Denver Dynamite | |||||
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Established 1987 Folded 1991 Played in McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado |
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League/conference affiliations | |||||
Team colors |
Blue, Yellow, White |
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Personnel | |||||
Owner(s) | Gary Graham | ||||
Head coach | Babe Parilli | ||||
Team history | |||||
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Championships | |||||
League championships (1) |
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Conference championships (0) Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games |
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Division championships (0) Prior to 1992, the AFL did not have division |
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Playoff appearances (4) | |||||
1987, 1989, 1990, 1991 | |||||
Home arena(s) | |||||
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Arena Football League (1987–1991)
Blue, Yellow, White
League championships (1)
The Denver Dynamite were an arena football team based in Denver, Colorado. The team began play in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League. The team was brought in by businessman Sidney Shlenker and the team achieved success instantly, winning the first ever ArenaBowl under AFL Hall of Fame coach Tim Marcum. After sitting out the 1988 season, the Dynamite were purchased by investment banker Gary Graham for $125,000. Graham then hired former NFL and AFL coach, Babe Parilli to lead the team. Under Parilli, the Dynamite would return to the playoffs every season, but failed to return to the ArenaBowl. After the 1991 season, the franchise filed for bankruptcy after being sued by their public relations firm. They played their home games at McNichols Sports Arena. The team's logo was a bundle of dynamite sticks with a burning fuse.
In 1987, businessman and owner of the Denver Nuggets Sidney Shlenker announced the forming of the Denver Dynamite. The franchise played in the inaugural four-team "demonstration" season of 1987. Despite the team and league's doubters, the Dynamite tied for the best record in the league with the Pittsburgh Gladiators, going 4-2. On August 1, 1987 the team participated in ArenaBowl I, which they won 45-16 over the Gladiators. The Dynamite were lead on offense by quarterback Whit Taylor, and wide receiver Gary Mullen (Mullen won ArenaBowl I MVP). After winning the ArenaBowl, Head Coach Tim Marcum was named the league's first ever Coach of the Year. Despite averaging the league's best attendance with over 12,000 a game, it did not return for the league's second season due to Shlenker refusing to abide by the AFL's financial rules.