The First Time News Was Fit To Print
The series continues at mental_floss. Volume VIII covers Bob Dylan, The McLaughlin Group, David Sedaris, Barbie and more. And the New York Jets:
Jets Get A New Coach (Ewbank) And A New Name (Jets)
April 16, 1963
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.
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The Jets symbolizes the site of Shea Stadium (where the Jets think they’ll 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 was 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.â€
Continue Reading: The First Time News Was Fit To Print, VIII