The New York Football Giants were founded in 1925 by Tim Mara, who paid $500 for the franchise. He stated that "any team in the city of New York was worth that much." It was an oddity at the time for a team to be located in such a large city in the NFL as many clubs were located in towns such as Toledo, OH, Pottsville, PA, Decatur, IL and Canton, OH.
In 1926, the team was close to bankruptcy and was saved only when the Giants hosted the Bears before 70,000 who paid to see Chicago’s Red Grange. The club rebounded and won the NFL Championship in only its third season.
At the time, every NFL club introduced their offensive players before every game. Around 1956, the franchise became known for its defensive stars, such as linebacker Sam Huff and defensive end Rosey Grier. This marked the first time fans put more emphasis on the defense and would chant "De-fense, de-fense, de-fense" during games. This was the first NFL team to do this.
In the 1980s, the team drafted LB Lawrence Taylor who would go on to become one of the game’s greatest defensive forces. Other notable players are Frank Gifford, Eli Manning, Y.A. Tittle, Harry Carson, Mel Hein, Fran Tarkenton, Roosevelt Brown and Phil Simms.
In 1970 when the NFL merged with the AFL, it was decided that the two AFL teams which shared a geographic region, the Jets and the Raiders, would have to be relocated. Wellington Mara, Tim Mara’s son who was now running the Giants, suggested that the Jets were too entrenched and were now a viable part of New York. Therefore, the Jets were allowed to remain in New York.
Tim Mara originally named the team after the National League baseball Giants, who were a longtime favorite in New York. At the time, baseball was the king of professional sports so owner Tim Mara wanted the same name recognition in hopes that fans would support both clubs. By the way, the baseball Giants got their name from all the giant buildings that made up New York City.
The franchise has won eight NFL titles (third most), four of which are Super Bowls. One note of interest: in all four Super Bowl victories, the Giants were losing at halftime.
Origin Facts:
Established: 1925
Original Owner: Tim Mara
Original Colors: Royal blue, red & white
First Stadium: Polo Grounds, seating 55,000
Retired Jerseys: No. 1 Ray Flaherty, No. 7 Mel Hein, No. 50 Ken Strong, No. 4 Tuffy Leemans, No. 32 Al Blozis, No. 42 Charlie Conerly, No. 16 Frank Gifford, No. 40 Joe Morrison, No. 14 Y. A. Tittle, No. 11 Phil Simms, No. 56 Lawrence Taylor
"Oh my, you're so fancy!" That's the reaction you'll get when you put a plate of these Fancy Schmancy Tuna Melts out. It's warm, dressed up tuna with a double dose of melted cheese on a "not your everyday" type bread. These yummy melts are sure to please even the toughest critics!
- 1 (12-ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 rib celery, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices rye or pumpernickel bread
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 4 slices Cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 375º. Coat a 10- x 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion powder, and pepper; mix well. Spread equal amounts of the mixture on each slice of bread and top each with a slice of mozzarella then a slice of Cheddar cheese.
- Place on prepared baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
