After Cleveland, L.A., Anaheim, St.Louis, The Rams Are Back!!!

No Comments August 29, 2016 Rams By John Stellman

Now I know how Rip Van Winkle felt.

I fell asleep in 1995 and didn’t awaken until 2016.

At least now the nightmare is over.

Homecoming!

The RAMS have come home. Although the relatives of their fans from the 1930’s and ’40’s might disagree.

From 1936 to 1945 the Rams resided in Cleveland.

One year after being born into the second American Football League, the Rams moved to the National Football League in 1937.

Toast Of The Town

Their final season in Cleveland ended with jubilation when the Rams were crowned NFL champions!

The celebration was short lived yet historic.

For a league champion to move to another city was unprecedented. Nonetheless, the Rams left in 1946.

Virgin Territory

Their relocation to Los Angeles opened up the West Coast to professional sports.

Ironically Dan Reeves’ initial request to move the team was denied by the NFL owners. But when Reeves threatened to leave the game, the two sides came to an agreement.

The Rams arrival in Los Angeles gave professional football coast-to-coast exposure ahead of baseball, basketball or hockey.

Second Crown

Five years after their arrival the Rams had a second NFL championship.

A year earlier their overwhelming popularity resulted in the Rams having all their games televised. Another first for professional sports.

That the Rams were packing the 103,000 seat Coliseum didn’t go unnoticed for long.

After setting an all-time attendance record in 1957 that stood until 2006, the migration began.

Here They Come!

The Dodgers were the first to invade, moving from Brooklyn in 1958.

The Lakers followed suit in 1960 saying “bye bye” to Minneapolis.

The Chargers were part of the American Football League’s 1960 birth.

And when Gene Autry was granted an American League expansion franchise the following year, the Angels set up shop in Anaheim.

But the Rams just kept on rolling.

Between 1966 and 1970 George Allen guided the team to five winning season and two divisional titles.

Bad Trade?

Robert Irsay bought the team in 1972 for $19M and immediately traded it to Carroll Rosenbloom for the Baltimore Colts and cash.

Didn’t matter,

The Rams proceeded to win seven straight NFC West titles and finally reached their first Super Bowl in 1979.

Los Angeles played defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh tough, leading 13-10 at halftime and 19-17 going into the fourth quarter.

But Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers asserted themselves over the final 15 minutes and finally prevailed 31-19 before a Super Bowl record crowd of 103,985 at the Rose Bowl.

Escape To The O.C.

The following year it was on to Anaheim.

After an 11-5 record during their first season in Orange County, the Rams fell on hard times.

Their decline began with losing season in 1981 and 1982.

That, coupled with the Raiders arrival in 1982, Laker championships in 1980 and 1982, Dodger World Series wins in 1981 and 1988. and the Kings deep run in the 1982 National Hockey League playoffs, created fierce competition for the Southern California sports dollar.

Mediocrity, followed by a 30-3 embarrassment at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1989 NFC Championship game, was just the beginning.

That, followed by four 10 loss seasons in the first half of the 1990’s pretty much closed the chapter on the Rams’ Southern California saga.

If only temporarily.

Georgia vs The World

With widowed owner Georgia Frontiere’s popularity waning and her verbal battles alienating the fan base and local political leaders, the feisty owner decided to take on the NFL.

In March of 1995 Frontiere sought permission to move to St. Louis.

Her request was initially rejected. 21-3-6. But after contentious meetings and threats of a lawsuit, the owners reversed course, allowing the Rams to relocate in Missouri. The favorable vote was 23-6.

Bad Move

It was time not well spent.

Twenty one years in St. Louis produced only four winning seasons.

The Rams did however, manage to win their FIRST AND ONLY Super Bowl, a 23-16 victory over Tennessee in 2000.

But after two 8-8 campaigns and 15 losing seasons, the Rams reversed course. They returned to Los Angeles.

They bring with them nine straight losing seasons. They haven’t had a winning campaign since 2003 (12-4).

It’s All Good!

But that’s OKAY.

The fan base has come out of hibernation.

The Rams are the talk of the town.

There’s excitement in the air.

The Coliseum is rocking.

Southern California is alive and well.

As for Missouri?

It’s good night in St. Louis and Sweet Dreams!

image: usctrojans.com

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...