With a few weeks left until training camp things tend to be a little slow. So I had an idea to list some things that some people may not know about the Cowboys or maybe just have forgotten over time. Enjoy!
1. On December 28, 1959 Tex Schramm introduced Tom Landry to the media as the head coach of the new Dallas Rangers. They were originally going to be called the Dallas Steers. After realizing that there was a minor league baseball team from Dallas called the Rangers, Schramm announced that the new Dallas franchise would be called the Cowboys.
2. The new Dallas franchise was almost voted out in 1960 because of then owner of the Washington Redskins George Marshall. Before the owners meeting to discuss expansion Marshall fired the Redskins music director who had also composed “Hail to the Redskins”. The music director retaliated by selling the song’s copyright to an attorney on behalf of Dallas owner Clint Murchison. The attorney denied George Marshall and the Redskins the right to play “Hail to the Redskins”. This left Marshall no choice but to vote in favor of an expansion team in Dallas and in return for his vote “Hail to the Redskins” was returned to Marshall.
3. During the 1971 training camp the running back competition was between Duane Thomas and Calvin Hill. The Cowboys ended up trading Duane Thomas to the New England Patriots for Carl Garrett and two other players plus the Patriots top pick in 1972. Thomas reported to Patriots training camp, but was thrown out for not following instructions during running drills. Commissioner Pete Rozelle negated the trade and sent Thomas back to the Cowboys and the Cowboys had to send the players they received and the draft pick back to the Patriots.
4. On October 24, 1971 Texas Stadium opened. The Cowboys entered the game against the New England Patriots with a 3-2 record. They beat the Patriots 44-21 with Duane Thomas scoring the first ever Texas Stadium touchdown on a 56 yard run just 2 minutes into the first quarter. The Cowboys would not lose in the new stadium in 1971 on their way to victory in Super Bowl VI against the Miami Dolphins.
5. In 1971 the Dallas Cowboys wowed the world with the opening of Texas Stadium. In 1972 they would wow the world again. This time they introduced a more glamorous concept…The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Tex Schramm wanted to change cheerleading. He said that fans wanted to enjoy the sights of attractive young women who danced instead the usual “Fight, team, Fight!” cheerleading the league was use to. They would wear outfits in traditional Dallas Cowboys colors of blue and silver and have choreographed routines. Their appearance at Super Bowl X made them a national phenomenon. They also became the subject of two made-for-TV movies.
6. Before the draft in 1977 the Cowboys pulled off a trade with the Seattle Seahawks who were 2-12 during the 1976 season, which was their first as an NFL expansion franchise. The Cowboys traded their own first round pick which was the 22nd overall and three second round picks. In exchange the Cowboys would get Seattle’s first round pick which was the 2nd overall. The Cowboys watched as Tampa Bay, who had the first overall pick selected running back Ricky Bell. That put the Cowboys in position to select the man they wanted in running back Tony Dorsett who would go onto a Hall of Fame career with the Cowboys.
7. On January 3, 1983 with Minnesota leading the Cowboys 24-13 in the final Monday Night football game of the season, Dallas found themselves on their own one foot line. Danny White brought the offense to the line not realizing there were only 10 players on the field. The missing player was fullback Ron Springs who was standing on the sideline watching. Danny White handed off to Tony Dorsett who exploded through the middle of the line. Then Dorsett turned towards the right sideline as Drew Pearson blocked for him. Dorsett was able to stay in bounds as he tightroped his way into history with a 99 1/2 yard touchdown run. A record that will never be broken. Not realizing what he just did Dorsett dropped the ball in the end zone. Even with a history making run and 153 yards rushing in the game the Cowboys still lost to Minnesota 31-27.
8. On October 12, 1989 the Cowboys pulled off "The Great Train Robbery". With the Cowboys being one of the worst teams in the NFL, rookie head coach Jimmy Johnson decided to trade Herschel Walker to the Vikings in what would be a blockbuster trade involving 6 players and 12 and draft picks. Originally it was the Cleveland Browns who had an offer on the table for Walker that the Cowboys were considering until the Vikings presented their offer to the Cowboys. The trade laid the groundwork for the Cowboys to become the team of the '90s as they went on to win three Super Bowls in four years. Some of the players that were drafted by the Cowboys from the trade were Emmitt Smith, Alvin Harper, Darren Woodson and Russell Maryland.
These are just some of the things that come to mind about the Dallas Cowboys. A team rich in history, but not without some strange happenings through the years.
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