A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from May 04, 2005
Jets (NFL football team)
The "Jets" (an NFL football team) began in the American Football League (a rival to the National Football League, but the leagues later merged) as the "Titans."

The team was renamed the "Jets" in 1963 because of a planned move from the Polo Grounds to Shea Stadium, near the LaGuardia Airport.

If the Jets move to the west side of Manhattan, don't expect a west side airport, however.

http://www.newyorkjets.com/history/
1959 Organized
First organizational meeting held in Chicago under the leadership of Lamar Hunt of Dallas. Charter franchise granted to New York and Harry Wismer; Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Denver and Houston. (Aug. 14th).

29 October 1959, New York Times, pg. 41:
Local American Football League Team Is Named Titans
(...)
By HOWARD M. TUCKNER

The New York entry in the new American Football League, still in swaddling clothes, was formally named the Titans yesterday.

This ambitious designation and the fact that the team will play at the Polo Grounds in 1960 were revealed at a news conference that served to identify the backers of the New York franchise.

16 April 1963, Los Angeles Times, pg. B2:
Weeb Ewbank
Signs 3-Year
Titan Contract
NEW YORK (UPI) - The new owners of the New York Titans of the American Football League Monday signed Weeb Ewbank to a three-year contract as coach and general manager and changed the name of the club to the New York Jets.
(...)
New Stadium

Announcement of Ewbank's appointment was made by David A. (Sonny) Werblin, president of the Gotham Football Club, Inc., which acquired the team several weeks ago from Harry Wismer.

The Jets hope to play next fall in the new Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows, which is located roughly between New York's two major airports.

That influenced the owners, they said, in renaming the club the New York Jets.

16 April 1963, New York Times, pg. 41:
Titans Gets a New Coach-General Manager (Ewbank) and a New Name (Jets)
(...)
By ROBERT M. LIPSYTE

Wilbur (Weeb) Ewbank, as expected, was appointed yesterday as coach and general manager of New York's American Football League team for three years. But the name he will be expected to cover with gridiron glory was, unexpectedly, announced as the Jets. It used to be the Titans.

The Jets, which rhymes with Mets, was selected from more than 300 possible names submitted by friends, enemies and advertising agencies to David A. (Sonny) Werblin, the president of the Gotham Football Club, Inc.
(...)
The Titan colors were black and gold. The Jet colors will be white and green.

Green Means Many Things

"New York is a green-conscious town, from the dividing stripe down Fifth Avenue to the verdant hills and dales of Westchester to the beautifully landscaped parks of Long Island," said Ted SDeglin, a club spokesman. "Through the ages, green has always signified hope, freshness and high spirits."

Also money.

As for the name of the club, the Jets symbolizes the site of Shea Stadium (where the Jets think they will play this fall) between two major airports, the spirit of modern times and the speed and eagerness of all concerned.

Gothams, Borros and Dodgers were other leading contenders. Dodgers were discarded because the baseball people were not in favor. Borros (a pun on boroughs) was discarded because there was fear the team would be called the jackasses, and Gothams was dismissed because someone said that it would be shortened to Goths - "and you know they weren't such nice people."

(Trademark)
Word Mark NEW YORK JETS
Goods and Services IC 041. US 107. G & S: ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE IN THE NATURE OF FOOTBALL EXHIBITIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE RENDERED THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTS. FIRST USE: 19630500. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19630500
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 72255798
Filing Date October 5, 1966
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition March 28, 1967
Registration Number 0830380
Registration Date June 13, 1967
Owner (REGISTRANT) GOTHAM FOOTBALL CLUB, INC. CORPORATION DELAWARE 595 MADISON AVE. NEW YORK NEW YORK
(LAST LISTED OWNER) NEW YORK JETS FOOTBALL CLUB, INC. CORPORATION BY CHANGE OF NAME FROM DELAWARE 598 MADISON AVE. NEW YORK NEW YORK 10022
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record TOWNLEY & UPDIKE
Disclaimer WITHOUT WAIVING ITS COMMON-LAW RIGHTS HEREIN, NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE WORDS "NEWYORK" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN.
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 19870613
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

Posted by Barry Popik
Sports/Games • Wednesday, May 04, 2005 • Permalink


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