Dec. 2, 1963 - Babe Parilli, taunted by a chant that he be removed from the game, accounted for two third-quarter touchdowns yesterday as he led the Boston Patriots to a 17-7 victory over the Buffalo Bills at frigid Fenway Park. The Patriots, trailing after Cookie Gilchrist’s second-quarter touchdown plunge for the Bills, scored 14 points in the third period and added a 43-yard against-the-wind field goal by Gino Cappelletti in the fourth. Parilli passed for the first Boston touchdown and scored the second himself on a 2-yard keeper play. His 44-yard scoring pitch to Larry Garron and Cappelletti’s conversion tied the score at 7-7 early in the third quarter. It was just four minutes later that Parilli swung around his own left end to score. A 63-yard pass completion to Art Graham, the day’s longest play, had set up the touchdown. A small group of fans chanted for Boston’s reserve quarterback, Tom Yewcic, to replace Parilli late in the first half after Parilli had completed only 6 of 16 passes for 47 yards. Yewcic appeared briefly, but Parilli then returned to finish the game in triumph. The victory lifted the Patriots into a first-place tie with the Houston Oilers in the AFL’s Eastern Division. Immediately afterward, the Patriots’ ball committee, of which linebacker Tom Addison is chairman, presented the winning ball to Parilli, “the guy that brought it down the field.” The Patriots rejoiced in winning this clutch game, one marvel of which, said middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, “I didn’t even break a sweat, it was so cold. Imagine beating Buffalo and not even needing a shower.” The Patriots also rejoiced in Houston’s defeat at San Diego. “We’ve got a good chance now,” said Parilli, “but winning at Houston will be tougher than when we beat them here, 45 to 3.”
