2012 SD Chargers Media Guide_PROOF.P - Seahawks Online ...

CHRONOLOGY1959Aug. 14–First meeting of proposed football league held in Chicago with representativesof six teams, including Los Angeles entry headed by Barron Hilton.Aug. 22–Second meeting of proposed football league is held in Dallas withannouncement that league will be known as “American Football League.”Oct. 14–Frank Leahy, former Notre Dame football coach, is named generalmanager of Los Angeles team.Oct. 28–Gerald Courtney of Hollywood wins trip to Mexico City and Acapulco forsubmitting “Chargers” in name-the-team contest. organization liked name,Chargers, because “Charge” is what fans yelled at USC games in Coliseum.1960Jan. 7–Sid Gillman signs three-year contract to be first head coach of Chargers.March 20–Owner Barron Hilton unveils Chargers uniforms at cocktail party athis Santa Monica residence. Uniforms are blue and gold with lightning boltson sides of helmets and trousers. Jack Kemp and Ron Mix model uniforms.Hilton chose lightning bolts because he associated “Charge” of lightningwith lightning bolt. He also liked bolts that were on helmets of Air ForceAcademy football team, but wanted something slightly different, so he had“Chargers Bolt” designed to be different and placed them on uniforms.April 9-12–A total of 207 candidates is reduced to three who are invited backto summer training camp after four-day tryout camp in Burbank.July 1–General manager Frank Leahy resigns because of poor health.July 8–Chargers open training camp at Chapman College in Orange, Calif.July 9–Sid Gillman assumes dual role of coach and general manager.Aug. 6–Paul Lowe returns opening kick 105 yards for TD as Chargers defeatNY Titans, 27-7, before 27,778 in LA Coliseum in first preseason game.Sept. 10–Chargers overcome 20-7 deficit in 4Q to defeat Dallas, 21-20, before17,724 at Coliseum in first-ever AFL game.Dec. 10–Chargers top Denver 41-33 at Coliseum to clinch AFL Western Division title.Dec. 23–Hilton will accept invitation to visit SD for possible move from LA.1961Jan. 1–32,183 in Houston’s Jeppesen Stadium and national-TV audience onABC see Oilers defeat Chargers, 24-16, for AFL Championship.Jan. 6–Civic leaders form Greater San Diego Sports Association to attract majorleaguesports following Hilton’s visit to San Diego.Feb. 10–AFL gives Hilton formal approval to move Chargers to San Diego.May 1–Workers begin enlarging Chargers future home, Balboa Stadium, whichwill add upper deck and increase capacity from 23,000 to 34,000.July 22–Chargers open training camp at University of San Diego.Aug. 6–Chargers defeat Houston, 27-14, on 93-degree day before 12,304 infirst preseason game at Balboa Stadium.Nov. 19–Chargers defeat Dallas, 24-14, and clinch AFL West. Charlie McNeilrecords club’s 43rd pass interception, professional record.Dec.17–Against Boston at Balboa Stadium, Dick Harris intercepts Babe Parilli pass,Chargers’ 49th interception of season, new professional record.Dec. 24–Houston defeats Chargers, 10-3, before 29,556 in Balboa Stadium to winsecond AFL championship.1962Jan. 7–West defeats East, 47-27, in Balboa Stadium in first AFL All-StarGame, which features 11 Chargers players and coaches.Sept. 16–Keith Lincoln’s 103 yard KOR vs. NY Titans is first regular-seasonKOR TD in team history.1963Jan. 13–Earl Faison is named Outstanding Defensive Player as West defeatsEast, 21-14, in AFL All-Star game before 27,641 at Balboa Stadium.April 30–Barron Hilton and father, Conrad, sell one-third of their interest in Chargersto San Diego businessmen John Mabee, George Pernicano, Kenneth Swansonand James Copley, and Los Angeles businessman M.L. Bengston.July 10–Chargers open training camp at Rough Acres Ranch near Boulevard,hamlet of 100 persons in mountains 60 miles east of San Diego.Nov. 23-24–AFL postpones games following Nov. 22 assassination of JFK.Dec. 22–Eight Chargers score and Paul Lowe rushes for 183 yards and twoTDs as Chargers clinch AFL West title with 58-20 victory over Denver.1964Jan. 5–Keith Lincoln totals 349 yards of offense as Chargers win AFL Championship,defeating Boston 51-10 before 30,127 in Balboa Stadium.Jan. 19–Lincoln named MVP after gaining 121 yards on 14 carries as Westdefeats East, 27-14, before 20,016 in AFL All-Star game at Balboa Stadium.Jan. 29–AFL signs five-year deal with NBC, starting in 1965, for record $36 million.July 15–Chargers open training camp at TraveLodge in Escondido.Oct. 3–Chargers and NY Jets tie, 17-17, before AFL-record crowd of 50,222,including 46,828 paid, in New York’s Shea Stadium.Nov. 26–Balboa Stadium record crowd (34,865) sees Buffalo defeat Chargers,27-24, on Thanksgiving Day.Dec. 6–Chargers clinch fourth AFL West title in five years, defeating NY Jets,38-3, before 25,753 at Balboa Stadium.Dec. 26–With Lance Alworth out (knee) and Keith Lincoln sidelined by firstquarterrib fracture, Buffalo beats Chargers, 20-7, for AFL Championship.MEDIA GUIDE | 2491965Jan. 16–Keith Lincoln runs 80 yards for TD as West defeats East 38-14 inAFL All-Star game at Houston’s Jeppesen Stadium. Game, originallymoved from San Diego to New Orleans, was switched to Houston on oneday’s notice after black players experienced mistreatment in New Orleans.April 27–San Diego City Council endorses construction of multipurpose stadiumin Mission Valley, dropping idea of floating stadium in Mission Bay.May 17–SDCC approves expenditure of $750,000 for architectural and engineeringdrawings of 50,000-seat stadium at SW corner of Friars Roadand Murphy Canyon Road in Mission Valley.Nov. 2–Construction of $27 million stadium is authorized by 73 percent “yes”vote by San Diego citizens.Dec. 12–San Diego wins fifth AFL West title in six years, defeating Houston, 37-26.Dec. 23–Paul Lowe and Lance Alworth finish 1-2 in player voting for AFL POY honors.Dec. 24–Groundbreaking ceremonies are conducted for San Diego Stadium.Dec. 26–Buffalo defeats Chargers, 23-0, before 30,361 in Balboa Stadiumfor AFL Championship. New “Charger,” introduced by Chrysler at halftime.1966Jan. 15–AFL All-Stars beat Buffalo, 30-19, before 35,572 in Houston’s Rice Stadium.Lance Alworth catches two TDs and Frank Buncom named Defensive POG.June 8–AFL and NFL announce plans to merge in 1970. Chargers and LA Ramsplan to play three preseason games in SD Stadium beginning in 1967.Aug. 25–Eugene V. Klein of Beverly Hills heads group of 21 executives whopurchase Chargers for $10 million, record price in professional football.1967Aug. 20–San Diego Stadium is dedicated before 45,988. Detroit defeatsChargers, 38-17, in SDs first meeting with NFL team.Oct. 15–Leslie “Speedy” Duncan has AFL-record 100-yard INT ret for TD and35-yard FR for another TD, as Chargers defeat K.C., 45-31, in game thatfeatures 897 yards of total offense and 622 yards in returns.Dec. 3–Chargers face Oakland before 52,661, first sellout in SD Stadium history,as 2,018 persons watch game on closed-circuit TV at SD Sports Arena.1968Aug. 3–Chargers score first victory over NFL team, defeating S.F., 30-18, in preseasongame at SD Stadium.Nov. 24–“Speedy” Duncan sets AFL-record with 95-yard PR for TD vs. N.Y. Jetsat SD Stadium.1969Sept. 28–Chargers defeat defending SB Champion NY Jets before record crowdof 54,042 at SD Stadium.Nov. 14–Offensive backfield coach Charlie Waller is named head coach followingresignation of Sid Gillman, who is suffering from stomach ulcerand chest hernia. Gillman remains with team as general manager.Dec. 14–Lance Alworth sets professional record with catch in 96th consecutivegame. Chargers defeat Buffalo, 45-6.1970Jan. 17–John Hadl leads West to 26-3 victory in final AFL All-Star game atHouston Astrodome.Sept. 27–Smoke and ash from huge fire in SD’s east county darken skies overSD Stadium as Hadl hurls TD passes of 65 yards to Jeff Queen and 37yards to Alworth in final 5:18 to salvage 27-27 tie with Oakland.Dec. 30–Gillman returns as head coach and Waller becomes offense coach instaff reorganization announced by President Gene Klein.1971Feb. 13–Harland Svare is named general manager.May 19–Chargers trade Lance Alworth to Dallas for tight end Pettis Norman,tackle Tony Liscio and defensive tackle Ron East.Nov. 15–Dennis Partee’s 45-yard FG at 0:00 lifts Chargers to 20-17 MNF victoryover St. Louis.Nov. 22–After 34-33 loss at Oakland leaves San Diego 4-6, Gillman resignsand is replaced on interim basis by Harland Svare.Dec. 19–Svare is named head coach in locker room press conference in Houston.1972Jan. 18–Hadl is named NFL “Man of Year” as top citizen-athlete of 1971;$25,000 scholarship fund in Hadl’s name will benefit San Diego students.March 28–Alworth inducted into SD Hall of Fame at Balboa Park Hall of Champions.Sept. 5–Chargers trade DT George Wright to Cleveland. In 221-day period GM-Head Coach Harland Svare consummates NFL-record 21 trades.1973Jan. 22–Chargers obtain future Hall-of-Fame QB Johnny Unitas from Baltimore.Sept. 30–Unitas completes 30-yard pass to Mike Garrett vs. Cincinnati andbecomes first quarterback to pass for more than 40,000 yards.Nov. 5–Svare resigns as head coach but remains general manager. Ron Walleris named interim head coach.Continued next pageHISTORY