2010 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

FRANCHISE HISTORY
1972 — 6/15 Seattle Professional Football, a group of business and community leaders,
announces their intention to attempt to secure a National Football League franchise for the
City of Seattle. Herman Sarkowsky serves as spokesman for the group. 11/2 Construction
begins on The Kingdome.
1974 — 6/4 The National Football League announces that Seattle will have a franchise for the
1976 season. 12/5 The National Football League announces that it has voted membership
to Seattle Professional Football, Inc., headed by Lloyd W. Nordstrom with partners Herman
Sarkowsky, D.E. “Ned” Skinner, Howard S. Wright, M. Lamont Bean, and Lynn P.
Himmelman.
1975 — 3/6 John Thompson, Executive Director of the NFL Management Council, named
General Manager. 6/17 Nickname “Seahawks” selected from 20,365 entries and 1,741 different
names. One hundred fifty-one suggest “Seahawks.” 7/25 Season ticket applications
mailed. 7/28 Season ticket applications accepted — 24,168 received the first day. 8/23
Season ticket sales closed after target of 59,000 reached. 12/18 Seahawks agree to a 20-
year lease agreement to play all games in the Kingdome.
1976 — 1/3 Jack Patera, defensive line coach of the Minnesota Vikings, named head coach.
1/20 Lloyd W. Nordstrom, spokesman for the Nordstrom family, the Seahawks’ majority
owner, dies of a heart attack while vacationing in Mexico. 3/30 Veteran Allocation held in
New York City. Seahawks select 39 NFL veterans. 4/8-9 Seahawks select 25 collegians in
their first college draft. Notre Dame’s Steve Niehaus is the first choice and he flies to Seattle
for evening news conference on April 8. 7/9 Seahawks open training camp at Eastern
Washington University in Cheney. 8/1 Seahawks play first game before 60,825 fans in the
Kingdome. San Francisco holds on to defeat Seattle, 27-20, as Jim Zorn is tackled on the
49ers’ two-yard line when the gun sounds. 8/29 Seahawks capture first victory, a 17-16 preseason
win over San Diego, as Ron Howard catches a three-yard Jim Zorn pass for the winning
touchdown with only 13 seconds remaining in the contest. 9/12 Seattle opens regular
season play with a near miss against St. Louis, 30-24. The game ends with the Cardinals
intercepting a pass in the end zone. 10/17 Seahawks win Expansion Bowl with 13-10 victory
over host Tampa Bay. Linebacker Mike Curtis blocks a Tampa Bay field goal attempt
FRANCHISE HISTORY 279