Baltimore's Passion: A History of Football

INTRODUCTION
Blue-collar bastions throughout the Northeast bred the first generation of American footballers on the grass and gravel of local colleges and high schools. The popularity of the sport spread to similar cities to the west and captured the heart of a young boy bound for glory.

Johnny Unitas would redefine the quarterback position, as his golden arm would lead the Baltimore Colts to victory in The Greatest Game Ever Played. That sudden death spectacle marked the start of the country’s love affair with watching football on TV and the new medium would propel the league to the forefront of American sports.

And although Baltimore had to rely solely on the small screen for more than a decade, the hardened resolve of the city kept the close knit neighborhoods unified until the glorious return of the NFL, inciting a renewed sense of hope, a revival of the game, and a passion for the men in purple now known as the Ravens.

CONCLUSION
From the Blue Jays to the Blue and White, the history of football in Baltimore has given definition to the sports landscape of the Charm City. However, the definition of what it means to be a Raven is still being written.

A Raven is one of the best offensive tackles in the history of the game; the most feared linebacker of his era; a Rookie of the Year; a record-breaker; a Pro Bowler; an MVP; a Division winner; a World Champion…

And so it is, with each passing year, each game, each play, what it means to be a Raven continues to evolve. But one defining characteristic is already written in stone as all those who wear the purple and black – past, present, and future – will always be branded as Baltimore Ravens, continuing the rich tradition of the sport in a city that’s helped write the history of the game.


These two paragaraphs are now used in a permanent exhibit on the Club Level at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD