Johnny Unitas' Former Home To Hit the Market

Scott Van Horn returned to his hometown of Towson a few weeks ago from Denver to fix up his parents' house in Campus Hills and ready it for sale. His dad died last August and his mom passed away a few years ago. 

He’s completed the paperwork to have the house in the 900 block Starbit Road registered as an historic place. While the house appears to be just another of the many tri-level homes in the popular neighborhood off Providence Road, it is no ordinary dwelling.

This was Johnny Unitas' house.  

“Johnny Unitas lived here from ‘58 through ‘65 with his first wife Dorothy and their children,” said Van Horn. “It was the place he came home to after the ’58 championship game. He lived here when he broke the record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass. He wasn’t even aware that he broke that record when they told him.” 

The Van Horns moved into the home in 1968. Scott’s father, Gail Van Horn, needed more room to raise a family and a place for his wife, who didn’t drive, to walk to everything. Awarded the Silver Star in World War II, Gail worked in television and was instrumental in syndicating the popular show Romper Room across America. 

“We had the Farm Store, the Colt Lanes for bowling and a pool with blue-and-white tile,” said Van Horn. “Everything was close by.” 

Built in the 1950s, these homes featured state-of-the-art upgrades like all-electric kitchens and intercom systems. Unitas had a built-in trophy case off the dining room. Behind the paneling, there are glimpses of the original, light-blue paint used by the builders. Legendary coach Don Shula and Colts player Alan Ameche also lived in Campus Hills. 

Scott was 7 when he first learned about the previous owner. Unitas died of a heart attack in 2002 at age 69.

“We were watching the Colts play the Cardinals in 1976 and they were doing a special on Johnny Unitas. Dad said, ‘You know, son, he lived in this house.’ I remember we lost the game and my father was upset.” 

Scott only missed one Baltimore Colts game until the team left in 1984. He and his friends would cut through the trail behind his house and watch Colts training camp at. They would hide in the woods and wait for the kickers and punters to rain footballs down on them. 

“I remember it snowed on the day the Colts left town,” he said. “I stayed in the master bathroom, the one Johnny used, and refused to go to school. I wish Irsay would have left us the name.”   

Scott is also a big Ravens fan who thought this was the team's year based on the fact that Raymond Berry was giving out the Lombardi Trophy and the game will be held in Indianapolis. He attended the Texans game and watched in disbelief  Sunday as the Ravens fell to the Patriots in the AFC championship. 

“I’m still recovering. It was a really disappointing loss. It reminded me of the 1958 game. Unitas didn’t want to leave it up to the kicker. That’s why they went in for the score,” he said. “He wanted the touchdown.” 

The house is filled with Colts pennants, helmets, programs and memorabilia.  Gail Van Horn’s military trunks and medals, including a Silver Star, are also there. He received the medal for disabling a German roadblock with four other soldiers by “crawling under furious enemy fire … and in fifteen minutes removing it by hand.” 

Gail Van Horn will always be his youngest son’s favorite hero. 

“I miss him, I really do. We’re still not sure what we are going to do about the house,” he said. “It will be tough to sell it.”