Howdy Partner! How the Dallas Cowboys Rode into the NFL (and Almost Got Tackled by a Baseball Team)
Ah, the Dallas Cowboys. America's Team (their words, not mine), a franchise draped in glitz, glamour, and enough star power to rival a Texas sky. But how did this legendary team get its start? Buckle up, because it involves millionaires, misunderstandings, and a near miss with a baseball bat.
From Steers to Rangers: Almost a Stampede
Back in the day (the early 1960s, to be precise), Texas was a football wasteland. No professional team south of Washington D.C. represented the gridiron passion of the Lone Star State. Enter Clint Murchison Jr., a wealthy oilman with a hankering for hometown heroes. He, along with a group of investors, decided to wrangle an NFL franchise for Dallas.
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Their first attempt? The unimaginatively named "Dallas Steers." Let's just say it wasn't exactly inspiring. They then moseyed on over to "Dallas Rangers," but that caused a bit of a kerfuffle with the already-existing baseball team. Imagine showing up to the stadium all geared up for football, only to be met with hot dogs and seventh-inning stretches! Thankfully, a branding brainstorm worthy of a touchdown dance resulted in the now-iconic "Dallas Cowboys."
The Birth of a Legacy (Almost Without a Draft)
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Here's where things get interesting. The NFL, in its infinite wisdom, awarded Dallas a franchise after the 1960 college draft. That's right, the Cowboys were heading into their first season without the benefit of picking the best young talent. Imagine showing up to your first day of work woefully underprepared. Talk about a baptism by fire!
But the determined ownership trio wasn't fazed. They assembled a crack team of coaches and scouts, led by the legendary Tom Landry, and went about building a team the old-fashioned way: through trades and creative deal-making.
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From Rags to Riches (Well, Maybe Not Rags)
The early years were a bit of a fumble. The team sputtered and stumbled, failing to make a playoff appearance until 1966. But under Landry's guidance and the arrival of future Hall of Famers like Roger Staubach and Bob Lilly, the tide began to turn. The 1970s saw the rise of "America's Team," a powerhouse squad that dominated the league and captured the hearts of football fans everywhere.
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| How Was The Dallas Cowboys Founded |
The Rest, as They Say, is History
The Dallas Cowboys have come a long way since their near-miss with a baseball identity and a draft-less first season. They've become a cultural phenomenon, a symbol of Texan pride, and a team with a Super Bowl trophy collection that would make any dragon hoard jealous. So next time you see that iconic blue star, remember the scrappy beginnings, the branding blunders, and the sheer grit that went into building a team worthy of legends. Howdy!
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