This page will contain external links about Denver Broncos, as they become available.Denver Broncos |
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| Conference | AFC |
| Division | West |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Home Field | INVESCO Field at Mile High |
| City | Denver, Colorado |
| Colors | Navy blue, orange, and white |
| Head Coach | Mike Shanahan |
| All-Time Record (W-L-T) (At Start of 2005 Season) |
365-331-10 |
The Denver Broncos are a National Football League team based in Denver, Colorado. A charter member of the American Football League, they were a backwater small-market team that met with little success in their early years but have since become one of the elite franchises of the league after having advanced to the Super Bowl six times. In their first four appearances, they suffered successively lopsided defeats, achieving near-legendary status as frustrated losers before winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1998 and 1999 under quarterback John Elway and coach Mike Shanahan. For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its unbroken string of sell-outs and its famous home-field advantage percentage for the Broncos, especially during the post-season. Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. Since 2001, they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of Mile High Stadium.
Although the Denver Broncos' 39-97-4 record was the worst of any of the original eight American Football League teams', the franchise had many proud moments and several AFL superstars, including Lionel Taylor and Floyd Little. The Broncos won the first-ever American Football League game, over the Boston Patriots (13-10) on September 9, 1960. They had the first black place-kicker in professional football, Gene Mingo. They were the first AFL team ever to defeat an NFL team, on August 5, 1967 when they beat the Lions 13-7. They were the first pro football team to wear vertically-striped socks (and the first to burn their socks in a public ceremony!). Despite their relative lack of early success, the Broncos produced some memorable games, like the 38-38 tie against the Buffalo Bills in 1960.
Denver has reached the Super Bowl six times, winning it in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. It is odd to remember a time, then, when Denver was the lowliest of teams, managing its first winning season in 1973 after thirteen years of futility. Denver, in fact, came close to losing its franchise in 1965, but a local ownership group took control that year and began to build the team.
In 1967, under head coach Lou Saban, Denver took the field with almost two dozen rookies on its roster; though Saban's tenure was unsuccessful, it set the stage for later successes. In 1973, John Ralston coached the now-mature Broncos to a 7-5-2 record, including a dramatic tie with Oakland in Denver's first-ever Monday Night Football appearance that is still remembered as a pivotal game in Bronco history. Ralston coached the team until 1976, when well-publicized clashes between Ralston and his players led to Ralston's removal.
Rookie coach Red Miller along with the Orange Crush Defense and aging quarterback Craig Morton, promptly took Denver to its first playoff appearance -- and ultimately first Super Bowl -- in 1977. Prior to 1977 season, Denver had received very little national attention and was rarely featured on nationally-televised games.
Quarterback John Elway arrived in 1983. Originally drafted by the Baltimore Colts as the number one pick of the draft, Elway proclaimed that he would shun football in favor of baseball unless he was traded to a selected list of other teams, which included Denver. Prior to Elway, Denver had had over two dozen different starting quarterbacks in its twenty-three seasons to that point. Elway would remain the quarterback through five Super Bowls, three under head coach Dan Reeves and two under Mike Shanahan, and would end his career as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, his last NFL game.
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Prior to Elway, Denver had had over two dozen different starting quarterbacks in its twenty-three seasons to that point.
Elway would remain the quarterback through five Super Bowls, three under head coach Dan Reeves and two under Mike Shanahan, and would end
his career as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, his last NFL
game. Rookie coach Red Miller along with the Orange Crush Defense and aging quarterback Craig Morton, promptly took Denver to its first playoff appearance -- and ultimately first Super Bowl -- in 1977. Louis Baseball Cardinals" or "the St. In 1973, John Ralston coached the now-mature Broncos to a 7-5-2 record, including a dramatic tie with Oakland in Denver's first-ever Monday Night Football appearance that is still remembered as a pivotal game in Bronco history. Ralston coached the team until 1976, when well-publicized clashes between Ralston and his players led to Ralston's removal. Sports fans and local news coverage got into the habit of saying "the St. In 1967, under head coach Lou Saban, Denver took the field with almost two dozen rookies on its roster; though Saban's tenure was unsuccessful, it set the stage for later successes. Louis was home to two big-league Cardinals teams, baseball and football. Denver, in fact, came close to losing its franchise in 1965, but a local ownership group took control that year and began to build the team. Between 1960 and 1987, St. It is odd to remember a time, then, when Denver was the lowliest of teams, managing its first winning season in 1973 after thirteen years of futility. Louis' KMOX radio. His son Joe Buck took over for Jack as the radio and television announcer for the Cardinals in 1991. Denver has reached the Super Bowl six times, winning it in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. For much of the last half of the 20th century, the legendary broadcaster, Jack Buck, was the voice of the Cardinals, calling play-by-play on St. Despite their relative lack of early success, the Broncos produced some memorable games, like the 38-38 tie against the Buffalo Bills in 1960. "The Bambino". They were the first pro football team to wear vertically-striped socks (and the first to burn their socks in a public ceremony!). The Cardinals were unceremoniously swept by the Sox in four games, with the Sox winning their first World Series championship since 1918 and burying the so-called "Curse of the Bambino." Ironically the last out of the World Series came off of the bat of Edgar Renteria, wearing the number three jersey, the same number worn by Babe Ruth, a.k.a. They were the first AFL team ever to defeat an NFL team, on August 5, 1967 when they beat the Lions 13-7. Louis' troubles in the Series: Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds, the normally fearsome 3-4-5 hitters for the Cards, were a dismal 6-for-45 with 1 RBI. They had the first black place-kicker in professional football, Gene Mingo. The best demonstration of St. The Broncos won the first-ever American Football League game, over the Boston Patriots (13-10) on September 9, 1960. And the Cardinals apparently were not. Although the Denver Broncos' 39-97-4 record was the worst of any of the original eight American Football League teams', the franchise had many proud moments and several AFL superstars, including Lionel Taylor and Floyd Little. As TV announcer (and former Cardinal) Tim McCarver said, "They are playing with a world of confidence". Since 2001, they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of Mile High Stadium. The Cardinals also had the misfortune of meeting a Red Sox team that had just made baseball history by taking 4 straight against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees after losing the first 3 in their ALCS matchup, and the BoSox had major momentum. Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. However, the spirit and zest of the Cardinals seemed to elude them in this championship series, as the Red Sox retained a leading position through the entire series. For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its unbroken string of sell-outs and its famous home-field advantage percentage for the Broncos, especially during the post-season. The Cardinals then played the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series, the third time the teams have faced each other in the Fall Classic. In their first four appearances, they suffered successively lopsided defeats, achieving near-legendary status as frustrated losers before winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1998 and 1999 under quarterback John Elway and coach Mike Shanahan. Louis win Game 7 to clinch the series, and was named MVP. A charter member of the American Football League, they were a backwater small-market team that met with little success in their early years but have since become one of the elite franchises of the league after having advanced to the Super Bowl six times. The next night, Albert Pujols helped St. The Denver Broncos are a National Football League team based in Denver, Colorado. Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. Gary Zimmerman. Coming home for Game 6, the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead into the 9th inning, but blew it. Rick Upchurch. In the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals rolled, winning the series 3-1. Facing off against rival Houston in the NLCS, the Cards took a 2-0 lead, then lost three straight in Houston. Jim Turner. Louis posted the best record in the National League, tallying their most wins since the 1940s and earning home advantage for the NLDS and NLCS. Lionel Taylor (born 1935, first receiver with 100 catches in a season (1961)). In 2004, St. Dennis Smith. The biggest shock of all came just four days after Buck's passing when ace pitcher Darryl Kile died suddenly of heart failure while in Chicago for a series against the Cubs. Shannon Sharpe. Just ten months earlier, Buck stirred emotions when he addressed the crowd at Busch Stadium when Major League Baseball resumed after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Clinton Portis. On June 18, beloved broadcaster Jack Buck passed away at the age of 77. Craig Morton. The year was also marred with tragedy for the Cardinal family. John Mobley. In 2002, the Cardinals won the Central Division and this time defeated the Diamondbacks 3 games to none to reach the NLCS, but lost 4 games to 1 to the San Francisco Giants. Gene Mingo (first black field goal kicker in professional football, 1960). Many St. Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. Karl Mecklenburg. Louis received a wild card berth. Wahoo McDaniel. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Ed McCaffrey. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine the division champion. Floyd Little (born 1942). The Houston Astros, also in the National League Central, finished with an identical record. Tom Jackson. In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a 93-69 record. Abner Haynes. The eventual World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals in a five-game playoff series. Gaston Green. In 2001, the Cardinals advanced to the post-season as a "Wild Card" team after posting the second-best record in the National League, but losing the division to the Houston Astros. Randy Gradishar. In 2000, the Cardinals lost to the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. Goose Gonsoulin (born 1938). McGwire went on to finish with 70, a record that stood until Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. Cookie Gilchrist (born 1935). McGwire broke Roger Maris's 37 year-old record of 61 on September 8 with a low line drive over Busch Stadium's left field fence. Olandis Gary. In 1998 Cardinals' first baseman Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs battled to set the record for most home runs in one season. Miller Farr. Louis in 1998. Tony Dorsett. Mark McGwire broke the single-season home run record while playing with St. Terrell Davis (third player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season). The Cards reached the playoffs 1996, but the Atlanta Braves defeated them for the National League pennant. Mike Croel. The Cardinals again won the National League in 1987, losing to Minnesota 4 games to 3 in the World Series. Dale Carter. In the 9th inning, umpire Don Denkinger called Royals batter Jorge Orta safe at first base - a call later refuted by instant replay. The Cardinals, leading 1-0 at the time of the play and needing that victory to clinch the title, went on to lose Game 6 and ultimately Game 7 by the score of 11-0 the following night. Steve Atwater. The 1985 World Series, christened the "I-70 Series" because it featured in-state rival Kansas City, is perhaps the most controversial in Cardinal history. Game 6 of that series featured "The Call". Floyd Little - #44. The 1980s era Cardinals included stars Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee (who won two batting titles in a Cardinal uniform), John Tudor, Tom Herr, Jack Clark, Bruce Sutter, Keith Hernandez, Terry Pendleton, and Joaquín Andujar. Frank Tripucka - #18. In his 11 years as Cardinal manager, Herzog won three National League pennants, and a 1982 World Series title. John Elway - #7. Herzog's brand of baseball, known in St. Louis as "Whiteyball", featured speed on the base paths, sparkling defense, and unconventional roster moves. Al Wilson. After a less-than-successful 1970s, new Cardinal manager Whitey Herzog revived the winning tradition at Busch Stadium. Trevor Pryce. The Cards then lost to the Detroit Tigers in a closely contested 7 game affair in 1968, the last series before baseball adopted a divisional format. Rod Smith. Hall of Famers such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Orlando Cepeda led the "Redbirds" to World Series titles in 1964 over the Yankees and in 1967 over the Boston Red Sox. Jerry Rice. Louis. Jake Plummer. The 1960s brought three National League pennants to St. John Lynch. The Cardinals did not sign a black regular until Curt Flood in 1958. Ashley Lelie. National League president Ford Frick threatened to ban any players who boycotted any games, and the boycott never happened. Jason Elam. The alleged ringleader of the boycott was Enos Slaughter. Champ Bailey. In 1947, the Cardinals (who were effectively the South's only major league team until the 1960s) gained notoriety by attempting to boycott games against the Brooklyn Dodgers to protest the Dodgers' signing of a black player, Jackie Robinson. John Elway (2004). In 1968, a statue of Musial was constructed outside Busch Stadium. Known to loyal fans as "Ol' Number 6", Musial spent 23 years in a Cardinal uniform. Outfielder Stan "The Man" Musial led the ’44 team. The Cardinals beat the Browns 4 games to 2 to win the 1944 World Series. Louis Browns, in the "trolley car Series". In the World Series they met their crosstown rivals, the St. In the 1940s, the Cardinals dominated the National League, and in 1944 they posted the best record in team history at 105-49. Dean's country humor made him a popular favorite, particularly in the rural south and midwest where Cardinals fans were numerous. Dizzy, whose real name was Jerome Herman Dean, won 30 of them, with Paul (nicknamed "Daffy") contributing 19 wins. In 1934, Dean and his younger brother, Paul, combined to win 49 games - still a single season record for brothers. Highlights from Cardinal history include the 1930s era "Gas House Gang" featuring Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Pepper Martin, and Enos Slaughter. By the mid-1920s, the Cardinals began to turn their fortunes around, and soon they would become the city's favorite team once again. The Cardinals became the Browns' tenants in 1920. The Cardinals languished for some 40 years after their mid-1880s triumphs, while their crosstown rivals, the American League's version of the Browns, were competitive, though not victorious. They were briefly called the Perfectos in 1899 before settling on their present name, a name reportedly inspired by switching their uniform colors from brown to red. The Browns joined the National League in 1892 following the bankruptcy of the American Association. The Maroons had the misfortune of arriving at the time when the Browns were in their glory, and they soon folded. Louis entry, the Maroons, which had come in from the Union Association. During the mid-1880s, the National League also had a St. Louis rivalry continues to this day. The vigorous Chicago-St. Louis won the 1886 Series outright. St. The Series of 1885
ended in dispute and with no resolution. The Browns squared off against the
National League's Chicago White Stockings twice in the early version of the
World Series. The team was formed as part of the American Association in 1882 where they enjoyed a
four-year dynasty under flamboyant owner Chris von der Ahe.
Initially they were known as the "Brown Stockings", which was quickly shortened to "Browns". Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. Many St. Louis received a wild card berth. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine who would be the division champion and who would be the National League Wild-Card winner. The Houston Astros, in the same division as the Cardinals finished with the same record. * In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a record of 93-69. They are the defending champions of the National League. They are in the Central Division of the National League. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball team based in Saint Louis, Missouri. The St. Johnson City Cardinals. Palm Beach Cardinals Pitching ERA: 1.12 Bob Gibson (1968). Pitching Strikeouts: 274 Bob Gibson (1970). Pitching Wins: 30 Dizzy Dean (1934). Walks: 162 Mark McGwire (1998). Strikeouts: 167 Jim Edmonds (2000). Hitting Streak: 33 games - Rogers Hornsby (1922). Stolen Bases: 118 Lou Brock (1974). Triples: 25 Tom Long (1915). Doubles: 64 Joe Medwick (1936). Runs: 141 Rogers Hornsby (1922). Hits: 250 Rogers Hornsby (1922). Batting Average: .424 Rogers Hornsby (1924) (Major League Record). Runs Batted In: 154 Joe Medwick (1937). Home Runs: 70 Mark McGwire (1998). 85 August "Gussie" Busch (owner). 45 Bob Gibson. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball). 20 Lou Brock. 17 Dizzy Dean. 14 Ken Boyer. 9 Enos Slaughter. 6 "Stan the Man" Musial. 2 Red Schoendienst. 1 Ozzie Smith. Rogers Hornsby (has retirement honors, as he played in the era prior to uniform numbers). Branch Rickey. Tony La Russa. Walt Jocketty. Whitey Herzog. August "Gussie" Busch. Sam Breadon. Todd Worrell. Tony Womack. Bill White. John Tudor. Joe Torre. Fernando Tatis. Bruce Sutter. Lee Smith. Ted Simmons. Edgar Rentería. Wally Moon. Mark McGwire. Willie McGee. Tim McCarver. Tino Martinez. Pepper Martin. Marty Marion. Arlie Latham. Darryl Kile. Jim Kaat. Keith Hernández. Joe Garagiola. Curt Flood. Drew. J.D. Charles Comiskey. Vince Coleman. Bob Caruthers. Nelson Briles. Harry Brecheen. Oyster Burns (RF). Curt Welch (CF). Tip O'Neill (LF). Arlie Latham (3B). Bill Gleason (SS). Yank Robinson (2B). Charlie Comiskey (1B and manager). Doc Bushong (C). Adonis Terry (SP). Silver King (SP). Dave Foutz (SP). Bob Caruthers (SP). 24 Joe Pettini (bench). 11 José Oquendo (third base). Hal McRae (hitting). 39 Dave McKay (first base). 38 Marty Mason (bullpen). 18 Dave Duncan (pitching). Coaches
10 Tony La Russa. Manager
Hoyt Wilhelm. Bobby Wallace. Dazzy Vance. Ozzie Smith. Enos Slaughter. Red Schoendienst. Wilbert Robinson. Kid Nichols. Stan Musial. Johnny Mize. Joe Medwick. John McGraw. Rabbit Maranville. Miller Huggins. Rogers Hornsby. Jesse Haines. Chick Hafey. Burleigh Grimes. Bob Gibson. Pud Galvin. Frankie Frisch. Dennis Eckersley. Leo Durocher. Dizzy Dean. Roger Connor. Orlando Cepeda. Steve Carlton. Jesse Burkett. Mordecai Brown. Lou Brock. Roger Bresnahan. "Sunny" Jim Bottomley. Jake Beckley. Walter Alston. Pete Alexander. |