European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 17, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Indianapolis five years ago Colts said Bye Bye Baltimore Byvik Ostellino Baltimore Sun Frank Kush can t believe 1he Lime has passed so quickly has in been to years asked Iho la head coach of the Baltimore Colts holy Mackerel yes last month was the tilth anniversary of he night Baltimore loot Ali Iris Rie Verwill forgo. On March Zbiski Suay lower moving vans tolled through the Snow and Slock Mlo the Colts wings m4s. My comple u was a surreal scene with the lights of the Complex and she exhaust of the trucks mined Wilh the steel i remember the lights shining on the trucks Kush said. I remember in very  with he help of iwo bus loads of part Lime workers Iho vans Cor cd Oil to Indianapolis a National football league franchise i hat had been part of the lab sic and soul of Baltimore Lor 3t years. By Daybreak thursday March 29,198-1, the last moving Van and. The i franchise were gone this  1 just another franchise. This was the franchise Ihal had helped Starl the pro football Boom Iho franchise thai had won the greatest game Ever played against the new York giants in 1958. This was a franchise that once was  Ihal ii the movie omens to be believed a Young woman in Baltimore had to pass a Colts trivia quiz before she Cottis Baccomo a Bride suddenly it was gone. In the Middle of the night nothing like Titis Ever had happened before. Ten members of the Iron of co scouting equipment and video Start made 1he move to Indianapolis nine still work there the sett Man head Kramer John Lorca resumed to Baltimore Slier just two months and opened the Tow son spots Medicine denier to Ireal the injuries of Young Al Lelos. Frank Rush it was just absolute pandemonium Lopez said describing the night of the move. Logis Liwally. Speaking in was a nightmare.". He said people have no idea How much equipment it lakes to operate a pro football team. Lopez said i look22 moving vans to haul in away. Lopez remembers that Mike Chor Nolf vice president and general counsel Lor learn owner Robert Irsay told him. Don l worry. Well gel it All  Lopez said he replied you Hayen l packed a Box yet whal s this we business. As they packed Colts Personne seemed so Slu nod the learn was moving thai Many did t consider the ramifications of what they wore doing until later. I remember Vince Bagli Wal to sports Anchor standing in the door of the t Miner s room the Neil morning with Idars   said. He could t believe it. Thai s when the reality nil me harder than when Iho slut was being packed Loseo Iho emotions of a Guy like Ihal " Kush was weeding the Yard Al his Home March 28 in Phoenix when he Gol Llie Call telling him to Lake the next piano to Washington he was Ess Likely to to noticed Thero Shari if he hew directly to Bat Moro i had mixed  Kursh said. "1 Felt sorry for the people of Baltimore i Lull sorry Lor the Booster club the Coll corrals. But from Irsay s Point of vow it was a  Hal Hunter now an of Tensive line coach for the Cleveland Brawns who hold the same Job in Ballimore was called into the Ellice of Jim Irsay the owner s son. Jim Irsay was named the Loam s general manager shortly Afler the move around 10 30 . .1" thought in was Anushe false alarm Hunter. Said he said we were moving to Indianapolis it floored to everyone had cried of so Many times about moving thai it was had to  Hunter was Lold no one was to know Unis Iho Legal  Al 5 pm at 2 pm Hunter Lold Iho coaches there would be a meeting in Jim Irsay s office around 5 . I Lott Hern we were  Hunter said Byl no one was supposed to know because of the Legal ramifications orsay decided to move Iho team because of declining attendance and Revenue in Ballimore the cily of Indiana polls wooed him with the prospects of playing in a sold out 60,000 Seal Hoosier dome every sunday a real free training facility and guaranteed profits approaching $10 million per year to was concerned about eminent Domain Logi Lalion Ihal was pending to Maryland s legislature. Baltimore was trying Lodecia c Iho Loarn an asset of the City to running backs coach Rog Theder said i had. Gol Len to have a fond meeting Lor Baltimore. I was thinking to myself to does then mayor and now governor Schaefer feel or How Wil he feel tomorrow morning i did t even know the Man. But i admired him a great Deal. The toughest thing in my own mind was that i Felt like we were deceiving thai particular  Tho coaches wailed until the secretaries ticket and bookkeeping personnel had Lell before they started. 1  a the last people to leave were Walt Gulkowski then. The club s Public relations director and pets Ward Hen an administrative ass Island and now the club s director of operations. Gutkowski and Ward played racquetball until about 6 30 . Gutkowski said he was surprised when he Tell and saw All the coaches cars. It was unusual for the coaches to work that late in the Oll season. I never dreamed they d try to do anything that neg he but just on lha Chance Ihal something was going to happen i went Back inside and collected some of my stuff.". Gutkowski Learned on ice vision that night thai moving vans had arrived. He was fortunate he retrieved his personal belongings. The personal items of employees who did t know the learn was moving were packed and loaded onto the vans Wilh the trucks came two bus toads of what Ward described a about 60  they did t know where Hoy were Ward said. They went  Complex and went crazy dumping papers around i went into my off ice. Closed the door and packed up my things. There was no organization to ill most of these Guys were part time movers and even the supervisors lost a Lille my of control. Guys were Vince Bagli � prevent the Movo Irakay wanted to get the Colts out of town before the legislature could act the cily filed Sii i alter he move bul was  Mike Wellhoff Hen an assistant coach with Iho Colls and now an assistant Zyvith Iho Miami Dofphus. Said there wore so Many rumours about the club moving that he and his wife used id joke about it he said one of his neighbors was personally very bitter toward us. Hal Hunter running around with Colt to Shir la hanging out   John Starliper Iho team s assistant cinematographer arrived after the packing slatted. Ii was a zoo he  the packers were set Etc fingered. They were Irvino. To Lake stuff. They had to shake them  Lopez said after the players personal things from their lockers were  trash bag Sand taped shut he found some bags Ppd open i grabbed one of the supervisors and he called everybody in the building my a she Ocker room Lopez said. He said we know Stull is being stolen. We re walking out and we re coming Back in 10 minutes and to want everything on the hear no questions asked you would t believe the pile of stuff on the floor when we came Back hats jerseys windbreakers. They were stealing All kinds of stuff " several Al templs to reach the supervisors of the packers were not successful one of the first people of lode Iho Colls building to ind omit about the move was Ernie. Accorsy who had resigned As Ballimore general manager feb. 7. He was in Cleveland where he just had taken a front of he Job Wilh the Browns t Hen he got a Call Hal night from the late Arlhur Elch the team s cinematographer who owned the team s photography equipment he Eich called me at Iho hotel where i was staying Accorsi said his voice was cracking and he " was real emotional. To said the trucks Are Here " " Kelt just  Accorsy said ii was like one of those things when somebody is terminally ill. You think u might happen but it s Tucillo believe when it actually happens Accorsi though about the Groat Days. I thought Aboul the 1950s when i was a kid and they had All the Greal  Accorsi called Cleveland owner Art Modell and Bob Behler. Who had resigned As Colls sales director a week alter Accorsi had left Zelller i ovo to the Complex and Page 14 the stars and stripes monday