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Weeb Ewbank 1959 Championship Speech
MeteoriteGuy
Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
Weeb Ewbank was born May 6, 1907 in Richmond, Indiana. He played college football at Miami of Ohio University, and served under college mate Paul Brown at Great Lakes Navy were he helped coach the Navy Football team. Entered the NFL with Paul Brown and the Cleveland Browns as an assistant coach before going to Baltimore and the Colts and becoming head coach.
When Weeb Ewbank started his National Football League head coaching career with the 1954 Baltimore Colts, he was 47, not the age you ordinarily look for in a rookie coach. But the popular Ewbank stayed in command for the next 20 years, the first nine in Baltimore and the final 11 with the New York Jets. In so doing, he made an impact on pro football that has done much to insure its emergence as America's most popular spectator sport.
His Colts won NFL crowns in both 1958 and 1959 and the 1968 Jets followed up their AFL championship with victory in Super Bowl III. Of even more importance than the mere fact of victory itself is the effect that these Ewbank championships had on the growth of pro football. Millions of fans watched on national television for the first time as the Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23-17, in overtime in 1958. Many still call this game "the greatest ever played" and there is no doubt the highly competitive nature of the contest did much to increase fan enthusiasm and anticipation in the years ahead.
A decade later, Weeb’s old team, the Colts, was heavily favored to make it three straight Super Bowl victories for the supposedly superior NFL over the overmatched AFL. But spurred along by Weeb's careful prodding the Jets pulled one of the most stunning upsets in history. The competitive validity of the Super Bowl was never again in doubt. In both Baltimore and New York, Weeb inherited young, disorganized teams. In both places, Ewbank instituted a patented building program that proved effective. In each place, his skill of judging and handling players was quickly apparent and a predominant factor in his success. Ewbank coached many football legends include Art Donovan, Don Maynard, John Riggins, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Joe Perry, Gino Marchetti and more.
About 10 years ago I was working on a book on Weeb Ewbank. Long story short, I got to interview almost all the Colts but in the end the publisher was not willing to pay me enough to finish the project. Some of the better research items I got for the book came directly from the Ewbank estate. I managed to get first pick on his vast files, and came home with several of the cooler folders, including his hand written game sheet agains the Packers and his speech folder. The speech folder included stuff from his college days to the end of his Jets days. The following is a speech Weeb gave at the 1959 Baltimore Colts Banquet held in honor of winning the national championship. This is his championship speech so to say.
I have his 1958 Championship speech as well and will post images of it, should there be interest.
Clear Skies,
Mark
When Weeb Ewbank started his National Football League head coaching career with the 1954 Baltimore Colts, he was 47, not the age you ordinarily look for in a rookie coach. But the popular Ewbank stayed in command for the next 20 years, the first nine in Baltimore and the final 11 with the New York Jets. In so doing, he made an impact on pro football that has done much to insure its emergence as America's most popular spectator sport.
His Colts won NFL crowns in both 1958 and 1959 and the 1968 Jets followed up their AFL championship with victory in Super Bowl III. Of even more importance than the mere fact of victory itself is the effect that these Ewbank championships had on the growth of pro football. Millions of fans watched on national television for the first time as the Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23-17, in overtime in 1958. Many still call this game "the greatest ever played" and there is no doubt the highly competitive nature of the contest did much to increase fan enthusiasm and anticipation in the years ahead.
A decade later, Weeb’s old team, the Colts, was heavily favored to make it three straight Super Bowl victories for the supposedly superior NFL over the overmatched AFL. But spurred along by Weeb's careful prodding the Jets pulled one of the most stunning upsets in history. The competitive validity of the Super Bowl was never again in doubt. In both Baltimore and New York, Weeb inherited young, disorganized teams. In both places, Ewbank instituted a patented building program that proved effective. In each place, his skill of judging and handling players was quickly apparent and a predominant factor in his success. Ewbank coached many football legends include Art Donovan, Don Maynard, John Riggins, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Joe Perry, Gino Marchetti and more.
About 10 years ago I was working on a book on Weeb Ewbank. Long story short, I got to interview almost all the Colts but in the end the publisher was not willing to pay me enough to finish the project. Some of the better research items I got for the book came directly from the Ewbank estate. I managed to get first pick on his vast files, and came home with several of the cooler folders, including his hand written game sheet agains the Packers and his speech folder. The speech folder included stuff from his college days to the end of his Jets days. The following is a speech Weeb gave at the 1959 Baltimore Colts Banquet held in honor of winning the national championship. This is his championship speech so to say.
I have his 1958 Championship speech as well and will post images of it, should there be interest.
Clear Skies,
Mark
Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
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Will post more in a couple days.
Mark
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Great item from a true NFL legend.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
I cant quite make out who Weeb was talking about at the end, in regard to coaching staff. Herman Ball and Charlie Winner ??