When the Denver Broncos head back East this weekend to take on the Baltimore Ravens, my mind’s eye will see not just the opponents in their purple and black in their beautiful state of the art stadium, but another opponent, another era, same city.
Baltimore’s pro football history began not in the National Football League, but in the old All American Football Conference, which sounds like a college “conference” but which was in fact the first significant rival pro league. The AAFC played for four years and the Cleveland Browns won the title all four seasons.
Then, on December 9, 1949, NFL Commissioner Bert Bell announced a merger agreement in which three AAFC franchises — Cleveland, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Colts — joined the NFL and began play in 1950. In this year of celebration for the AFL, I thought it was at least worth a shout out to the AAFC, which no fan today has ever heard of, even though it spawned three of the franchises still considered legendary today.
That’s how Baltimore got into the NFL, and they were the Colts, not the Ravens.
Of course, the Broncos have been tied to Baltimore by our all-time great Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who was acquired by Denver from the Colts in 1983.
The Broncos played at Baltimore that year, and the game will always be memorable to me.
First of all, it was in old Memorial Stadium, which was, to be very kind, way past its functional years and especially so as the NFL headed full speed into a future that would include the most spectacular stadia in North America.
The crowd was a sellout, Baltimore always one of the most rabid fan bases in pro football, and their energy level and anger toward John Elway was palpable.
The game was played on the baseball infield, still in place because it was week two of the regular season and of course the Baltimore Orioles still were in full play.
The Orioles, by the way, had migrated to Baltimore from St. Louis, where they began life as the St. Louis Browns — the original Baltimore Orioles moved to New York City very early in the last century and became the New York Highlanders, early predecessors to the most successful sports franchise of all time, the New York Yankees.
I remember the dirt swirling on the infield and the fans barely containing themselves in their seats while their emotions were completely unrestrained, all aimed at Elway, the young guy who did not want to play for Frank Kush but who was too polite to say that, opting instead to just say he would not play in Baltimore. Honest, but not well received by the locals.
Elway came out at halftime and Steve DeBerg played the second half of an eventual Bronco win, with the crowd setting down considerable after Dan Reeves chose to take Elway out of the game.
This might have been the most intensely negative home crowd that I have ever seen our Broncos play before as visitors in my 32 NFL campaigns. We just wanted to win and get out of there without incident.
Since then, the Colts went to Indianapolis, the original AAFC Browns went to Baltimore as the Ravens, where they won a world championship much celebrated by great Baltimore fans and original Colts like Hall of Famer Art Donovan, maybe the only guy ever to write an autobiography and give it the title, “Fatso.”
This Sunday’s game is all about the Broncos and the Ravens, two fine teams pushing toward the goals that 2009 has before them. But there was an earlier time of a baseball infield and badly kept grass, a decrepit stadium that is no more and a franchise that moved along as sometimes happens in sport.
But still Baltimore, still great fans and another titanic struggle that stands as routine in the NFL.
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Dan Reeves, John Elway, Week 8
It’s going to be a tough game, Baltimore is going to come out craving for a win. I predict another close one.
GO ORANGE PUNCH!
Hey Jim,
Thanks for the memory of a forgotten time! Let’s see the revived Orange Crush step up for ‘D’efensive showdown!!
I live in Baltimore, so I know all about the crazy Baltimore fans. I am a huge Denver Broncos fan though, because when the Colts left for Indy, my dad was a huge Colts fan. So he needed a team, and he started to follow the Broncos because he knew former Bronco Steve Watson. I can’t wait to see the Broncos-Ravens game, mostly because all of my friends are Ravens fans. I hope Denver kicks some butt or I’ll have to deal with it until the next time these teams play. Anyway, I think this was a great story and I really enjoyed reading it. Oh and by the way, ’83 is the last time the Orioles won the World Series.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dont expect alotta points in this one. lets go D!!!
Jim, that was very well written.
It makes me again reflect on all the change that this team has experienced this last year and off-season. Change has the potential to spawn great things, but it always spawns great stories. The story of how Elway got to Denver and had such tremendous succes is fantastic. The story of Josh McDaniels and this entire team has thus far been fantastic as well. I hope it continues to be a tale to be remembered and re-told years from now. Thanks again.
Lets just remember whos got the best defense this year.Bronco fans dont forget whos defense is kicking butt.Iknow we can score on anybodys defense because our offense is getting better every week.The question is how many points is our stingy defense gonna give up???I think not many Broncos win 17-10.Go Broncs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let’s go for 7-0 boys!!! This is a big AFC match up and so is next week.
THIS WILL BE A HARD HITTING GAME.
sometimes i wish that i was 50 yrs old, just so i could be a part of broncos history and one day say to my kids, “i was there when that happened.” I really appreciate these articles though, i learn alot.
BTW, when does the competition for the game predictions start? I hope i can win my first contest, really good at predicting the outcomes of football games.( if the brocos win, as thats who i pick every game)
Jim
Great write up. Made me think of the cartoon in the ol Rocky Mtn News picturing a two headed player with ELBURG on his back.-ha
nice post jim, even before i know who posts it. as soon as i see “memory”, “legacy”, “legend”, “past”, “time”….or any one of those terms refering to times forgotten i know you posted the blog 9 times out of 10 lol. Keeps us young Bronco fans more knowledgeable of our teams history.
This will be a key game for us as the Ravens are a solid team and will push us to the limit. Nevertheless, we’re better. 7-0! GO BRONCOS!!!
bronconolan24,
Don’t sweat the length of time of not being a Bronco fan when you couldn’t! As I’m sure you already have, you’ll create your own memories for years to come. As many have said before me, learning and understanding where we came from is important.
However, being able to sit down with my 6 year old NOW is priceless! These are the memories that he will grow up to look back on just as Jim and so many others do when they look up and think about “the days”
He’ll talk about the day Jay Cutler was traded and a “average” titled QB began to rewrite his own career in Denver. He’ll talk about the day one of the NFL’s youngest coaches implemented a vision that would capture the sports world in a short period of time.
I’m 33 years old and have a passion for these Broncos that is unmeasureable! To me the definition of a great fan is looking at the present and future and supporting those people that make a difference within the organization. But you also have to pay tribute to those that created the organization.
Grab a hold of your passion and hold on tight! I’ll tell you, there’s nothing more glorified in the sports world for me than when someone walks into my office in Illinois, looks around and says “How did you become a Bronco fan?”
I still have my Denver Broncos all over print jacket I got when I was a little kid.
Will we lose a game this year? I don’t know. What I do know is for the last 6 weeks Sundays with my son are wonderful!
Just my thoughts!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
Hey Jim,
Thanks for taking the time to post this. I really enjoy reading about Broncos/NFL history. Great post! Keep ‘em coming.
Great post Broncfalls, I couldn’t have said any better myself. I live in Southern California, I grew up in Ohio and was born in South Dakota. I have an extensive amount of Broncos memorbilia, have flown to Denver by myself to watch a Broncos game. The passion I have for the Broncos can rival the longest season seat holder at Invesco. I also own Broncos season tickets as my name came off the wait list this year and I had to have em. People always ask how did you become such a huge Broncos fan? Are you from there? Did you live there? My great uncle played for the Broncos from 1960-1962 or 1961 I can’t really remember but ever since i found out (1985) he played for the Broncos I became a Bronocs fan and then an Elway fan and then a full bred DIE HARD!
I now have a 1 year old son and he doesn’t know the difference between Elmo and a hockey player but he watches the Broncos with me on TV every Sunday or Monday and I look forward to the days when he’ll be able to understand the game and when I can tell him “remember when the Broncos did this”!
I remember “The Drive” and “The Fumble” but I also remember 55-10 and the spat between Elway and Reeves. I made it a point for myself to study up on the history of the Broncos years ago and also study up on the current rosters from one season to the next. This helps me stay connected to the present and the past. I had a conversation with a co worker (who just happened to be a Chargers fan) and this was last year but it sticks in my mind as if the discussion was yesterday and he was talking about some of the offensive lineman for the Chargers and brought up there center and long snapper and he said something like “I don’t know who snaps the balls for our punter, who would know such a thing” and I said “Mike Leach, he snaps for the Broncos” and he said “how would you know that and why do you know that” and I said “well I guess I’m just more a fan of my team then you are of your team”!
This Sunday should be a good game, I’m nervous about it but confident!
Go Broncos!
Nice history, Jim.
I think Baltimore fans are very similar to Denver fans in their passion for football. I came from Denver of the mid-60′s to go to Johns Hopkins University, which was just down 33rd street from Memorial Stadium. One of the first things I did was secure tickets to see the Colts under Unitas and Ray Berry. I eventually got an apartment between the University and Memorial Stadium and got to see the Orioles and the Colts play occasionally.
What happened to the Colts was a travesty given its place in NFL history. The same thing almost happened in Denver years before. Fortunately, in Denver, the Phipps brothers took over when things were tough, but Baltimore had to deal with the very difficult Robert Irsay.
You are right, it is tough to explain to Baltimore fans than Elway wasn’t dishing Baltimore, instead Elway’s father knew Coach Frank Kush was someone who would not develop Elway into a Hall of Fame player. Similarly, Edgar Kaiser was a saint next to Robert Irsay.
Let’s enjoy a great game between two outstanding franchises from two outstanding football cities.