1953 Baltimore Colts season

The 1953 Baltimore Colts season was the first season for the team as a member club of the National Football League. The Colts had a record of 3 wins and 9 losses and finished fifth in the Western Conference.

1953 Baltimore Colts season
Head coachKeith Molesworth
OwnerCarroll Rosenbloom (primary)
Home fieldMemorial Stadium
Results
Record3–9
Division place5th NFL Western
Playoff finishdid not qualify

In January 1953, a Baltimore-based group led by Carroll Rosenbloom won the rights to a new Baltimore franchise.[1][2] Rosenbloom was granted an NFL team, and awarded the holdings of the defunct Dallas Texans organization, which lasted only one season. The new team was named the Colts after the previous team that folded after the 1950 season; Baltimore was without a team in 1951 and 1952.

The 1953 Colts have the unusual distinction of having a losing record, despite having a league-leading 56 defensive takeaways.[3] Baltimore had a winning record after five games, defeating neighbor Washington before a capacity crowd of over 34,000 at Memorial Stadium,[4] then lost seven straight to finish the season.

In the season opener against the Chicago Bears on September 27, Colts' defensive back Bert Rechichar set an NFL record for the longest field goal (56 yards),[5] breaking the previous unofficial record of 55 yards (set by drop kick by Paddy Driscoll in 1924). It stood for over seventeen years, until Tom Dempsey booted a 63-yarder in 1970.[6]

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance
1 September 27 Chicago Bears W 13–9 1–0 Memorial Stadium
23,715
2 October 3 Detroit Lions L 17–27 1–1 Memorial Stadium
25,159
3 October 11 at Chicago Bears W 16–14 2–1 Wrigley Field
35,316
4 October 18 at Green Bay Packers L 14–37 2–2 City Stadium
18,713
5 October 25 Washington Redskins W 27–17 3–2 Memorial Stadium
34,031
6 October 31 Green Bay Packers L 24–35 3–3 Memorial Stadium
33,797
7 November 7 at Detroit Lions L   7–17 3–4 Tiger Stadium
46,508
8 November 15 at Philadelphia Eagles L 14–45 3–5 Shibe Park
27,813
9 November 22 Los Angeles Rams L 13–21 3–6 Memorial Stadium
27,268
10 November 29 San Francisco 49ers L 21–38 3–7 Memorial Stadium
26,005
11 December 5 at Los Angeles Rams L   2–45 3–8 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
26,696
12 December 13 at San Francisco 49ers L 14–45 3–9 Kezar Stadium
23,432

Standings
NFL Western Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Detroit Lions 10 2 0 .833 8–2 271 205 W6
San Francisco 49ers 9 3 0 .750 8–2 372 237 W4
Los Angeles Rams 8 3 1 .727 7–3 366 236 W2
Chicago Bears 3 8 1 .273 2–7–1 218 262 L2
Baltimore Colts 3 9 0 .250 2–8 182 350 L7
Green Bay Packers 2 9 1 .182 2–7–1 200 338 L5

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

See also

References
  1. "Baltimore assured NFL franchise". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. January 7, 1953. p. 29.
  2. "Historical highlights of Colts". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. South Carolina. March 30, 1984. p. C4.
  3. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2012, in the regular season, sorted by descending Takeaways. The total is tied for the 6th most in NFL history.
  4. "Colts defeat 'Skins, 27-17". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. October 26, 1953. p. 28.
  5. "Colts jolt Bears, 13-9, get record 56-yard field goal". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 28, 1953. p. 2, part 2.
  6. "Dempsey's 63 yard FG jolts Lions". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. November 9, 1970. p. 1, part 2.
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