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

HISTORYChronology, continued1974Jan. 8–Klein names Tommy Prothro head coach of Chargers.Jan. 29–Prothro trades Walt Sweeney, former all-pro guard who played in154 consecutive games for San Diego to Washington for draft choice.Dec. 15–Don Woods sets team and NFL rookie season record with 1,162yards. Chargers 17-0 victory over Denver is first shutout in 105 games.1975Jan. 2–Don Woods named NFL Rookie of Year.March 10–Tackle Ron Mix is inducted into SD Hall of Fame.Dec. 7–Chargers defeat Kansas City, 28-20, to end 11-game losing streak.1976Jan. 20–Harland Svare resigns as general manager.Feb. 16–John Sanders is named team’s new general manager.July 5–UC-San Diego becomes sixth training camp base in club history.Aug. 15–St. Louis defeats Chargers, 20-10, in Tokyo’s Korakuen Stadium.Aug. 21–Chargers complete international trip with 17-16 loss to S.F. in Honolulu.Sept. 28–Chargers score 27 points in 2Q and demolish St. Louis, 43-24, for 3-0start, best since 1968.Oct. 17–Chargers celebrate alumni weekend in San Diego with 30-27 winover Houston. Late Frank Buncom, Bob Laraba, Emil Karas and JacqueMacKinnon are made honorary members of new Chargers Hall of Fame.1977Oct. 30–Rolf Benirschke PAT at 0:00 following James Harris’ five-yard TD runon fourth down, gives Chargers 14-13 win at Miami.Nov. 13–Lance Alworth becomes first member of Chargers Hall of Fame duringinduction at halftime of Chargers’ game against Denver.Nov. 20–With QBs James Harris and Bill Munson injured, and Dan Fouts notwith team, rookie QB Cliff Olander leads Chargers to 12-7 win overdefending Super Bowl Champion Oakland before 50,887 in San Diego.1978Jan. 23–Alworth becomes first AFL player named to Pro Football Hall ofFame. It is announced at halftime of AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in Tampa.Sept. 25–Don Coryell is named sixth head coach of Chargers by Gene Kleinafter Tommy Prothro resigns.Oct. 8–Chargers control ball 45:17 and defeat Denver, 23-0, for Coryell’s first win.Nov. 5–Ron Mix is inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Nov. 12–Dan Fouts’ 14-yard pass to John Jefferson with no time remaininggives Chargers 29-23 OT win against Kansas City.1979Jan. 29–Ron Mix becomes second AFL player and Charger named to ProFootball Hall of Fame. Announcement is made at halftime of Pro Bowl.May 3–Chargers trade 20th and 47th picks in ’79 NFL Draft to Cleveland for13th choice and use pick to choose tight end Kellen Winslow.Oct. 21–Dan Fouts passes for 326 yards in 40-16 victory at Los Angeles, histhird-consecutive 300-yard passing, tying NFL record.Oct. 25–Fouts sets NFL record with fourth-consecutive 300-yard game,throwing for 303 yards at Oakland.Nov. 18–Paul Lowe is inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Dec. 11–Chargers clinch first playoff berth in 14 years, scoring all their pointsin first half of 35-0 victory at New Orleans.Dec. 17–Chargers defeat Denver to clinch first division title since 1965 in gameplayed before 51,910 in SD Stadium and national-TV audience on ABC’s MNF.1980Jan. 14–General Manager John Sanders is named NFL Executive of Year inballoting of other NFL executives conducted by Sporting News.Jan. 27–Don Coryell and his staff, along with Russ Washington, Dan Fouts, GaryJohnson, Fred Dean, John Jefferson, Charlie Joiner and Ed White representChargers on AFC squad in Pro Bowl at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium.Sept. 14–Fouts’ 24-yard TD pass to John Jefferson in OT gives Chargers 30-24victory over Oakland before 51,943 at SD Stadium.Sept. 28–Chargers defeat Kansas City, 24-7, at Arrowhead Stadium to improveto 4-0 in AFC West play, their best division start since 1966.Oct. 19–Fouts passes for club-record 444 yards in 44-7 win over NY Giantsfor most one-sided win since 1969.Nov. 30–Keith Lincoln and Barron Hilton are inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Dec. 22–On MNF before 51,785 at SD Stadium, Kellen Winslow catches 10passes for 171 yards as Chargers clinch second-straight AFC West title bydefeating Pittsburgh, 26-17. San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson announcesstadium will be renamed San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium in honor of JackMurphy, late sports editor of San Diego Union.1981Feb. 1–For first time in Pro Bowl history, three defensive linemen from sameteam, Gary Johnson, Louie Kelcher and Fred Dean are in starting lineup.Sept. 7–Dan Fouts (330 yards and three TDs), Chuck Muncie (161 rush yards)and Charlie Joiner (six catches, 191 yards) lead Chargers in 44-14 routbefore 78,904 fans in MNF season-opener in Cleveland.Nov. 22–Fouts passes for six TDs, including four to Kellen Winslow, who alsocatches fifth from Chuck Muncie, in 55-21 win at Oakland.Nov. 29–Ernie Ladd and Walt Sweeney are inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Dec. 21–Chargers clinch third-straight AFC West title on final Monday nightof season, defeating Oakland 23-10.1982Jan. 2–Rolf Benirschke’s 27-yard FG after 13:52 of OT gives Chargers dramatic41-38 victory over Miami in Orange Bowl in one of most epic playoffgames in NFL history.Jan. 10–Chargers lose AFC Championship, 27-7, at Cincinnati in coldest-everNFL game. Temperature at kickoff is (-9) and wind-chill factor is (-59).Sept. 12–SD’s defense doesn’t allow TD for first time since Dec. 9, 1979 andChargers win season opener, 23-3, in Denver.Sept. 21–NFL Players Association walks out on strike.Nov. 16–Management Council and NFLPA agree and end eight-week strike.Dec. 11–Dan Fouts ties club records with 444 yards and 33 completions as SDbeats defending Super Bowl Champion SF, 41-37.Dec. 20–Chargers set four team records, including total yards (661), in defeatingdefending AFC Conference Champion Cincinnati, 50-34.1983Jan. 9–Chuck Muncie runs for 126 yards and Dan Fouts throws for 333 asChargers win Wild Card playoff game in Pittsburgh, 31-28.April 11–Chargers sign 20-year lease with San Diego to continue to play inJack Murphy Stadium, with plans to expand stadium capacity to 60,100.Oct. 10–Expansion construction begins on Jack Murphy Stadium.Nov. 27–John Hadl is inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.1984Jan. 16–Rolf Benirschke is named NFL/Miller Man of Year.May 1–Expansion construction at Jack Murphy Stadium is completed.May 24–NFL announces San Diego will host Super Bowl XXII, Jan. 31, 1988.Aug. 1–Alex G. Spanos purchases majority interest in Chargers from Eugene V.Klein. Spanos is one of nation’s leading apartment complex builders.Aug. 28–Spanos is officially approved as majority owner of Chargers by voteof NFL owners. “I’m on cloud nine,” said Spanos. “This is the culminationof a dream, a lifelong dream. I’m a very happy man today.”Oct. 7–Kellen Winslow catches team-record 15 passes at Green Bay.Oct. 29–Chuck Allen is inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Nov. 25–Charlie Joiner records NFL-record 650th career catch at Pittsburgh.Dec. 11–Charlie Joiner Day in SD is declared by Mayor Roger Hedgecock.1985Nov. 3–Gary Garrison and Sid Gillman are inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame.Nov. 10–Lionel James gains 345 all-purpose yards, including GW 17-yard TDrun in OT in 40-34 victory over LA Raiders. It’s second-most all-purposeyards in game in NFL history.Dec. 22–Ed White plays in NFL-record 241st career game at Kansas City, mostall-time among offensive linemen. Mark Herrmann sets club records forcompletions (37) and attempts (58) while starting for injured Dan Fouts.1986Sept. 7–San Diego opens season with 500 yards of total offense, 224 rushingand 276 passing, in 50-28 victory over Miami.Oct. 29–Assistant Head Coach Al Saunders is named head coach following resignationof Don Coryell. At 39, Saunders becomes youngest head coach in NFL.Nov. 9–Chargers (1-8) win in Denver, 9-3, for Saunders’ first NFL win.Dec. 29–Leslie O’Neal is named Defensive Rookie of Year by Associated Press.1987Jan. 6–Al Saunders signs five-year contract to remain as head coach.Jan. 12–Charlie Joiner retires with 750 career receptions, most in NFL history,and is immediately named wide receivers coach for Chargers.Jan. 27–Steve Ortmayer is named director of football operations.Sept. 22–NFLPA begins strike which lasts 24 days, causing cancellation ofWeek 3 games before replacement teams are fielded.Oct. 15–NFLPA strike ends.Oct. 18–Chargers finish as one of two undefeated (3-0) strike teams, winningall thee games in 4Q. Chargers’ 23-17 win over LA Raiders (23-17) is firsteverat LA Coliseum.Nov. 15–SD beats LA Raiders for eighth-straight win. Chargers have bestrecord in NFL (8-1) and earn first season sweep of Raiders since 1981.1988Jan. 31–Washington defeats Denver, 42-10 in SB XXII at Jack Murphy Stadium.March 24–Dan Fouts retires after setting seven NFL records, 42 club records,and becoming NFL’s second all-time leading passer with 43,040 yards.Sept. 18–Chargers end eight-game regular-season losing streak with 17-6win over Seattle. It’s first win against Seahawks since 1983.Nov. 27–Fouts’ No. 14 is retired at halftime of “Dan Fouts Day” in San Diego.Dec. 18–Gary Anderson sets club records with 34 carries and 217 yards in24-13 win vs. Kansas City.Dec. 19–Head coach Al Saunders is terminated.1989Feb. 9–Former Chargers quarterback, Redskins assistant and Falcons headcoach, Dan Henning, is named head coach.Dec. 17–Marion Butts sets club record with 39 carries and team rookie recordwith 176 yards in 20-13 win over Kansas City.Dec. 18–Director of Football Operations Steve Ortmayer is terminated.Dec. 24–Chargers’ 19-16 win over AFC Champion Denver is 14th-consecutivegame holding opponent to 20-points-or-less, and Chargers’ 13thgame of season decided by seven points or less.MEDIA GUIDE | 250