NFL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Stanford QB John Elway adamantly refused to play for Baltimore, which drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in 1983. The Colts traded him to the Broncos for an underwhelming return. John Preito/Getty Images

April 26 in sports history: No way I'll play for Colts, Elway says

By Yardbarker Staff | Last updated 4/24/20

Here's a look back at notable sports news on April 26 through the years.

1983: Stanford's John Elway, touted as the best QB prospect since Joe Namath, wanted no part of playing with the Baltimore Colts. Who could blame him besides Colts fans? The poorly run franchise, owned by ill-mannered Robert Irsay and coached by notorious disciplinarian Frank Kush, had won only nine games over the previous three seasons.

If selected No. 1 overall in the draft by the Colts, Elway threatened to play professional baseball instead. He said his agent had been talking to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner about a contract that would average $500,000 a year.

The Colts, who reportedly received several big offers for the top pick, selected him anyway. Elway demanded a trade and dug in.

“I don’t want to be a jerk, but I told Mr. Kush, ‘You’ve been offered three ones (first-round picks) and a quarterback and now you have nothing’ ," Elway told reporters. "And then I hung up.”

Eventually, the Colts relented, trading future Hall of Famer Elway to Denver for quarterback Mark Hermann, first-round offensive tackle Chris Hinton and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft, which ended up being guard Ron Solt. "Lopsided" does not begin to properly describe this deal.

The first round of the 1983 draft included six other future Hall of Famers: running back Eric Dickerson, drafted second overall by the Rams; offensive tackle Jimbo Covert (Bears, sixth overall); guard Bruce Matthews (Oilers, ninth); quarterback Jim Kelly (Bills, 14th); QB Dan Marino (Dolphins, 27th) and cornerback Darrell Green (Redskins, 28th).

Miami coach Don Shula hedged slightly on Marino, who starred at Pitt, telling the Miami Herald: "He didn't have the best senior year, but when you look at him and evaluate him throughout his career, you have to be pretty impressed."

MORE QBS TAKEN NO. 1 OVERALL

2003 | 2012 | 2018: On this date, three other quarterbacks went No. 1 overall. The verdict on their careers: "solid," "oh, what might have been" and "jury is still out."

In 2003, the Bengals selected Southern Cal QB Carson Palmer, who wasted little time ingratiating himself with the team's vets.

"Jon Kitna is the starter," Palmer told reporters after he was selected. "He's a veteran, and I'm just a punk rookie who's coming in, and I'll learn from him." Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty said Palmer was as "polished as a movie star" at his introductory news conference.

Palmer ended up starting 13 games his rookie season, and in seven seasons in Cincinnati, he had more success than most Bengals QBs. But Cincinnati made the playoffs only twice during the Palmer era. He finished his NFL career with the Cardinals in 2017.

In 2012, Indianapolis picked Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, whom many thought had Hall of Fame potential. "I can't wait to start with the Colts," Peyton Manning's replacement said.

Luck passed for more than 4,000 yards in a season four times with the Colts, but he was often battered behind a substandard offensive line. He stunningly retired in August 2019.

In 2018, the Browns picked the Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield. That draft featured four quarterbacks in the top 10 selections for the first time. "Surreal," Mayfield said of his selection by the Browns. At a draft night party hosted by his parents, he live-streamed on Instagram his reaction to becoming a Brown.

Mayfield started his rookie season, but he struggled in Year 2 for a Browns team that had Super Bowl hopes.

1931: In the first inning of a 9-7 loss to the Senators, Lou Gehrig smashed a home run into the center field stands. Ah, hold on there. Baserunner Lyn Lary thought the blast had been caught for the third out and headed for the dugout. Gehrig passed him on the basepaths, nullifying the "home run," and was called out.

"Comedy, uproarious, satiating comedy," a New York Daily News sports writer called the game.

The gaffe ended up costing Gehrig a home run title. He and teammate Babe Ruth each finished the season with 46.

1961: Thirty years later, another Yankee smashed a homer — this one legitimate — on the way to a home run title. In a 13-11 win in Detroit, Roger Maris' first homer of the season landed in the upper deck in right field in the fifth inning.

Maris finished the season with 61 dingers, breaking Ruth's MLB season mark of 60 and beating teammate Mickey Mantle for the home run title by seven.

1941: At Wrigley Field, the Cubs became the first team in Major League Baseball to have music from an organist. Soon, teams throughout the big leagues had organ music, originally popularized at hockey games.

1952: At the Richmond Women's Open, Patty Berg, using a borrowed putter among her clubs, shot a 64, a record for a women's pro. Berg, who finished her career with an LPGA Tour-record 15 major titles, was a founding member of the LPGA.

In 1964, the Celtics celebrate with fans at the Boston Garden after winning their sixth straight NBA title.

1964: In Boston, Bill Russell and the Celtics beat the Wilt Chamberlain-led San Francisco Warriors, 105-99, to win the NBA Finals in five games. It was the Celtics sixth straight title. "It was no disgrace," Chamberlain said of the loss in which he scored 30 points. Two years later, after two more NBA titles, Auerbach retired as Celtics coach. He was replaced by Russell, who served as player-coach.

1990: In a 1-0 win over the White Sox, Rangers right-hander Nolan Ryan allowed only one hit — tying Bob Feller's MLB record for one-hitters with 12. Only Ron Kittle's bloop single to right in the second inning, which eluded first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, prevented "Big Tex" from tossing his sixth no-hitter. "I just tripped going back," Palmeiro told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "It's as simple as that."

Happy birthday ...

Olympic swimmer Donna de Varona, who was the youngest member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic swim team at age 13. She won two gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo games and broke 18 world records by the time she was 17. After retiring, she became the first female sportscaster on network TV. (73)
Running back Natrone Means. Chosen in the second round of the 1993 draft by the San Diego Chargers, Means played for eight seasons, making one Pro Bowl and finishing his career with 5,215 yards and 45 touchdowns. (48)
New York Yankees All-Star Aaron Judge, who was named the 2017 Rookie of the Year after breaking the all-time rookie home run record at the time, with 52. (28)
Former NBA center Bill Wennington, who had a supporting role on the fabulous Michael Jordan-led Bulls teams. (57)

April 25: Monday to rescue on 'Flag Day.'

More must-reads: