On this day 52 years ago, the Pacific Northwest’s upper-left city of Seattle was granted an NFL Franchise. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the news that they would join the league as an expansion franchise in 1976 and would be the league’s 28th, alongside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The name “Seahawks” was chosen from a survey with over 20,365 entries. This tweet from @HawkMania shows an article from the now-online and former print local newspaper, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. They were known for the big globe with an eagle on top that resided on top of their building in downtown Seattle, and as it says on their front page here, a staple in the community since 1863.

The article mentions Seattle drafting Archie Griffin as a possibility, who was the two-time Heisman Trophy winner for Ohio State and the massive hotshot prospect back then. It mentions the Nordstrom family, represented by Lloyd Nordstrom, as the majority owners, and Herman Sarkowsky as the chief operating officer. Sarkowsky says he thinks the team will pick high in 1976 before they play their inaugural season, and they did, taking defensive tackle Steve Niehaus 2nd overall (Griffin ended up going 24th to the Cincinnati Bengals). Ironically, the article mentions the Portland TrailBlazers as well and their ability to draft Bill Walton early on, the NBA franchise which the Seahawks’ most prominent owner Paul Allen also owned.

It’s great to look back on the history of the franchise, and the sport overall. In 2026, it’s one of the few institutions that preserves memories well enough to stay in touch with its roots. Seattle and the Seahawks have grown up together as an American sports city and franchise, and 52 years ago today was one of their most important turning points.

CHULA VISTA – Fourteen league and section championship banners hang from the outfield wall at Mater Dei Catholic High School’s softball field. In center field, two replicas of the state of California are displayed on the fence, representing the Crusaders’ two Southern California Regional titles.

Said senior center fielder Bella Harris: “We have a legacy of winning on our home field.”

On a sun-soaked Thursday afternoon, Mater Dei Catholic added another chapter to its home-field history.

Trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Crusaders scored six runs — five coming with two outs — to rally and beat Point Loma 7-4 in the semifinals of the Southern California Regional Division 1 playoffs.

Mater Dei, the reigning Southern California Division 1 champion, will play for its second straight SoCal championship at home Saturday against La Habra.

“They weren’t going to go down,” said Crusaders co-head coach Liz Centrullo. “They kept fighting. They have the ultimate belief in each other and themselves. That’s what this team does. They do it for each other.”

The Crusaders’ sixth inning began with Oregon-commit Maya Matties lacing a single to left. UCLA-commit Charlize “Chuck” Masingale followed with an RBI double. Sunny Sosa hit a tapper in front of the plate. The ball appeared to glance off Sosa in fair territory, but the umpires ruled it didn’t.

Runners were on first and third with no outs and the score 4-2.

After a fielder’s choice and ground out, the Crusaders still trailed by two, now with runners on second and third. To the plate stepped senior second baseman Liana Quinones.

“This is the turning point of the game,” Quinones said she told herself. “My teammates are relying on me. And most importantly, trusting me. It wasn’t (ital)if (end ital). I had to get it done.”

Quinones hit a hard ground ball that was booted for an error, two runs scoring. Point Loma intentionally walked Arizona-commit Arri Romero, who leads the team with 31 RBI.

Harris ruined the strategy by driving in the go-ahead run with a single.

“There was a lot of adrenaline,” said Harris. “It’s the moment you always train for, practice for and hope for.”

The game marked the third time Mater Dei Catholic (30-3) and Point Loma (24-10) met this season. Mater Dei won all three, 2-1 back in March and 5-3 on Saturday for the San Diego Section Open Division title.

“It’s our first loss like this the whole year,” said Point Loma coach Bill Hunyady. “Usually, we’re able to hold leads. But this is a testament to the best team in San Diego County (Mater Dei Catholic). We had three swings at them and weren’t able to get a win.”

Point Loma took a 3-0 lead in the third inning on a massive three-run homer by left-handed hitting freshman Remington Spangler. The ball sailed over the right-field fence, beyond the bushes, crashing into a tree in a neighboring backyard.

“She roped that,” said Centrullo. “I tip my hat to her.”

Spanger pitched the first four innings, allowing just one run on two hits. But five walks and a hit batter ran up her pitch count. While she came in with a 0.83 ERA and had struck out 85 in 59 1/3 innings, she was making only her second start of the season and tired against the Crusaders.

Point Loma went to its bullpen and Mater Dei rallied.

Minutes after the game, Spangler walked about the visitors’ dugout, collecting her belongings. Asked what was going through her mind after a heartbreaking loss, the freshman said: “That I’m going to miss my seniors.”