unitas left home to play for the Cardinals, in his four-year career as a Louisville Cardinal, Unitas completed 245 passes for 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns. Reportedly, the 6-foot-1 Unitas weighed 145 pounds on his first day of practice at Louisville, unitass first start was in the fifth game of the 1951 season against St. Bonaventure. That game, the freshman threw 11 consecutive passes and three touchdowns to give the Cardinals a 21–19 lead, though Louisville lost the game 22–21 on a disputed field goal, the team had found a talented quarterback. Unitas completed 12 of 19 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns in a 35–28 victory over Houston, the team finished the season 5–5 overall and 4–1 with Unitas as the starting quarterback. As a freshman, Unitas completed 46 of 99 passes for 602 yards, by the 1952 season, the university decided to de-emphasize sports. The new president at Louisville, Dr. Philip Grant Davidson, reduced the amount of athletic aid, as a result,15 returning players could not meet the new standards and lost their scholarships. But Unitas maintained his scholarship by taking on a new elective, in 1952 Coach Camp switched the team to two-way football. Unitas not only played safety or linebacker on defense and quarterback on offense but returned kicks, the Cards won their first game against Wayne State, and then Florida State in the second game. Unitas completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns and it was said that Unitas put on such a show at the Florida State game that he threw a pass under his legs for 15 yards
4.
Franklin Field
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Franklin Field is the home of the Penn Relays, and is the University of Pennsylvanias stadium for football, lacrosse and formerly for soccer, field hockey and baseball. It is also used by Penn students for recreation, and for intramural and club sports, including football and cricket. It is located in Philadelphia, at the edge of Penns campus. It was formerly the field of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. Franklin Field was built for $100,000 and dedicated on April 20,1895, deemed by the NCAA as the oldest stadium still operating for football, it was the site of the nations first scoreboard in 1895. Its location was given as 37th and Spruce. Permanent Franklin Field construction did not begin until after the turn of the century, weightman Hall gymnasium, the stadium, and permanent grandstands were designed by architect Frank Miles Day & Brother and were erected from 1903 to 1905 at a cost of $500,000. The field was 714 feet long and 443 feet wide, the site featured a ¼-mile track, a football field, and a baseball diamond. Beneath the stands were indoor tracks and indoor training facilities, plans called for a new train station called Union Station which would feature a Pennsylvania Railroad stop and a stop on a proposed elevated subway line connected to the Market–Frankford Line. Architecture firm Koronski & Cameron created a rendering but plans quickly collapsed, five years later, it was decided instead to expand Franklin Field. The current stadium structure was built in the 1920s, designed by Day & Klauder, after the wooden bleachers were torn down. The lower tier was erected in 1922, the old wood stands were razed immediately following the Penn Relays and the new concrete lower tier and seating for 50,000 were built. The second tier was added in 1925, again designed by Day & Klauder, the first football radio broadcast originated from Franklin Field in 1922. It was carried by Philadelphia station WIP and this claim is pre-empted by an earlier live radio broadcast emanating from Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, on October 8,1921, a full year before Franklin Fields claim to fame. Harold W. Arlin announced the live broadcast of the Pitt-West Virginia football game on October 8,1921, the first commercial football television broadcast in 1939 also came from Franklin Field. In the universitys football heyday — when Penn led the nation in attendance — the 65, today, Franklin Field, named after Penns founder, Benjamin Franklin, seats 52,958. Franklin Field switched from grass to AstroTurf in 1969 and it was the first National Football League stadium to use artificial turf. The stadiums fifth AstroTurf surface was installed in 1993, the current Sprinturf field replaced the AstroTurf in 2004
5.
National Football League
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The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
6.
Chuck Noll
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Charles Henry Chuck Noll was a professional American football player, assistant coach and head coach. His sole head coaching position was for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991, when Noll retired after 23 years, only three other head coaches in NFL history had longer tenures with one team. His four Super Bowl victories rank 2nd behind Bill Belichick for the most of any coach in NFL history. Between his playing and head coaching tenures, Noll won a total of six NFL Championships, Noll built the team through astute drafting and meticulous tutoring. During his career, he was notable for the opportunities he gave African Americans, starting the first African American quarterback and having the first black assistant coach. He was frequently credited with maintaining the morale of the Western Pennsylvania region despite an economic decline by fashioning a team of champions in the image of its blue collar fan base. Noll was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of three siblings of William Noll and Katherine Steigerwald Noll, on a local youth football team Noll played with Harold Owens, the nephew of Olympic star Jesse Owens. Noll early showed his ability to pursue a goal single-mindedly when he conceived the idea of going to Benedictine High School and he began working in seventh grade and by time he entered high school, he had saved enough for two years worth of the $150 tuition. Throughout high school he continued to work, making 55 cent an hour at Fisher Brothers meat market after school, education was always important to him, so despite the schedule, he studied enough to graduate 28th in a class of 252. He played running back and tackle on the school football team. During his senior year he was named to the All Catholic Universe Bulletin team by the Diocese of Cleveland newspaper, Noll planned to attend Notre Dame, but during a practice before his freshman year he suffered an epileptic seizure on the field. Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy refused to take the risk of allowing Noll to play there, Noll graduated with a degree in secondary education. As a member of the Dayton Flyers football team, he was a lineman, linebacker and a co-captain, and acquired the nickname, Noll was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 239th pick in the 1953 NFL draft. During his first year, the Browns lost to the Detroit Lions in the NFL championship, the next two years the Browns were NFL champions. Although drafted as a linebacker, Coach Paul Brown used the undersized Noll as one of his guards to send play calls to the quarterback. Brown recalled that Noll soon could have called the plays himself without any help from the bench, Noll was paid only $5,000 per season with the Browns and so while there he acted as substitute teacher at Holy Name High School and sold insurance on the side. During that period Noll also attended Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at night and he told Dan Rooney that he decided against becoming a lawyer because he didnt really like the constant confrontation and arguments that come with being a lawyer. Instead, when Noll lost the starting position to John Wooten
7.
Carroll Rosenbloom
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Carroll Rosenbloom was an American businessman. He was the owner of two National Football League franchises, he was the first owner of the Baltimore Colts, and later switched teams, Rosenbloom has been described as the NFLs first modern owner and the first players owner. Rosenbloom was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 5,1907, to Anna and he was the eighth of nine children, raised in a Jewish family. His father, an immigrant from Russian Poland, started a successful work-clothing manufacturing company, as a youth, Sports Illustrated described Rosenbloom as an indifferent student but a good athlete. He played football and baseball and boxed, at the time, the Quakers backfield coach was Bert Bell, who later became the commissioner of the NFL. Upon graduation, Rosenbloom returned to Baltimore to work for his fathers clothing company, after being sent to liquidate the Blue Ridge Overalls Company, a small factory his father had acquired, Rosenbloom decided he wanted to run the fledgling company on his own. Based in Roanoke, Virginia, Blue Ridge had suffered during the Depression, but Rosenbloom was intent to turn it around. Civilian Conservation Corps was authorized in 1933 and officials needed denim work clothes, by 1940, after attaining distribution through large channels like Sears-Roebuck and J. C. Penney, Blue Ridge had grown into a prosperous company allowing Rosenbloom to retire at 32. During a brief retirement, Rosenbloom lived as a farmer on Marylands Eastern Shore, growing corn. As well, during time, Rosenbloom married Velma Anderson. Rosenblooms fathers death in 1942 cut his retirement short, however, when Rosenbloom was named the executor of his fathers estate, he chose to return to business life. By 1959, Blue Ridge had grown to include almost a dozen shirt and overall companies and 7,000 employees, leading some to dub Rosenbloom Americas Overalls King. In the financial interests of his family, Rosenbloom decided to sell the company to P & R, at P & R, Rosenbloom served as a Director. With the success of his first enterprise, Rosenbloom diversified his business interests, in the late 1950s, Rosenbloom and his partners bought control of Universal Products Co. He went on to buy American Totalisator and other companies, eventually lumping them all together under the name Universal Controls. After losing the original Colts team in 1951, the city of Baltimore petitioned the NFL for another franchise, around this time, NFL Commissioner Bert Bell wanted to find a new home for the Dallas Texans, an NFL expansion team that folded after one failed season in 1952. Bell sought a new owner with financial resources. From their days together at Penn, Bell thought Rosenbloom would be a great fit, though Rosenbloom was hesitant at first to own a franchise, he relented and bought the team along with a group of other investors
8.
Dick Bielski
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Richard Adam Bielski is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and the Baltimore Colts. He played college football at the University of Maryland and he was also an excellent placekicker. In 1954 he was a preseason All-American candidate, but injuries affected his level of play during the season. Still, he was able to finish his career averaging more than 5 yards per carry and was considered one of the best fullbacks in the country along with Alan Ameche. At the end of the year he was selected to play in the Chicago College All-Star Game, Senior Bowl and the North-South Shrine Game, where he was voted the outstanding player of the game. Bielski was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft, during his first years, he didnt live up to expectations at fullback and had a greater impact as a placekicker. Being considered a player, he was converted into a tight end in 1957. After the 1959 season, the Eagles left him off their list of players who were exempt from the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, Bielski was acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft. He was involved in the record for the shortest touchdown pass in league history, in 1961 he earned his only Pro Bowl berth, with career highs of 26 receptions for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also took over the duties from Allen Green, for the final five games of the season. Bielski became part of the legacy of Pro Bowl tight ends that includes, Jim Doran, Lee Folkins, Mike Ditka, Billy Joe Dupree, Jackie Smith, Doug Cosbie, Jay Novacek. During the 1962 offseason, needing help on defense, the Cowboys traded him to the Baltimore Colts in a three-team deal, the Colts then sent a third round draft pick to the Saint Louis Cardinals, and in return the Cardinals sent safety/punter Jerry Norton to the Cowboys. Dallas then traded a draft pick to the Green Bay Packers to pick up tight end Lee Folkins. In 1962, he played as a fullback and placekicker and he spent two seasons with the Baltimore Colts before retiring. In a nine-year career he had 107 receptions for 1,305 yards,229 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns and he also kicked 58 extra points and 26 field goals. After his playing career, he enter the coaching ranks and he served as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins for four seasons, and as a wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Colts under head coach Don Shula. Bielski coached the Washington Federals of the United States Football League as offensive coordinator and then coach for the final 17 games of the 1984 season
9.
Preston Pearson
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Preston James Pearson is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Baltimore Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college basketball for the University of Illinois, Pearson attended Freeport High School, where he received All-State honors as the center of the basketball team. After writing a letter to head coach Harry Combes, he walked on at the University of Illinois, in college, he was moved to guard and became a two-year starter. He was known primarily for his defense and was one of the few players to have ever block a skyhook shot from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Although he possessed the athletic and leaping ability, he never developed his offensive game, Pearson was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the twelfth round of the 1967 NFL Draft despite never playing a down of college football, after the team was impressed with his speed and athleticism. He was first tried at defensive back and was promoted from the squad to the regular roster on November 1. The next year he was moved to running back and became a captain of the special teams units after leading the league in kickoff returns with a 35.1 yards average and he also registered the longest return of the year. On May 31,1970, he was traded along with defensive back Ocie Austin to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for linebacker Ray May, in Pittsburgh, he reunited with head coach Chuck Noll who was the defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Colts. He became the starter at running back in his first year with the team, in 1971, he was the fifteenth ranked running back in the AFC with 605 yards. In 1972, he was the leading rusher in the AFC through the first 4 games. He was replaced with rookie Franco Harris, who would not relinquish the position again on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The next year he was switched to wide receiver during training camp and his relationship with Noll eventually became strained, because of being an outspoken person and his role as one of the Steelers player representatives during the 1974 strike. In 1974, he was the third leading rusher even though he missed five games with a hamstring injury. On September 16,1975, the team waived him after deciding to keep rookie running back Mike Collier instead, at the time only six players in franchise history had run for more yards. Pearson and the Dirty Dozen draft were the key reasons that helped the team reached the Super Bowl that year. His best season came in 1975, when he became a starter and rushed for 509 yards, caught 27 passes for 351 yards and his team ended up losing the Super Bowl to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Pearson rushing for 14 yards and catching five passes for 53 yards. He was a player, contributing in running, receiving, blocking. Head coach Tom Landry once said, Hes one of the best halfback blockers Ive seen
10.
John Mackey (American football)
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John Mackey was an American football tight end who played for the Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers. He was born in Roosevelt, New York and attended Syracuse University and he was the first president of the National Football League Players Association following the AFL-NFL merger, serving from 1970 to 1973. Mackey was also a big reason for the NFLPA to create the 88 Plan which would financially support ex-players who required living assistance in later years, a five-time Pro Bowler, Mackey was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, the 2nd pure tight end elected. Mackey was drafted from Syracuse University by the Baltimore Colts in the 1963 NFL Draft and he went on to play a total of 10 NFL seasons as tight end, and became known for his size and speed. Mackey played his first nine seasons with the Colts before leaving the team in 1971 and he played his final season with the San Diego Chargers, retiring at the end of the 1972 season. Although a knee injury forced him into retirement, Mackey only missed one game in his whole career. During his 10 seasons in the NFL, Mackey scored 38 touchdowns, in his final season as a Colt, Mackey played in Super Bowl V on January 17,1971. Baltimore won the game 16–13, following a 32-yard field goal by Jim OBrien with five seconds left, during his playing career, Mackey played in five Pro Bowls, including in his rookie season. He was also named All-NFL three times, in 1992, Mackey was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming only the second pure tight end to be awarded this honor. Mackey has been included in lists of great NFL players. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Mackey at 48 on their list of The 100 Greatest Football Players and he also placed at number 42 on the NFL Networks list of the Top 100 Football Players in 2010. In 2001, the John Mackey Award was established by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award is given yearly to the top college tight end. On September 15,2007, Mackeys alma mater, Syracuse University, in 1970, Mackey became the first president of the National Football League Players Association following the merger of the National Football League and the American Football League. Although the NFL and AFL each had a candidate for president in mind, Mackey held the position of president until September 1973. The strike resulted in increased benefits for NFL players totalling more than $12 million. According to former teammate Ordell Braase, Mackey had a vision for that job and you dont get anything unless you really rattle the cage. In 1972, Mackey became the plaintiff in a court action which led to the overturning of the so-called Rozelle Rule. In 1976, the Rozelle Rule was ruled to violate antitrust laws in Mackey v. NFL, several years after retiring from the NFL, Mackey began to suffer from symptoms of dementia
