Robert Irsay.

Robert Irsay (born March 5, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois — died January 14, 1997 in Indianapolis, Indiana), was the longtime owner of the National Football League's Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts franchise. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Marion Founded 1821 Government  - Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Area  - City  372 sq mi (963. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most prestigious professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... City Indianapolis, Indiana Team colors Royal Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Owner Jim Irsay General manager Bill Polian Mascot Blue [1] League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-2001) AFC South...

While previously the owner of the-then Los Angeles Rams, Irsay essentially traded franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom, the-then owner of the Colts, in 1972. Ironically, the lawyer credited for making the unprecedented team swap possible, Hugh Culverhouse of Jacksonville, Florida, would himself become an NFL owner two years later when he bought the expansion Tampa Bay franchise from Tom McCloskey when he began having financial problems. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Carroll Rosenbloom (March 5, 1907 - April 2, 1979) was a colorful football owner of two teams, the Baltimore Colts and the Los Angeles Rams, now the St. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hugh Franklin Culverhouse (1919 – 1994) was a U.S. football administrator. ... Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Duval Government  - Mayor John Peyton (R) Area  - City  885 sq mi (2,264. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... City Tampa Bay, Florida Other nicknames The Bucs, Pewter Pirates Team colors Buccaneer Red, Pewter, Black, and Orange Head Coach Jon Gruden Owner Malcolm Glazer General manager Bruce Allen Mascot Captain Fear League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1976) AFC West (1976) National Football Conference...

In a controversial move, Robert Irsay moved the Colts to Indianapolis, Indiana in the early morning hours of March 29, 1984. After Irsay's death, the Colts were inherited by his son, Jim Irsay, who currently serves as CEO. Team president Bill Polian handles day-to-day operations of the team. March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (89th in leap years). ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... Jim Irsay (also known as Jimmy Irsay) graduated from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX in 1982 and is the owner of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. ... Bill Polian is the President of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. ...

"The Move"

Robert Irsay had stated in January, 1984 that, despite the problems, he had no intention of moving the team [1], but with negotiations over improvements to Memorial Stadium at an impasse, the Maryland state legislature passed a law on March 28, 1984 allowing the city of Baltimore to seize the Colts under eminent domain, which city and county officials had previously threatened to do. Irsay later claimed the city promised him a new football stadium, something they later denied, citing the team's poor attendance. The low point of the battle was when an apparently inebriated Irsay ranted against the city and state governments on a local television news broadcast and reiterated a threat to leave Baltimore. The next day, Irsay, fearing a dawn raid on the team's Owings Mills headquarters, quickly accepted a deal offered by the city of Indianapolis and then contacted his good friend, John B. Smith, who was the CEO of the Mayflower Transit Company, and arranged for fifteen vans to hurriedly pack up the team's property and transport it to Indianapolis in the early hours of the morning. Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland that formerly stood on 33rd Street. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... March 28 is the 87th day of the year (88th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: The Greatest City in America,[4] Get in on it. ... Eminent domain (U.S.), compulsory purchase (United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland), resumption (Australia) or expropriation (Canada, South Africa) in common law legal systems is the inherent power of the state to expropriate private property, or rights in private property, without the owners consent, either for its own use or... Owings Mills is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. ... A Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or Chief Executive, is the highest-ranking corporate officer, administrator, corporate administrator, executive, or executive officer, in charge of total management of a corporation, company, organization or agency. ... Mayflower Transit, LLC is a moving van company now part of UniGroup, which also owns United Van Lines. ...

Thus, Baltimore Colts fans awoke to the stunning news that they had lost their team. Robert Irsay, who had a reputation of being miserly and irascible, was excoriated by Colts fans, former players and the Baltimore press. However, Irsay's attorney, Michael Chernoff, defended his client and what became colloquially known as "The Move".

"They (the Maryland state legislature and the city of Baltimore) not only threw down the gauntlet, but they put a gun to his head and cocked it and asked, 'want to see if it's loaded?' They forced him to make a decision that day." [2]

An ecstatic crowd in Indianapolis greeted the arrival of their new NFL team, and the team received 143,000 season ticket requests in just two weeks. However, the Colts' first game in the Hoosier Dome was a 21-14 loss to the New York Jets. City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Gang Green, the Green and White Team colors Hunter Green and White Head Coach Eric Mangini Owner Woody Johnson General manager Mike Tannenbaum League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference...

Baltimore was without an NFL football team until 1996, when Art Modell, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, moved the team to Maryland. They were then renamed the Baltimore Ravens. As part of the unique deal, the Cleveland Browns franchise was deactivated and the Modell organization gave up ownership of statistics, records, and trademarks. Those would be given to the new Browns owners. The Ravens, in essence, were an expansion team with no history. Indianapolis, meanwhile, still lays claim to the records and history of the Baltimore Colts. 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Arthur B. Modell (born June 23, 1925, Brooklyn, New York) was a National Football League team owner with the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2004. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... City Baltimore, Maryland Team colors Purple, Black, and Gold Head Coach Brian Billick Owner Steve Bisciotti General manager Ozzie Newsome Mascot Ravens League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1996–present) American Football Conference (1996-present) AFC Central (1996-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team history Baltimore Ravens (1996–present) Championships...

• Descendants of the Mayflower