Early Bronco
The first Denver quarterback was Frank Tripucka, forever better in our memories than on the field. Tripucka came to the Broncos as an assistant coach and ended up as the starting quarterback. Frank was simply known as “The Trip."
He played in three professional football leagues in his 15 year career. His playing days included: NFL 4 years (Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys,) 7 years in the Canadian Football League (Saskatchewan Roughriders) and 4 years in the AFL as QB for the Denver Broncos.
In 1960, in the inaugural AFL regular season game, the Broncos beat the Boston Patriots 13-10. With someone to throw the ball, the Broncos managed to win four games that first year, finishing 4-9-1. The major highlight of the season came from Tripucka himself when he threw the very first touchdown pass in AFL history. In 1962, he again led the league with 240 completions, 440 attempts, and 2,917 yards. This included a week two victory over Buffalo, in which Tripucka threw for a remarkable 447 yards, a franchise record that stood for 38 years. He also held the Bronco record for interceptions.
Without Tripucka, there would have been even worse quarterback play. Without a decent quarterback, there would have been very little community support. With diminished community support, the team could have folded or moved. Basically, if you have a football team with no stars you've got nothing. "The Trip" started Denver's sixty year love affair with the Broncos.
Questions
Where did Frank Tripucka go to collage? (Answers below.)
What was Tripucka's Bronco uniform number?
Two Makes a Duo
Murder in the Rockies
Two Miles High and Six Feet Under
Two good novels make a great duo. Further adventures of Andrew Coyle, Esquire Lawyer-Detective 1896
Suffragette Not
There was an old dame in a huff
"Women don't want the vote," she cried, "stuff"
When they said, "But we do," She answered "Pooh Pooh."
"I don't and let that be enough!"
Taken from Kick Ass a collection of anti-suffrage and suffrage literature by Jessica King
Answers
Frank Tripucka was a quarterback at Notre Dame 1945-49
Tripucka and Payton Manning were the only two Bronco players to wear number 18.
(Tripuka insisted that number 18 be un-retired so that Manning could wear it and win the Super Bowl.)
The first Denver quarterback was Frank Tripucka, forever better in our memories than on the field. Tripucka came to the Broncos as an assistant coach and ended up as the starting quarterback. Frank was simply known as “The Trip."
He played in three professional football leagues in his 15 year career. His playing days included: NFL 4 years (Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys,) 7 years in the Canadian Football League (Saskatchewan Roughriders) and 4 years in the AFL as QB for the Denver Broncos.
In 1960, in the inaugural AFL regular season game, the Broncos beat the Boston Patriots 13-10. With someone to throw the ball, the Broncos managed to win four games that first year, finishing 4-9-1. The major highlight of the season came from Tripucka himself when he threw the very first touchdown pass in AFL history. In 1962, he again led the league with 240 completions, 440 attempts, and 2,917 yards. This included a week two victory over Buffalo, in which Tripucka threw for a remarkable 447 yards, a franchise record that stood for 38 years. He also held the Bronco record for interceptions.
Without Tripucka, there would have been even worse quarterback play. Without a decent quarterback, there would have been very little community support. With diminished community support, the team could have folded or moved. Basically, if you have a football team with no stars you've got nothing. "The Trip" started Denver's sixty year love affair with the Broncos.
Questions
Where did Frank Tripucka go to collage? (Answers below.)
What was Tripucka's Bronco uniform number?
Two Makes a Duo
Murder in the Rockies
Two Miles High and Six Feet Under
Two good novels make a great duo. Further adventures of Andrew Coyle, Esquire Lawyer-Detective 1896
Suffragette Not
There was an old dame in a huff
"Women don't want the vote," she cried, "stuff"
When they said, "But we do," She answered "Pooh Pooh."
"I don't and let that be enough!"
Taken from Kick Ass a collection of anti-suffrage and suffrage literature by Jessica King
Answers
Frank Tripucka was a quarterback at Notre Dame 1945-49
Tripucka and Payton Manning were the only two Bronco players to wear number 18.
(Tripuka insisted that number 18 be un-retired so that Manning could wear it and win the Super Bowl.)
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