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RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:09 AM
RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
My Uncle John died today.
He was the biggest Baltimore Colt fan that I knew. I remember him proudly displaying over his bar in his basement the 1958 Baltimore Colt World Championship team photo. He'd always tell the story of that game.
He had season tickets for just about all of the years the Colts were here. Like me, he had tickets for the top row but at Memorial Stadium. I never understood why anybody would want to be in the top row until I got my tickets in the top row for the Ravens. We'd go to games together periodically and I was able to scrape enough money together to buy season tickets for the 1984 season. Needless to say that didn't pan out.
Like many of us, he'd travel to road games to watch the Colts. Had there been a Colts Insider back in the day, He'd have about a million posts.
Ironically, his mom died in December 1983 and he gave me his ticket to the Colts/Oilers game, which turned out to be the last one of the Baltimore Colts era.
When the Stars came to town, he had season tickets for them. My crew and his were going to get together and have a big group to cheer on the team in 1986; again no dice. He went to a few Ravens games but never warmed up to them. I guess when you put your passion into a team for as long as he did and it is ripped out from you, it's hard to regain that passion.
I hope he's up in heaven today drinking a Schmidts or a Natty Boh with Johnny U today.
"Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with I shall not put." - Winston Churchill
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:15 AM
RE: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Awesome, awesome post sir. Sorry for your loss.
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- BMann
- Raven Veteran
- 3902 posts this site
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:17 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Condolences to you and your family. Sounds like he was a good guy, representative of that generation of Colts fans whose passion for their team was unmatched back in the day.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:33 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry about your loss, great story. Which generation will be the last to revere the Baltimore Colts? I'm one of the few people my age (mid 30's) who gives a damn about the Baltimore Colts. Doesn't seem like it will be too much longer before they are wiped from everyone's mind
"You can't hurt this, I'm a machine - jerk!" Ray Lewis
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:40 AM
RE: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
sorry for your loss. condolences to the family
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:45 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry for your loss.
KING OF BALTIMORE! #52!
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Posted: 2/15/2013 9:46 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Downeyoshenhun wrote: My Uncle John died today.
He was the biggest Baltimore Colt fan that I knew. I remember him proudly displaying over his bar in his basement the 1958 Baltimore Colt World Championship team photo. He'd always tell the story of that game.
He had season tickets for just about all of the years the Colts were here. Like me, he had tickets for the top row but at Memorial Stadium. I never understood why anybody would want to be in the top row until I got my tickets in the top row for the Ravens. We'd go to games together periodically and I was able to scrape enough money together to buy season tickets for the 1984 season. Needless to say that didn't pan out.
Like many of us, he'd travel to road games to watch the Colts. Had there been a Colts Insider back in the day, He'd have about a million posts.
Ironically, his mom died in December 1983 and he gave me his ticket to the Colts/Oilers game, which turned out to be the last one of the Baltimore Colts era.
When the Stars came to town, he had season tickets for them. My crew and his were going to get together and have a big group to cheer on the team in 1986; again no dice. He went to a few Ravens games but never warmed up to them. I guess when you put your passion into a team for as long as he did and it is ripped out from you, it's hard to regain that passion.
I hope he's up in heaven today drinking a Schmidts or a Natty Boh with Johnny U today. This post made me do a double take. My grandfather is in hospice care currently, and his name is also John. He was also a *huge* Colts fan, claims to have a piece of the goalpost from the '58 Championship game. It wasn't until later through the post that I knew for sure you weren't talking about him (he loved the Ravens although he did say it wasn't quite the same). I wasn't sure though because he could go at any time at this point. Sorry for your loss. 
Last edited 2/15/2013 9:47 AM by RevTimBlessesDaRavens
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- Mohara
- Raven Veteran
- 3620 posts this site
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Posted: 2/15/2013 10:15 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry for your loss.
When I hear stories like that it makes me very angry at the Browns fans that continue to whine about the fact they went a couple of years without a team. BFD. They got their name and colors and history back and a new stadium. They also got rid of their "bad" owner (really made a big difference). I think they are just mad because they suck. Petty jealousy. What a bunch of whiney pu**ies.
Guys like your uncle John never had that wound patched which is sad but I'm sure if there is a heaven he's there drinking that Natty Boh with Johnny U. My Mom Mom and Aunt Ann I'm sure are there with him too.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 10:22 AM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
My condolences.
All the more reason those of us with kids make sure that they know and pass along the history and stories of the BALTIMORE Colts.
Like King Arthur told the little boy at the end of my favorite musical, Camelot, nothing dies or ends as long as there are people that know and tell the stories.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 12:37 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
A small consolation is that he got to go out with Baltimore on top.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 12:44 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Thanks folks.
I will continue to tell the story of the Baltimore Colts as best I know it. A lot of my Uncle's memorabilia ended up at his late son's restaurant - he died this past August. Obviously, he was well schooled about the Baltimore Colts.
We who were Baltimore Colts fans need to continue to remind the younger Ravens fans of the team's legacy.
"Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with I shall not put." - Winston Churchill
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Posted: 2/15/2013 1:14 PM
RE: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry to hear or your loss. I'm glad your uncle lived long years to enjoy all this stuff. I'm 35, love the Ravens and I love the Baltimore Colts. We have to remind people that Baltimore has three Super Bowl Championships. It's two different teams, but Three Championship all together. Please keep those stories going!
"In Hoc Signo Vinces"
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Posted: 2/15/2013 1:29 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry for your loss.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 1:34 PM
RE: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry for your loss and thanks for the post. Cool Stars photo! I had a great Uncle who was 88 pass away 2 months back who too was a huge Colts fan. Often talked old Baltimore Colt stories over the last 20+ years. He did warm up to the Ravens and a proud fan at that. I actually went to his assisted living home aprtment back in October and was able to watch part of an Oriole playoff game with him. He smiled and cheered the entire 3 innings before I had to leave as he watched every pitch as if it where 1966 talking about each of the Oriole players trying hard like the 1966 team win or lose. I went a few weeks later to visit he had his Orioles hat on for the 1st time since the 1990's. After he passed as he still had his house we went to clean it out and found a # of old Colt items and Oriole items stashed away.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 2:14 PM
RE: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
sorry for your lost I will have a natty bo in his honor today. what was his last name maybe some of the gang here knows him. PROUD PSL OWNER SECTION 111.
YOUR LOCAL EMBROIDERY COMPANY.
VOTED BY THE RAVENS FRONT OFFICE A TOP 10 FAN 2005 |
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Posted: 2/15/2013 2:14 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
---------------------------------------------
--- greenraven wrote:
Sorry about your loss, great story. Which generation will be the last to revere the Baltimore Colts? I'm one of the few people my age (mid 30's) who gives a damn about the Baltimore Colts. Doesn't seem like it will be too much longer before they are wiped from everyone's mind
---------------------------------------------
Awesome story so sorry for your loss, my dad speaks of the BALTIMORE Colt glory days but he was not much of a collector. I went to Bert Jones era games with dad, and it was cool that he took his daughter, which in the 70's was kinda rare. I will never forget picking dad up from reserve weekend or business trip and the Colts flight was in and went and greeted the players with a bunch of other fans.
I have a 17 yo who knows his Baltimore football history and an almost 3 yo who is learning it-- they will not forget either, even my 20 yo id FINALLY getting into football
"When you go in the lion's den, you don't tippy toe in.You carry a spear, you go in screaming like a banshee, you kick whatever doors in, and say, 'Where's the son of a bitch!'If you go in any other way you're gonna lose.
Last edited 2/16/2013 4:26 AM by drkraven
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Posted: 2/15/2013 4:38 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Truly sorry for your loss. Many of us have similar, wonderful Baltimore Colt memories. My parents are both 85 and were avid Baltimore Colt fans. Season ticket holders from the beginning, they had mezzanine tickets at Memorial Stadium on the 45 yard line. I loved it later in the season when the weather was colder and my mother would stay home and let me use her ticket. There was a special bond between the team and the city ... something that those who say "it's been so many years since the Colts left, get over it" just don't understand.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 5:27 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
Sorry for your loss. I only remember the Colts of Mike Pagel, Curtis Dickey and Frank Kush. I wish I had seen the good old days. Having said that, I feel so fortunate that we got the Ravens and they are an organization I am so proud to have represent my city.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 7:08 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
I grew up during the Bert Jones and sack pack. I like you, had a father that had season tickets to the Colts in the 50's and was at the championship game. That was a golden time to be in Baltimore and associated with the Colts, just as your father was.
It appears we are living in another golden time in Baltimore. I am sorry about your loss.
Thanks for sharing the memories with us.
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Posted: 2/15/2013 7:43 PM
Re: RIP to my favorite Baltimore Colts fan
I am also deeply sorry for your loss. Like my family, this is why that as long as I breathe, I will be a Ravens fan but I will also remember the BALTIMORE Colts and why I have passed their history down to my children.
"We will never surrender or retreat! Victory or Death!"- Lt. Col. William Barret Travis, Officer Commanding, Alamo
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