<P> The Dallas Cowboys were the NFL's first modern - era expansion team . The NFL was late in awarding Dallas; after Lamar Hunt was rebuffed in his efforts to acquire an NFL franchise for Dallas, he became part of a group of owners that formed the American Football League with Hunt's AFL franchise in Dallas known as the Texans (later to become the Kansas City Chiefs). In an effort not to cede the South to the AFL, the NFL awarded Dallas a franchise, but not until after the 1960 college draft had been held . As a result, the NFL's first ever expansion team played its inaugural season without the benefit of a college draft . </P> <P> Originally, the formation of an NFL expansion team in Texas was met with strong opposition by Washington Redskins owner, George Preston Marshall . This was no surprise, because despite being located in the nation's capital, Marshall's Redskins had enjoyed a monopoly as the only NFL team to represent the American South for several decades . This came as little surprise to would - be team owners, Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne, so to ensure the birth of their expansion team, the men bought the rights to the Redskins fight song, "Hail to the Redskins" and threatened to refuse to allow Washington to play the song at games . Needing the song, which had become a staple for his "professional football team of Dixie", Marshall changed his mind, and the city of Dallas was granted an NFL franchise on January 28, 1960 . This early confrontation between the two franchises helped to trigger what would become one of the more heated National Football League rivalries, which continues to this day . </P> <P> The team was first known as the Dallas Steers, then the Dallas Rangers . On March 19, 1960, the organization announced that it would be called the Cowboys to avoid confusion with the American Association Dallas Rangers baseball team . The founding investors of the Dallas Cowboys were Clint Murchison, Jr. (45%), John D. Murchison (45%), along with minority shareholders, Toddie Lee and Bedford Wynne (Director and Secretary) (5%) and William R. Hawn (5%). The new owners subsequently hired Tex Schramm as general manager, Gil Brandt as player personnel director, and Tom Landry as head coach . </P> <P> The Cowboys began play in 1960, and played their home games a few miles east of Downtown Dallas at the Cotton Bowl . For their first three seasons, they shared this stadium with the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs franchise), who began play in the American Football League that same year . The 1960 Cowboys finished their inaugural campaign 0 - 11 - 1 with a roster largely made up of sub-par players (many well past their prime). </P>

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