Gino Marchetti with my baby sister, Jan and me.My Dad was a huge Baltimore Colts fan. I remember that he had season tickets for the Colts football games and his very, very favorite player was Gino Marchetti. Every summer, he would load the family into our green 1957 Chevy station wagon, and we head to Colt Camp Family Day. My Mom would pack a picnic lunch and after we ate, my brother, sister and I would stand in line to meet the players, get autographs, and have our pictures taken. I have fond memories of those days.
Several of the Colts opened restaurants in the Baltimore area. John Unitas had his restaurant, The Golden Arm. Ordell Braase owned the Flaming Pit Restaurant in Timonium. Gino Marchetti and Alan Ameche opened the first Gino's Drive In Restaurant in 1957 on North Point Road in Baltimore County. Several other locations were added in Maryland, and within a year Gino's Restaurants had expanded to New Jersey, Delaware and southeast Pennsylvania.
Serving burgers and Kentucky Fried Chicken, Gino's was best known for the Gino Giant, a large 2 burger sandwich with a secret, pink sauce. In 1982 the chain was sold to Marriott International and the restaurants soon disappeared.
I heard on the radio that Gino's will be reopening in the Baltimore area this year. The first has opened in King of Prussia, PA and later this week the radio station is taking Baltimore Fans to that restaurant to meet the man himself. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the winners, but as my Dad would shout out, "Way to Go Gino Baaaaby!"
Everybody goes to Gino's
Several of the Colts opened restaurants in the Baltimore area. John Unitas had his restaurant, The Golden Arm. Ordell Braase owned the Flaming Pit Restaurant in Timonium. Gino Marchetti and Alan Ameche opened the first Gino's Drive In Restaurant in 1957 on North Point Road in Baltimore County. Several other locations were added in Maryland, and within a year Gino's Restaurants had expanded to New Jersey, Delaware and southeast Pennsylvania.
Serving burgers and Kentucky Fried Chicken, Gino's was best known for the Gino Giant, a large 2 burger sandwich with a secret, pink sauce. In 1982 the chain was sold to Marriott International and the restaurants soon disappeared.
I heard on the radio that Gino's will be reopening in the Baltimore area this year. The first has opened in King of Prussia, PA and later this week the radio station is taking Baltimore Fans to that restaurant to meet the man himself. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the winners, but as my Dad would shout out, "Way to Go Gino Baaaaby!"
Everybody goes to Gino's
Pat,
ReplyDeleteOh does this post take me back. I remember Gino's restaurant from first my youth in PA and then when I transplanted to MD. Tell Louie that I think a road trip is in order...KofP is only about 2 hours away...go for it.
D
Oh, I'll be traveling to Baltimore next month - will have to find out where Gino's is located!
ReplyDeletexo Cathy
Great story!
ReplyDelete