I thought it might be fun to have a series of blogs (and, since it’s my blog, whatever I think might be fun seems pretty likely to find its way into print) on Broncos by the numbers.
The team has just completed 50 years of play, a milestone in any franchise history, and over that time a lot of players have made contributions, large and small, to what the Broncos are. It’s like family members, some more accomplished than others but when you are in a family, you are in for keeps. So too for the Broncos. Once a Broncos, always a Bronco.
Those players have worn a lot of numbers over the years, and we are going to take a look, over time, at various uniform numbers.
In the entire 51-year history of the Denver Broncos every jersey number has been worn at least one time. This is an unusual fact because it includes number “0″. As we have discussed in previous “By the Numbers,” the Broncos had a number “0,” fullback Johnny Olszewski, back in 1962. But he is the only player ever to wear “0″. Interestingly, number “18″ also has been worn just once ever, and it was by a teammate of Johnny O’s, albeit someone far more famous and accomplished in the Mile High City.
Number 18 was worn by the Broncos’ first quarterback, Frank Tripucka, who was one of the leading gunslinging type passers in the American Football League from 1960-63.
Tripucka came here after being talked into it by general manager Dean Griffing and head coach Frank Filchock, and he was going to be strictly a coach.
But the Broncos of 1960 were bad to the bone, and it took no time for everyone to realize, so Tripucka was coerced into playing quarterback just for the annual intrasquad scrimmage at Colorado School of Mines, just for that one day, just to give the fans a show.
The one day turned into four years and Tripucka’s arm turned into the major reason to watch Denver’s offense during those early years.
His visit to Denver to become a coach never materialized, but he became one of the Broncos’ original Ring of Fame members in 1986 and was the very first Denver player ever to have his number retired.
Tripucka’s number 18 later was joined by Floyd Little’s number 44 and by John Elway’s fabled number 7, and the retired numbers stop there.
“The Tripper’s” number was retired in a brief ceremony at Bears Stadium (which later grew into Mile High Stadium) just before his retirement. Those were the days when players got cut as simply as being told not to get on the bus, early training camp housing consisted of used Army cots set up in a common gymnasium, and every player took off as soon as the season ended to work in another job.
The off-season lifting program was dependent on how much physical labor the off-season job provided.
So it is no surprise that fans are less aware of Tripucka. Times were different then.
But the people were still people. They were the people, and the players, who played then. And then counted as much as now. The moments are separated only by time.
Frank Tripucka was a college star at Notre Dame and was the first round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1949, but was traded to Detroit, where he played in 1949 before spending three years with the Chicago Cardinals (stick with me here), one with the ORIGINAL Dallas Texans (not a predecessor of the Cowboys, not related to the AFL’s Dallas Texans, but the team that became the Baltimore Colts one year later). In 1953 The Tripper headed north to Canada, where continued to sling the football.
He thought he was retired as a player when he came down to Denver’s 1960 training camp in Golden, never realized he would lead the Broncos to their first .500 season (7-7 in 1962), team with Lionel Taylor to set numerous passing-receiving records, and total 7,645 passing yards and 51 touchdown passes from 1960-62, the second highest totals in the AFL during that three-year period.
The Tripper was selected to play in the AFL All Star game following the 1962 season in which he led the Broncos to a 7-7 record that remained Denver’s best until the first winning season of 1973.
He prepared himself well for the business world while at Notre Dame and Tripucka established a very successful New Jersey beer distributorship in the off seasons, and Tripucka now is retired and still lives in the Garden State.
His son Kelly achieved fame as a National Basketball Association player of note, but the family member who first laced up the shoes for athletic fame was Frank Tripucka, The Tripper, the only number 18 in Denver Broncos history.
Tags: 2010, By the Numbers, Denver Broncos, Frank Tripucka, Jim Saccomano
Being a student of the game I would think Peyton Manning knows a lot of that stuff about Tripucka, and he has now made #18 famous for a long time to come, Tripucka must like watching Peyton in his old number I would imagine. Kind of unusual that Tripucka’s # would be retired for playing only four years and 7-7 as a season best, but I get it, it was a milestone then, still funny that he would be in there with Floyd and Elway, hard to compare their accomplishments.
I agree with Baylin,I’ve seen footage of Tripucka,but I guess it’s not the same as seeing him for real,might be a big difference.But still hard to imagine his # being retired,just saying.
REPOST:The Broncos have played the hardest schedule in the NFL so far with our opponents record at 23-12,now that’s a rough schedule!!!!!!
Repost, replying to BFE’s comment.
Agreed BFE, we did start with a very difficult schedule. Now our team needs to show the league that we really do have a good team. And it starts with bashing the Raiders. We need to dominate the teams we are suppossed to beat. And then beat the Chiefs and Chargers twice. I know thats a tall order and it may be a “pipe dream” but that is what I want to see.
By the way I predict broncos win 30-10.
Big D……Our remaining schedule has our opponents record at 25-30(.512).
So now is the time to take advantage of our easier schedule,no games are automatic wins,especially against KC,SD,and OK,but we need to rise above adversity,and start kicking some butt…..Broncos win 23-13.
I was born on 8-18-80, so eight’s always been like… My number, you know?
So, besides the obvious reasons, Rod Smith has always had a special spot just because of that…. But then I started learning about the Broncos BEFORE I existed, and when I stumbled upon the story of Frank Tripucka, I can easily see why his jersey is retired. I thought you’d expound on the fact that he threw the very first touchdown pass of the AFL, and that Frank Filchock was also his old coach with the Roughriders…. But a great read nonetheless!
Now, I’m just stoked I can wear a number 8 proudly! Orton’s always been underrated. Now that he’s been given the chance consistently, and deservingly so… I think that botched snap to rudely end the Jets loss will end up bringing him around to a great stomping of the Raiders here!!! And hopefully only gets better from there! I still can’t find an (authentic) alternate Orange Orton jersey!!! I’ve made two trips out to Mile High Stadium store, and they had none in stock either time. I suppose I’ll have to order a stupid custom one from nflshop.com…. I hate knowing that I won’t have gotten it directly from the stadium. = (
Well, Thanks for the post Jim!
There was aqnother #18 for a brief time. A kicker, I think David Treadwell, wore it for a short time before anybody realized it was a retired number. I seam to remember them reporting this during a game before he was switched to #16. Embarassing for the team officials.
Interesting tidbit Austin, I vaguely remember something about that. An Austinite I take it, Lago Vistonian here.
Wow that is funny that Treadwell was able to get a retired # for a while. I
bet that will never happen again.
About the #18 Treadwell mistake, I can’t find anything about a Denver player ever making that kind of mistake anywhere and I looked pretty hard, so I can’t back it up.
Mr Saccomano – back in the 70′s – after the Broncos game there would be a call-in show on KOA … a former reserve running back (I think) would handle the calls … invariably, some young kid would call in and ask “How many yards did Floyd Little get?” … the host got to where he would go absolutely nuts at this … I used to laugh my head off … do you remember this, and – if so – what was that host’s name … I’ve been trying for years to remember …
I am very worried about Sundays game, I think Al Davis knows his team has no real shot at making the playoffs this season. I bet the Raiders treat this game like their superbowl. The Broncos better be ready because Oakland is going to bring it on Sunday. McD better understand what this game means to us fans.
Orange and Blue win by 22?
Geez – look at all those empty seats …
Mr. Saccomano,
Wasn’t Grant Mattos issued Tripucka’s No. 18 in 2005? I understand he never appeared in a regular season game, but he still was given the jersey in training camp.
That same year, Frank Schwab of the Gazette reported that Tripucka’s number had been taken out of retirement. Apparently you researched old newspaper clips and couldn’t find evidence that Tripucka’s number was officially retired.
Is No. 18 retired or not?