On this date: New franchise becomes Seahawks
Photo courtesy of Seattle Seahawks
By Clare Farnsworth, Seattle Seahawks
A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on June 17:
1975: The nickname “Seahawks” is selected for Seattle’s NFL team that will begin playing in the 1976 season. “Seahawks” was selected from 20,365 entries, which included 1,741 different names.
1997: Washington state voters pass Referendum 48 that approves funds for a new stadium for the Seahawks, a move necessary for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen to complete his purchase of the franchise from Ken Behring. The Referendum got 51.1 percent of the votes (820,354) statewide, including 56.4 percent (275,358) in King County.