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Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Baltimore Colts | |
 |
|
| Founded | 1946 |
| League | AAFC (1946-49) NFL (1950) |
| Team History | Miami Seahawks (1946) Baltimore Colts (1947-50) |
| Stadium | Burdine Stadium (1946) Memorial Stadium (1947-50) |
|---|---|
| Based in | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Team Colors | Green and gray |
| Owner | Abraham Watner |
| Championships | 0 |
The original incarnation of the Baltimore Colts started in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 as the Miami Seahawks. After a 3-11 season, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1947. In 1950, they joined the National Football League along with the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. They were a surprise addition to the league, being considerably weaker financially than several of the AAFC teams left out of the merger. They played only one season in the NFL, with a record of 1 – 11. Y. A. Tittle was the old Colts starting quarterback.
Due to financial difficulties after the 1-11 losing season, Colts owner Abraham Watner gave his team and its players contracts back to the NFL for $50,000. But many Baltimore fans protested the loss of their team. Supporting groups such as its marching band (the second in professional football, after that of the Washington Redskins) and fan club, remained in operation and worked for the team's revival. Three years later a new team was given to Baltimore. The new Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. The supporting groups, including the fan club and marching band remained, however, again working to revive a team in Baltimore. In 1996, the Cleveland Browns relocated to Baltimore and these groups became affiliated with that team, now named the Baltimore Ravens.
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The Miami Seahawks, no relation to the Seattle Seahawks, were an original member of the All-America Football Conference, a league that formed in 1946 and merged into the NFL in 1950. The Seahawks went 3-11 in 1946. They were originally coached by Jack Meagher, who quit on October 22, after the Seahawks had won just one of their first six games. Hamp Pool, a former captain of the 1940 and 1941 Chicago Bears championship teams, then took over as head coach.
The team's schedule was quite difficult. Miami opened with three straight road games, had a single home game, and then played another four road games. After a 1-7-0 start, the team returned home to host their final six games (a difficult sell to the general public). Brooklyn, Cleveland, and San Francisco had completed their 14-game regular seasons before the Seahawks hosted their final two home games.
In 1947, the Seahawks moved north to Baltimore. The team would be re-named the Baltimore Colts via a fan contest, in honor of Maryland's rich history of racing and breeding horses.
AAFC
- 1947 Elmer Madar End Michigan
- 1948 Bobby Layne QB Texas
- 1949 George Sims Back Baylor
NFL
- 1950 Adrian Burk QB Baylor
- 1946 Jack Meagher, Hamp Pool
- 1947 Cecil Isbell
- 1948 Cecil Isbell
- 1949 Cecil Isbell, Walter Driskill
- 1950 Clem Crowe
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Seahawks | |||||
| 1946 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 4th AAFC East | -- |
| Baltimore Colts | |||||
| 1947 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 4th AAFC East | -- |
| 1948 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2nd AAFC East | Lost Eastern Division Championship (Bills) |
| 1949 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 7th AAFC | -- |
| Merged into NFL | |||||
| 1950 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 7th National | -- |
| Totals | 14 | 44 | 1 | ||