FLC OF A B737-300 RETURNED AND LANDED AFTER AN ENG FAILED WITH A LOUD BANG AT V1 DURING TKOF. SINCE THE FLC FELT A SHIMMY AND A PULL TO THE L; THEY THOUGHT THAT A TIRE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BLOWN SO THE LNDG GEAR WAS LEFT DOWN AND FLY-BY THE TWR WAS MADE FOR OBSERVATION OF THE TIRES. A SUCCESSFUL ONE ENG LNDG WAS MADE WITH EMER EQUIP ON STANDBY.

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WE DEPARTED RWY 17R IN DENVER. B737-300; 20K THRUST ENGS. FLAPS 1; MAX PWR; BLEEDS ON. GROSS WT WAS 119000 LBS. TEMP WAS 85 DEGS F. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL FOR ENG START; TAXI; SPOOL UP AND ACCELERATION. WE HAD A L XWIND OF ABOUT 15 KTS. THE FO WAS MAKING THE TKOF. AT THE V1 CALL; WE HEARD A LOUD BANG; EXPERIENCED A HVY SHIMMY; AND THE PLANE SWERVED GENTLY TO THE L. SINCE THE FO WAS FAIRLY NEW ON THE AIRPLANE; I TOOK THE CTLS. AT THIS POINT; BECAUSE OF THE SHIMMY; I THOUGHT WE HAD BLOWN A TIRE. I ROTATED AND THE AIRPLANE DIDN'T LEAVE THE GND. IT FINALLY BEGAN TO SLOWLY CLB BUT BECAUSE I STILL WAS NOT SURE OF THE REAL PROB; I FIREWALLED THE THROTTLES. ONCE WE WERE SAFELY AWAY FROM THE GND AND CLBING; WE HAD A CHANCE TO ASSESS THE SIT. I GLANCED AT THE ENG INSTS AND SAW THE N1 AT 29 PERCENT OR SO; AND THE EGT AT 1003 FOR THE #1 ENG. THE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS FOR FIRE/DAMAGE/SEPARATION WERE ACCOMPLISHED. WE TOLD TWR THAT WE HAD LOST AN ENG; DECLARED AN EMER; AND NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO THE ARPT. BECAUSE I STILL THOUGHT WE HAD SHREDDED A TIRE AND A PIECE OF THAT TIRE HAD DAMAGED THE ENG; I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN AND THE FLAPS AT ONE. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE TOLD TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR EVAC. WE FLEW ONE L-HAND PATTERN AROUND WITH A LOW APCH TO RWY 16 TO GIVE THE TWR A CHANCE TO LOOK AT OUR TIRES. DURING THIS FLY-BY; FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO GIVE US AN UNSOLICITED; BUT WELCOME BRIEF ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED; INCLUDING A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT. TWR COULD NOT TELL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ABOUT THE CONDITION OF OUR TIRES. THE FO HAD BEEN RUNNING THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS THROUGHOUT THE FLY-BY. WE ENTERED A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7; WHICH THE PREVAILING WIND FAVORED. THE APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL. THERE WAS NO VIBRATION FROM THE MAIN GEAR; BUT WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN WE ONCE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED A HVY SHIMMY. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE RWY WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THE PAX WERE TOLD TO STAY IN THEIR SEATS. WE NEVER HAD A FIRE INDICATION; AND I COULD SEE NO REASON FOR AN EVAC. I SET THE BRAKES AND THE FIRE MARSHALL APCHED THE AIRPLANE AND DISAPPEARED UNDER THE NOSE. WHEN HE REAPPEARED HE ASKED ME THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW IF I THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO EVAC. I ASKED HIM IF HE SAW A REASON TO. HE SAID NO. THEY BROUGHT A SET OF STAIRS UP TO THE AIRPLANE AND I WENT OUTSIDE TO CHK OUT THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED TO FIND ALL TIRES INTACT INCLUDING THE NOSE TIRES. BUSSES SOON ARRIVED AND WE DEPLANED THE PAX THROUGH DOOR 1L. THE CREW LEFT IN A MAINT VAN; AND THE PLANE WAS TOWED TO THE HANGAR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; AND EXCEPT FOR THE ENGS; NO APPARENT ACFT DAMAGE.