The Sun Remembers This Week in Baltimore Sports: Jan. 17-23
Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas, third from left, and coach Weeb Ewbank on the sideline during a Nov. 6, 1960, game against the Green Bay Packers at Memorial Stadium.
Jan. 18, 1997: Ravens owner Art Modell attends Robert Irsay's funeral in Indianapolis, as does former Baltimore Colts coach Ted Marchibroda. Irsay, the Colts owner who moved the team to Indianapolis in 1984, died at 73 of complications from a stroke. A horseshoe logo of blue and white carnations adorns his casket.
Jan. 16, 1988: Maryland's basketball team stuns No. 7 Duke, 72-69, to give second-year coach Bob Wade his first Atlantic Coast Conference road victory. Trailing 69-64 with 2:45 remaining, the Terps score the last four times they get the ball. Derrick Lewis (20 points) leads Maryland.
Jan. 23, 1978: Weeb Ewbank, who coached the Colts to NFL championships in 1958 and 1959, is elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ewbank also led the New York Jets to an upset victory over Baltimore in Super Bowl III in January 1969.
Jan. 20, 1961: The NFL bars Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, the Colts' mammoth defensive tackle, from playing for the Baltimore Bullets of the Eastern Basketball League. Commissioner Pete Rozelle cites alleged gambling activities by several EBL players as the reason. Lipscomb also competes on the pro wrestling circuit in the offseason.
Jan. 23, 1958: In a battle of unbeatens, Southern-Baltimore defeats McDonogh, 21-14, in wrestling. Jerry Lisiewski, the Bulldogs' undefeated 250-pound heavyweight, pins Wayne Bradshaw in the final match to clinch the victory before a near-capacity crowd in the winners' new gymnasium.
Jan. 18, 1955: In the first basketball game played in its new gym, St. Paul's loses, 58-37, to Gilman. Bob Vetters, a freshman, leads the Crusaders with 14 points. Dave Bimestefer scores 19 for the winners.
Jan. 22, 1946: In a show-stopper at the Coliseum, Ali Baba — a 5-foot-3 wrestler from Turkey — pins Chuck Ross, who stands 6-8. Time of match: 31/2 minutes.
Jan. 21, 1939: Trailing 11-1, Navy rallies to defeat North Carolina, 46-38, at Dahlgren Hall in Annapolis. George Ghesquiere leads the Midshipmen with 20 points.
Jan. 21, 1984: Haloti Ngata, former Ravens defensive tackle who earned first-team All Pro twice (2010, 2011) and made the Pro Bowl five times (2009-2013).