Countless others have read about them in newspapers and magazines of
nationwide coverage. At this season of the year in particular, to think of
Baltimore, wherever one may be, is to think of the Colts.
I know that Carroll Rosenbloom, in his modesty, would reject any
notion that he is deserving of all the credit for the long string of suc-
cesses of this athletic organization. Truly, no one individual can claim
full credit, for the Colts football organization is the handiwork of many.
But all of us do recall the low estate to which professional football had
fallen in Baltimore before Carroll Rosenbloom and his associates bought
the franchise and began the laborious job of building a football team
that could win games in the keenly competitive National Football
League. The rest of the story, a most inspiring one, is spread upon the
record. Their effort was crowned with the highest measure of success—
a team that could win a national championship—a team that could
thrill spectators with magnificent displays of athletic skill and courage
For your part in building this great football team, we salute you, Mr.
Rosenbloom, as "the Man of the Year. "
REMARKS, TOUCHDOWN CLUB
BALTIMORE
February 9, 1961
I am delighted to have the opportunity to join with all of you here
this evening to give recognition to a great American sport and to pay
tribute to as fine a group of athletic heroes as ever graced a playing
field. This Navy Football team has received so many accolades and so
much praise that it would be pointless for me to add more. But
I do want to thank the players, the coaches and all others who had a hand
in shaping this team for all the thrills they gave me during this un-
forgettable 1960 season.
Gerald Johnson, the brilliant Maryland journalist, author and
historian, had this to say on the subject of heroes: "Heroes, " he said,
"'are created by popular demand, sometimes out of the scantiest mate-
rials... such as the apple William Tell never shot, the ride that Paul
Revere never finished, the flag that Barbara Frietchie never waved. "
It cannot be said that the heroes we are honoring here tonight are
contrived of scanty materials, or are any way the creation of popular
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