The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
The club was officially founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1953, but can trace its history to the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913. After a series of changes, it assumed the "Baltimore Colts" name, replacing a previous team that folded in 1950. Playing at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, the Colts became the first NFL team to have cheerleaders, and the first to put its logo on the side of its helmets. That last claim is rather dubious, however, as the NFL recognizes the Los Angeles Rams as the first team to wear their logo on the sides of their helmets. According the NFL Record & Fact Book, in 1948, "Halfback Fred Gehrke of the Los Angeles Rams painted horms on the Rams' helmets, the first modern helmet emblems in pro football." This happened five years before the Baltimore Colts ever took the field. The team then relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, first playing at the RCA Dome before moving to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008.
The Colts won four NFL championships (three NFL Championships in 1958, 1959, 1968; and Super Bowl V in 1970) while in Baltimore. Since moving to Indianapolis, they won Super Bowl XLI in 2006. Also since 1998, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons—extending this record to six after the 2008 season. The team has also had significant rivalries with championship-caliber teams such as with the 1950-60s New York Giants, the late 1990s Kansas City Chiefs, and the 2000s New England Patriots.
The team headquarters and practice facilities are also located in Indianapolis. The club currently holds their annual training camp from late July to mid-August on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The club was officially founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1953, but can trace its history to the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913. After a series of changes, it assumed the "Baltimore Colts" name, replacing a previous team that folded in 1950. Playing at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, the Colts became the first NFL team to have cheerleaders, and the first to put its logo on the side of its helmets. That last claim is rather dubious, however, as the NFL recognizes the Los Angeles Rams as the first team to wear their logo on the sides of their helmets. According the NFL Record & Fact Book, in 1948, "Halfback Fred Gehrke of the Los Angeles Rams painted horms on the Rams' helmets, the first modern helmet emblems in pro football." This happened five years before the Baltimore Colts ever took the field. The team then relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, first playing at the RCA Dome before moving to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008.
The Colts won four NFL championships (three NFL Championships in 1958, 1959, 1968; and Super Bowl V in 1970) while in Baltimore. Since moving to Indianapolis, they won Super Bowl XLI in 2006. Also since 1998, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons—extending this record to six after the 2008 season. The team has also had significant rivalries with championship-caliber teams such as with the 1950-60s New York Giants, the late 1990s Kansas City Chiefs, and the 2000s New England Patriots.
The team headquarters and practice facilities are also located in Indianapolis. The club currently holds their annual training camp from late July to mid-August on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Franchise history
The Colts franchise was officially created in 1953, but can trace its history to before the NFL actually began: its earliest predecessor was the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913. That team went through the following changes:
* Dayton Triangles relocated and renamed Brooklyn Dodgers in 1930.
* Changed name to Brooklyn Tigers in 1944. In the same year, the Boston Yanks are founded.
* Merged with Boston Yanks in 1945 as the wartime "The Yanks."
* Franchise canceled in 1945 by league and the team's temporary merger with the Boston Yanks is made permanent, as a parallel team (AAFC New York Yankees) is founded by the Tigers' former owner.
* Miami Seahawks of the AAFC are purchased and relocated to Baltimore and renamed the Colts (Originally wearing Green and Silver). This franchise was dissolved by the league on January 18, 1951.
* Boston Yanks move to New York in 1949 and become New York Yanks, absorbing much of the Yankees' roster the next year.
* New York Yanks move to Dallas in 1952 as Dallas Texans.
* Merged with Boston Yanks in 1945 as the wartime "The Yanks."
* Franchise canceled in 1945 by league and the team's temporary merger with the Boston Yanks is made permanent, as a parallel team (AAFC New York Yankees) is founded by the Tigers' former owner.
* Miami Seahawks of the AAFC are purchased and relocated to Baltimore and renamed the Colts (Originally wearing Green and Silver). This franchise was dissolved by the league on January 18, 1951.
* Boston Yanks move to New York in 1949 and become New York Yanks, absorbing much of the Yankees' roster the next year.
* New York Yanks move to Dallas in 1952 as Dallas Texans.
* Texans become a road team halfway through the 1952 season and are dissolved shortly thereafter.
* Dallas Texans franchise was moved to Baltimore on January 23, 1953 where, keeping the "Colts" nickname, they keep the Texans team colors of blue and white.
* Dallas Texans franchise was moved to Baltimore on January 23, 1953 where, keeping the "Colts" nickname, they keep the Texans team colors of blue and white.
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