Aug. 27, 1964 - Las Vegas is an unlikely place for a pro football game, but that’s where Oakland’s Raiders and Houston’s Oilers will exhibit for charity on Saturday night.
“It’s also unlikely that we’ll beat the Oilers, and I’m not putting on a poor mouth,” Raider coach Al Davis said today from the Santa Rosa camp. “We’re going there to practice a few things, look at some new players. If we win — fine — but I’m not pushing these exhibitions.”
Ordinarily, football of any kind wouldn’t draw flies at Vegas, what with other distractions. However, casino owners are seeing to it that Chapman Field will be sold out at premium prices for the crippled children’s fund.
The Raiders will leave Oakland Airport tomorrow at 4 p.m. and will bed down at Desert Inn. To keep the footballers out of mischief, the itinerary underlines “Curfew — 12 midnight, and that doesn’t mean 12:05.”
Houston, Davis noted, has a new coach, Sammy Baugh, who replaced the dismissed Pop Ivy.
“You know Baugh’s emphasis on offense? Sammy dotes on throwing the ball around, and this year the Oilers have the equipment.”
Last season, the first the Oilers didn’t finish in the AFL’s Eastern division playoff, they were without halfback Billy Cannon, who was virtually inactive with a leg injury.
Cannon is back to take the burden off old quarterback George Blanda and his stand-in, rookie Don Trull of Baylor, who was lured from NFL bidders by a $90,000 contract spread over three years.
Davis disclosed he had a call from Lee Grosscup, quarterback cut by the 49ers, asking for a job on the taxi squad.
“I told Lee we would give him consideration, but he knows the situation,” Davis added. “We’re satisfied with Cotton Davidson and Tom Flores.”
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