50 moments in Miami Dolphins history
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins release their 2015 opening depth chart just prior to their first preseason game.
Thousands of would be Miami fans sent in their suggestions for a new NFL expansion team that was awarded to South Florida and Joe Robbie. Names like Sharks, Mariners, Marauders, Mustangs, Missiles, Moons, and Suns were some of the proposed names for the franchise. 622 entrants out of over 19,000 submissions suggested Dolphins as the team’s name.
Eventually those who submitted the name Dolphins were paired down to a dozen and a tie breaking procedure was implemented to decide a winner. The finalists had to choose the winner and score of the University of Miami and Notre Dame game that year. Mrs. Robert Swanson came the closest as the game ended in a scoreless tie. Swanson received two lifetime passes to Dolphins games.
At the unveiling of the team name, Dolphins co-owner Joe Robbie had this to say.
"“The dolphin is one of the fastest and smartest creatures of the sea,” Joe Robbie said in announcing the team name on October 8, 1965. “Dolphins can attack and kill a shark or a whale. Sailors say bad luck will come to anyone who harms one of them.”"
The rest as they say is history.
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