Graz Giants

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20130505-IMG 0976 (Kopie) (8711773240).jpg
Graz Giants
Founded1981
Based inGraz, Austria
Stadium (8,500)
ColorsBlue and Gold    
Championships1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008
Websitehttps://www.grazgiants.at/

The Graz Giants are an American football team in Graz, Austria founded in 1981. The Giants play in the Austrian Football League at in the Eggenberg district of Graz.[1]

History[]

Inspired by a March 1981 broadcast of the first Austrian football team, the Vienna Ramblocks, Stefan Herdey decided to found an American football team.[2] After an advertisement was placed in a local newspaper, a dozen potential players attended the first meeting and founded the Graz Football Team.[2][3] That team would be renamed the Graz Giants.[2][3] The Giants took part in the first game between two Austrian teams, in which they lost 44–12 to the Ramblocks. With the dissolution of the Ramblocks, the Graz Giants are the oldest existing American football team in Austria.[2][4] The Giants were the first known team from Europe to win a match against a US college team. In 1991, the Giants defeated Albany University in an exhibition game.

Championships[]

Austrian Bowl[]

The Giants are ten-time Austrian Bowl Champions having won the championship in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2008.[2]

EFAF Cup[]

The Giants are three-time winners of the EFAF Cup.[2] In the 2002 season, the Giants won the EFAF Cup with a 37–20 victory over the Badalona Dracs, which made the club the first European Cup winner in Austrian football history. This was repeated in 2006 with a 37–20 victory against the Eidsvoll 1814s from Norway.[5] In 2007, the Giants won the EFAF Cup for the third time with a 28–26 victory over the Cineplexx Blue Devils from Hohenems.

References[]

  1. ^ "Actionberg: Home of the Giants". grazgiants.at. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "JCL Graz Giants". eurobowl.info. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Giants History". grazgiants.at. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  4. ^ "American Football Kicks Off in Austria". austrianinformation.org. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  5. ^ "Giants of Europe". July 11, 2006. Retrieved March 30, 2020.

External links[]

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