Barron Hilton, Joe Foss and Bud Adams
On this day in 1961, the Houston Oilers, led by the rushing of Charlie Tolar and Billy Cannon, and the passing of George Blanda, won their second consecutive American Football League championship. The Oilers defeated the San Diego Chargers by a score of 10-3. Though San Diego’s Jack Kemp threw for 226 yards, the Oilers secondary kept him in check by picking off four passes, and the entire Oilers defensive unit stifled the Chargers running game, holding the Bolts to just 79 net rushing yards. In the end a George Blanda field goal and Billy Cannon touchdown were all that it took to crush the Chargers championship hopes for a second straight year.
Charlie Tolar heads around end as Bob Laraba (53) is in pursuit.
About Todd Tobias
‘Bias: I was at the game. Sid was booed when he punted with about 4 minutes to go.
In true SI coverage bias in the 1/8/62 issue the NFL championship game got the lead story with six full pages of coverage. The AFL championship game was buried in the weekly round up section on one of the last four pages of the issue – with three sentences of coverage.
see link:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/edb/reader.html?magID=SI&issueDate=19620108&mode=reader_vault
would like to see more on the great charlie tolar seems to be forgotten and was a great back.
Balboa Stadium where the high schoolers played and Charger tickets went for 1.50-1.75, in a day an age when a dollar was alot of money to a kid, no problem, all they had to do was climb the fence.
On page 36 of that 1-8-62 SI issue you will find a great photo of Roger Maris in the prime of health.