Thirty Years Ago, Baltimore Tried To Use Eminent Domain To Seize An NFL Team

[planetdoc]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/institut...e-an-nfl-team/

really good read. limited excerpts below.

In 1984, Baltimore and Indianapolis offered and countered intensely about financing for stadiums and other incentives. Amidst the negotiations, an aide to Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer proposed seizing the Colts with eminent domain. Condemnation was “our best shot.”

On March 27, 1984, the Maryland Senate voted 38 to 4 to approve legislation, which would allow Baltimore to seize the team.

Many of those who face eminent domain can’t pack up their homes and businesses and skip town. But Irsay could. The very next day, he called Indianapolis Mayor William Hudnut and told him the Colts were moving to Indianapolis.

Upon hearing the news, Mayor Hudnut called his neighbor, who owned Mayflower Transit, to send 15 trucks, free of charge, to the Colts’ facilities in Owing Mills, Md. Late Wednesday night, the vans pulled in. In the midnight hours, the team gathered everything they could and loaded the trucks as quickly as possible.

Many staffers and players weren’t even informed the Colts were breaking away. According to one employee, after the move, “everything was gone…not a piece of paper or a trash can was left.”

To avoid arousing suspicion and to evade any Maryland police, each truck took different routes out of the state. When the sun dawned on March 29, the team was gone. Once the trucks reached the Indiana state line, Indiana state troopers escorted the convoy to Indianapolis.

[htismaqe]

Wow. That certainly paints Irsay's decision in a different light.

[Aries Walker]

Those of you who aren't from Maryland may be amazed at how much of an open wound this still is in this state. Oddly enough - or perhaps not so oddly at all - locals tend to forget all about the 'attempting to steal your team' aspect of it.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Those of you who aren't from Maryland may be amazed at how much of an open wound this still is in this state. Oddly enough - or perhaps not so oddly at all - locals tend to forget all about the 'attempting to steal your team' aspect of it.

The stories I've always heard and read paint Irsay as the villain. Crazy.

[AustinChief]

Nice read. Interesting to me because I hate Isray and the Colts but I hate the city of Baltimore far more. It's a complete dumpster fire of a city.

[planetdoc]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The stories I've always heard and read paint Irsay as the villain. Crazy.

probably like stories about Clark Hunt supposedly being cheap.

[Iconic]

Bob Irsay is a douche bag.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by planetdoc

probably like stories about Clark Hunt supposedly being cheap.

This is just a tad bit different. Just a tad.

[Aries Walker]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The stories I've always heard and read paint Irsay as the villain. Crazy.

'Villain' is an understatement. The fire is dimming a bit with time, but there are still a lot of people who think of him like Atlantans thought of Sherman.

[Baby Lee]

Many staffers and players weren’t even informed the Colts were breaking away. According to one employee, after the move, “everything was gone…not a piece of paper or a trash can was left.”

Anyone know the whereabouts of a young Peeholy, that day?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Anyone know the whereabouts of a young Peeholy, that day?

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Anyone know the whereabouts of a young Peeholy, that day?

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