(Sorry, out of stock...SOLD for $70.00) Denver Broncos John Elway 1993 Vortex Howler Football, by OddzOn. Here is the ORIGINAL and first Vortex Howler Football; the one that started it all. From 16+ years ago, this beautifully-packaged ground-breaking toy is MINT-IN-UNOPENED-BOX, UNPLAYED, STILL ATTACHED TO ORIGINAL BACKING. The Vortex football originated in 1993 by Oddzon Toys under license from toy inventor David Fuhrer as a blue football with a black extension branching off three fins for aerodynamic efficiency. The shape and weight of the ball enabled long distance throws not possible with an ordinary football. It became the top selling toy football in the world winning numerous industry awards. Oddzon was ultimately acquired by Hasbro Corporation and the product now sells under the Nerf brand, owned by Hasbro. Broncos Quaterback John Elway made several endorsements for this product. In later years, Peyton Manning became the spokesperson. The Vortex Football has had several variations including the noisemaking "Howler", light up "Fireflight", and the "Pocket Vortex". The original prototype was referred to as the "Flying Lemon" and "Buzz Bomb". As soon as the quarterback John Elway came into the National Football League, he became known for his rifle arm and rope-straight spiral. Today, with a Super Bowl victory under his belt along with numerous other accolades, Elway holds another record, widely publicized by the Oddzon toy company...he threw one of these babies 110 yards!! (At the time of this early packaging, the record was shown as "90 yards"...later changed to "110") Oddzon began as the maker of the Koosh ball. Today, as part of Hasbro, the toy giant, it belongs to the same family as Nerf, its distant rival. Together, Koosh and Nerf are building better balls -- and the guns to fire them. Both Nerf, the ball of one generation, and Koosh, that of the next, quickly evolved into other products -- for instance, backboards and hoops for closet doors. The Vortex is more complicated than it looks. It took intensive research to figure out the need for different gripping materials and the most gentle of ribbings on the not-quite-symmetrical ball. The Vortex Howler added a sort of whistle to the foam ball; the smaller Pocket Vortex and the Mega Vortex followed. John Elway set career records for passing attempts, and completions at Stanford. He also received All-American honors. Elway was drafted #1 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. By his second year in the league, Elway set team records for passing attempts, completions and yards. In 1987, he embarked on what is considered to be one of the most clutch performances in NFL history, when he helped guide the Broncos on a 98-yard, game-tying drive in the AFC Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. The moment is known in National Football League lore as The Drive. Following the AFC Championship Game, Elway and the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XXI to the New York Giants. After two more Super Bowl losses, the Broncos entered a period of decline; however, that would end during the 1997 season, as Elway and Denver won their first Super Bowl title by defeating the Green Bay Packers, 31–24, in Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos repeated as champions the following season in Super Bowl XXXIII by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34–19. Elway was voted MVP of that Super Bowl, which would prove to be the last game of his career. Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004 in his first year of eligibility. Since his retirement, Elway has owned several businesses, including currently being a co-owner of the Colorado Crush, an arena football team. Elway currently writes a weekly NFL blog and occasionally answers members' questions for the newly launched sports website OPEN Sports.com. His son Jack was a quarterback for the Arizona State Sun Devils for one season, continuing the family tradition. Here is a real piece of NFL history, in perfect condition...just waiting for a place of glory in your Broncos shrine!! Out of stock.