They were the New York Titans. Formed in 1960 as part of the new American Football League, the Titans played at the crumbling Polo Grounds—former home turf of baseball’s New York Giants.
“On September 11th, the Titans took their field for the first time ever at a rain soaked Polo Grounds against the Buffalo Bills,” says sportsencyclopedia.com.
“A disappointing crowd of only 10,200 showed up to watch the Titans win 27-3. Attendance would not improve as the Titans and AFL played in front of empty stadiums all season in the league’s inaugural season.”
So when did the name—and their luck—change? In 1963, the Titans were sold to a new owner. The new Shea stadium was now their home, and the team’s name changed to reflect the jets flying to and from LaGuardia Airport.
Tags: defunct New York sports teams, New York in the 1960s, New York Jets history, New York sports teams, New York Titans football, Polo Grounds, Shea Stadium, vintage NYC sports memorabilia
January 12, 2011 at 6:44 pm |
i like to give my students this bonus question: the jets were originally called the titans. why? (answer: the other team in new york was the giants, it’s a greek mythological reference)
January 12, 2011 at 10:55 pm |
And don’t forget, the Titanic got its name from the Titans….
January 16, 2011 at 7:32 pm |
they changed their name to the Jets BEFORE moving to Shea, not after asticle implies. In their last year at the Polo Grounda they had a mascot riding around the field in a tricycle built like a little Jet
January 18, 2011 at 1:14 am |
I always thought that they were renamed the Jets to rhyme with the Mets, who also played at the Polo Grounds before moving to Shea. In the 70′s, NYC had the Mets, the Jets, the Nets and (World Team Tennis) Sets.
January 21, 2011 at 10:12 pm |
Of course because the NYC teams were mostly, “ets.” lol
January 21, 2011 at 10:13 pm |
I’m with you, Joe R.!
January 30, 2012 at 7:02 am |
I’m surprised no one mentions the fact the the artwork on the program cover is by the late great Bill Gallo. I recognized his style even before I clicked the thumbnail to confirm it.