The Baltimore Colts, founded in 1953, played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1953 to 1983. The team was named the Colts for Baltimore's rich history of horse racing. The Colts franchise moved to Indianapolis between the 1983 and 1984 seasons. The Colts were the first NFL team to have cheerleaders and a marching band. The Colts were named after Baltimore's annual Preakness Stakes which is why many fans are bitter that Indianapolis retained the Colt team name. The Colts franchise was officially created in 1953, but can trace its history much earlier than that.