1960s Timeline

Jan. 18, 1962 - Lou Saban (pictured), who coached the Boston Patriots until last October, was named head coach today of the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League. He replaces Garrard (Buster) Ramsey. Saban, who became director of player personnel for the Bills after his dismissal by the Patriots, signed a one-year contract believed to be around $20,000. The 40-year-old Saban is a former defensive captain of the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. Ramsey was dismissed Jan. 4

Jan. 14, 1962 - With two seconds left, Johnny Unitas (left) threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jon Arnett today to give the favored West a 31-30 victory over the East in the NFL Pro Bowl. The scoring toss provided a wild climax to a hectic game. A few minutes before, Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns had shaken off four tacklers and rambled 70 yards to a touchdown to put the East ahead, 30-24. Brown’s touchdown run broke the Pro Bowl record of 66 yards set by Alan Ameche of th

Jan. 13, 1962 - Paul (Bear) Bryant of Alabama was voted 1961’s college football coach of the year today by the American Football Coaches Association. Bryant’s Alabama team was undefeated and untied in 10 regular-season games. It was ranked No. 1 by The Associated Press and United Press International. The other candidates were Darrell Royal of Texas, Aldo (Buff) Donelli of Columbia, Woody Hayes of Ohio State, Murray Warmath of Minnesota, Bill Murray of Duke, Jack Mollenkopf of

Jan. 13, 1962 - Paul Hornung (second from right), the most valuable player in the National Football League this year, is currently on active Army duty at Fort Riley, Kansas. “He hasn’t asked for anything and doesn’t expect any favors,” says the company commander, Capt. Melvin Heyn of Fargo, N.D. Lieut. Duane Dinius, the platoon leader for whom Hornung drives a jeep, describes him as a “real fine boy, a normal every-day fellow. I’d say he’s an average G.I.” From the enlisted m

Jan. 13, 1962 - Tomorrow’s game in Los Angeles between teams representing the Eastern and Western Conference of the National Football League will be televised by NBC beginning at 3:45 p.m. The game will be the last on television until the college all-stars meet the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago next August. The West is rated a six-and-a-half point favorite in Las Vegas betting markets. #NFL #football #footballplayer #1960s #footballgame #footballseason #footba

Jan. 10, 1962 - The NFL signed a $9,300,000 contract with CBS-TV today. Under the terms of the 2-year deal, each of the 14 clubs will receive about $320,000 a year. Commission Pete Rozelle said: “All 14 clubs are happy. This equal distribution of TV income will aid us in preserving a balanced league. It will enable teams like Dallas and Minnesota, both of which have made spectacular strides in their short existence, to compete on an even stronger level with the established cl

Jan. 9, 1962 - The NFL adopted its first playing-rule change in four years today in a safety move. Under the change, suggested by the Baltimore Colts, it will be illegal for any player to grab the face mask of an opponent, either in tackling or blocking. The penalty will be 15 yards. In the past, the ball-carrier was the only player whose mask could be grabbed. “We didn’t have any serious trouble with this in league play,” said Commissioner Pete Rozelle. “Actually, most of ou

Jan. 8, 1962 - Pete Rozelle (pictured right), a compromise choice as commissioner of the NFL last year, was re-elected by unanimous vote today for a 5-year term at $50,000 a year. Rozelle, 35, was general manager of the Los Angeles Rams until he succeeded the late Bert Bell as commissioner. He was chosen after a prolonged battle involving 25 ballots. “It is quite possible we will have expansion in the next five years,” said Rozelle today. “However, we want to get the Dallas a

Jan. 6, 1962 - The Detroit Lions ran double and triple reverses against the Philadelphia Eagles and gained a 38-10 victory in the Orange Bowl today. A touchdown pass on a fake field goal was the final touch. It was almost all Detroit in this second annual professional playoff game between the runner-up teams in the NFL before 25,612 spectators. There was nothing dirty or vicious about the playing of the Lions. However, it was apparent that the men from Detroit tackled harder,

Jan. 4, 1962 - The Buffalo Bills dismissed Coach Gerard (Buster) Ramsey (pictured) today. He was the fifth head coach to go since the start of the eight-team American Football League’s 1961 season. A one-time NFL All-Star with the Chicago Cardinals, Ramsey was the first man hired when the Bills were organized two years ago by Ralph C. Wilson. Dismissing him, said Wilson, was “one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make.” Apparently waiting in the wings as the to

Jan. 1, 1962 - Green Bay’s smashing triumph over the Giants in the NFL championship game on Sunday may have signaled the start of a long period of domination by the Packers. The Green Bay squad that Coach Vince Lombardi guided from the bottom to the top in just three seasons is a young group yet to reach its full potential. The 22 regulars in the offensive and defensive platoons that overwhelmed the Giants, 37-0, averaged 26 years of age and 5 years of professional experience

Dec. 31, 1961 - What happened to the New York Giants today? They ran into “the greatest team in the history of the National Football League.” Coach Vince Lombardi pinned that label on his Green Bay Packers as they swarmed into their dressing room after a 37-0 rout of the Giants in the championship game. Lombardi’s appraisal was corroborated by New York’s starting quarterback, Y.A. Tittle. “We couldn’t have beaten them if we had used 22 men at once,” he said. Tittle had spent

Dec. 31, 1961 - Breaking the game wide open with an explosive second-quarter attack that netted 3 touchdowns and a field goal, the Green Bay Packers routed the New York Giants, 37-0, today in the NFL’s championship game. Coach Vince Lombardi’s Packers gave a thorough going-over to the Giants in all departments. The New Yorkers did little to help themselves, giving away the ball five times on four interceptions and a fumble. But these negative factors in no way detracted from

Dec. 29, 1961 - Paul Hornung, the Green Bay Packers’ versatile halfback, today was named the NFL player of the year in the United Press International poll. Despite an injury and his call into the army in November, Hornung was brilliant as a runner, place-kicker, blocker, passer, and pass-catcher in the Packers’ drive to a second straight Western Conference championship. The 25-year-old Hornung, playing his fifth professional season, received 12 votes to 8 each for Jim Taylor,

Dec. 28, 1961 - Coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers spoke out boldly today on Sunday’s championship game against the New York Giants: “If the field is right, we should win.” He is hoping for a firm but unfrozen field. On that, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, the twin spearheads of the powerful Green Bay running attack, and the pile-driving blockers ahead of them, can get full traction. “We’re basically a power-running team, and we don’t want any more than a fair chance

Dec. 26, 1961 - The Green Bay Packers opened “Championship Week” before an unexpected audience of 500 fans today. Coach Vince Lombardi was flabbergasted as he strolled onto the practice field. The temperature was 20 above zero and there was a brisk wind blowing. The turf was frozen solid but the Packers wore football cleats with success. The ends and backs dug in enough to cut sharply on pass patterns. Everybody wore gloves except the backs and ends. Once, Lombardi reminded t

Dec. 24, 1961 - George Blanda passed for the only touchdown today and kicked a 46-yard field goal to lead the Houston Oilers to their second consecutive American Football League championship. They defeated the San Diego Chargers 10-3. The 33-year-old quarterback also kicked the Oilers’ extra point. A San Diego crowd of 29,556 saw an intense defensive struggle, with Houston’s linebackers containing the passing of Jack Kemp. San Diego, in turn, intercepted six Houston passes. H

Dec. 22, 1961 - George Blanda, voted the American Football League’s player of the year by The Associated Press, today said this might be his last year as a professional quarterback. “I haven’t signed a contract yet,” Blanda said. “I may not want to play next year because it’s sure nice to go out a winner.” Blanda, 33, is in his twelfth pro year. He spent 10 years with the NFL Chicago Bears, where he was better known as a kicker than a passer. He had retired when Houston lured

Dec. 21, 1961 - Arthur Modell, the board chairman of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, said Ernie Davis, the all-America halfback from Syracuse (pictured meeting President Kennedy earlier this month at the Hall of Fame Dinner in New York), had agreed to a 3-year contract with the Browns for $65,000 plus a $15,000 bonus. Davis was the first player taken in the NFL’s annual player draft Dec. 4. He was picked by the Washington Redskins. But the Browns previously (and secretly) had obt

Dec. 20, 1961 - Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers was named today the most valuable player of the NFL in a poll of writers and broadcasters by The Associated Press. The halfback was called to Army duty and was available only on a weekend pass during the second half of the season. But he scored 10 touchdowns, kicked 15 of 22 field goal attempts, and posted 41 successive extra points. He led the league scorers with 146 points. Other contenders in the poll were Jim Taylor of