1962 American Football League Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 1962 American Football League
Championship Game
was played at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston, Texas
on December 23, 1962.
, also at 11-3. The two teams were the class of the league that year, with the Texans thumping the Oilers at Houston 31-7 on October 28, and the Oilers returning the favor a week later, beating Dallas 14-6 at the Cotton Bowl
.
Dallas, coached by the erudite Hank Stram
featured on offense Abner Haynes
, Len Dawson
and rookie running back Curtis McClinton, a powerful 230 lb former All-American running back at Kansas. The defense would showcase Johnny Robinson and EJ Holub.
Houston, coached by Frank "Pop" Ivy
featured a host of offensive talent with veteran George Blanda
, Charlie Tolar
, the fleet-footed but ill-fated4 Billy Cannon
, Charley Hennigan, and unheralded Willard Dewveall. Jeppesen Stadium ticket takers counted 37,981 fans in attendance. Astronaut Gus Grissom
placed the ball on the kicking tee as the honorary referee.1 2 3
, and remains the longest professional championship game (and the second-longest professional game of any kind) in the history of the sport.
1st Qtr
Early in the game both teams relied on the run. Houston with Tolar and Cannon gained the advantage and advanced the ball to the Dallas 4-yard line. The Dallas defense rose to the occasion and hit Blanda as he attempted to pass causing the ball to wobble right into the eager arms of the Texans EJ Holub for an interception. Holub scrambled upfield but Houston’s Al Jamison saved a touchdown by knocking Holub out of bounds at midfield. Len Dawson then mixed running and passing to the Houston 8 where Tommy Brooker booted a 16-yard field goal.
Houston started driving again with Tolar and Cannon running, often from a "double wing" backfield formation. The drive stalled and Blanda missed a 47-yard field goal to conclude the 1st qtr.
2nd Qtr
When Dallas took possession, Jack Spikes promptly darted around left end for 33 yards, augmented by a 15 yard face mask penalty against Houston. Dawson then hit Abner Haynes, who had lined up as a flanker, on a curl-out pattern and Haynes scooted down the right sideline for 28 yards and a touchdown. Brooker's extra-point made it 10-0, Dallas.
Later, in the quarter, Houston had the ball at their 32, when Blanda lofted a pass deep, but Dave Grayson picked the ball off and returned it to the Hou 29. Dallas kept the ball on the ground, with Haynes scoring his 2nd TD, and Dallas led 17-0. George Blanda would not be deterred and continued to pass, but a 4th down incompletion at the Dallas 25 ended another drive, and any more scoring threats in the first half.
At halftime, AFL Commissioner Joe Foss
presented Rookie-Of-The-Year Curtis McClinton and Player-Of-The-Year Len Dawson with Mercury S-55
convertible automobiles.
3rd Qtr
The Oilers received the kickoff and Blanda again came out throwing. With Charlie Tolar (an oil-well fire fighter in the off-season)3 knocking defenders down and Blanda passing, Houston culminated the drive with a 15-yard pass to Willard Dewveall, closing the gap to 17-7, Dallas.
Later in the third period Haynes fumbled and Houston recovered at the Dallas 20, but Johnny Robinson picked-off Blanda's pass at the goal line and returned in to the Dallas 37.
Dallas kept the ball on the ground in the 2nd half, intending to use up the clock and keep Houston's potent offense off the field. Dallas consistently moved the ball, but could not get into scoring position.
4th Qtr
George Blanda using the double wing backfield, had Houston driving again. On a third down pass from the Dallas 24, Johnny Robinson delivered a hard hit to Billy Cannon at the goal line, knocking the ball loose and preventing a touchdown. Blanda then cooly kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 17-10, Dallas.
Dallas stayed conservative and Blanda continued the aerial assault connecting with Cannon and Hennigan to move to the Dallas 1-yard line. Fullback Charlie Tolar the "human bowling ball" took the ball in on a 1-yard dive, again knocking defenders out of the way. Blanda's extra-point tied the game at 17-17.
With the clock running down, Dave Grayson blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt by Blanda to end any more scoring threats.
Overtime
The first overtime started with a potentially damaging gaffe by Dallas captain Abner Haynes, who won the toss and elected to "kick to the clock." What Haynes wanted was the strong wind behind his team, but, by saying "kick" first, he gave the Oilers the choice of having the wind at their backs. As it turned out, it didn't matter. The first overtime went scoreless, but Bill Hull
intercepted a Blanda pass to end it with the Texans at the Oilers' 48. In the second overtime, Jack Spikes
picked up ten yards on a pass reception and nineteen yards on a rush. After the Texans ran a couple of plays to position the ball, rookie Tommy Brooker
came in on fourth-and-nine, and calmly kicked a 25-yard field goal after 2:54 of the sixth quarter, or 17:54 of sudden-death overtime, to end the game.
The Houston Oliers had come within a hair's breadth of winning the first three American Football League championships, but the Texans prevailed, 20-17, in their last game before the team became the Kansas City Chiefs.
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
Championship Game
Professional American football championship games
Below is a list of professional football championship games in the United States, involving:* the informal Pittsburgh circuit of professional football teams ;...
was played at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
on December 23, 1962.
Background
The day saw the Eastern Division's 11-3 Houston Oilers in the title game for their third straight year, against the West's Dallas TexansKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, also at 11-3. The two teams were the class of the league that year, with the Texans thumping the Oilers at Houston 31-7 on October 28, and the Oilers returning the favor a week later, beating Dallas 14-6 at the Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
.
Dallas, coached by the erudite Hank Stram
Hank Stram
Henry Louis "Hank" Stram was an American football coach. He is best known for his 15-year tenure with the American Football League's Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Chiefs of the NFL. Stram won three AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs...
featured on offense Abner Haynes
Abner Haynes
Abner Haynes is a former college and professional football player in the United States.Haynes is a graduate of North Texas State University where he and his then teammate Leon King integrated college football in the state of Texas in 1956...
, Len Dawson
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
and rookie running back Curtis McClinton, a powerful 230 lb former All-American running back at Kansas. The defense would showcase Johnny Robinson and EJ Holub.
Houston, coached by Frank "Pop" Ivy
Pop Ivy
Frank "Pop" Ivy was a football player and coach who holds the unique distinction of being the only person ever to serve as a head coach in the National Football League, the American Football League and the Western Interprovincial Football Union.A native of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Ivy was part Native...
featured a host of offensive talent with veteran George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
, Charlie Tolar
Charlie Tolar
Charlie Tolar was an early American Football League star.Tolar attended Northwestern State University of Louisiana...
, the fleet-footed but ill-fated4 Billy Cannon
Billy Cannon
William Abb "Billy" Cannon is an All-American, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and 2008 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and one of the American Football League's most celebrated players.He was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and moved...
, Charley Hennigan, and unheralded Willard Dewveall. Jeppesen Stadium ticket takers counted 37,981 fans in attendance. Astronaut Gus Grissom
Gus Grissom
Virgil Ivan Grissom , , better known as Gus Grissom, was one of the original NASA Project Mercury astronauts and a United States Air Force pilot...
placed the ball on the kicking tee as the honorary referee.1 2 3
Game summary
It was at the time the longest game in the history of professional American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and remains the longest professional championship game (and the second-longest professional game of any kind) in the history of the sport.
1st Qtr
Early in the game both teams relied on the run. Houston with Tolar and Cannon gained the advantage and advanced the ball to the Dallas 4-yard line. The Dallas defense rose to the occasion and hit Blanda as he attempted to pass causing the ball to wobble right into the eager arms of the Texans EJ Holub for an interception. Holub scrambled upfield but Houston’s Al Jamison saved a touchdown by knocking Holub out of bounds at midfield. Len Dawson then mixed running and passing to the Houston 8 where Tommy Brooker booted a 16-yard field goal.
Houston started driving again with Tolar and Cannon running, often from a "double wing" backfield formation. The drive stalled and Blanda missed a 47-yard field goal to conclude the 1st qtr.
2nd Qtr
When Dallas took possession, Jack Spikes promptly darted around left end for 33 yards, augmented by a 15 yard face mask penalty against Houston. Dawson then hit Abner Haynes, who had lined up as a flanker, on a curl-out pattern and Haynes scooted down the right sideline for 28 yards and a touchdown. Brooker's extra-point made it 10-0, Dallas.
Later, in the quarter, Houston had the ball at their 32, when Blanda lofted a pass deep, but Dave Grayson picked the ball off and returned it to the Hou 29. Dallas kept the ball on the ground, with Haynes scoring his 2nd TD, and Dallas led 17-0. George Blanda would not be deterred and continued to pass, but a 4th down incompletion at the Dallas 25 ended another drive, and any more scoring threats in the first half.
At halftime, AFL Commissioner Joe Foss
Joe Foss
Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss was the leading fighter ace of the United States Marine Corps during World War II and a 1943 recipient of the Medal of Honor, recognizing his role in the air combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign...
presented Rookie-Of-The-Year Curtis McClinton and Player-Of-The-Year Len Dawson with Mercury S-55
Mercury S-55
Mercury, a division of the Ford Motor Company added the S-55, a full-size performance / luxury vehicle to its S or "Special" line in 1962. The S-55 was first available from 1962 to 19631/2. The S-55 was not available from mid-1963 to 1965. The S-55 was re-introduced in 1966 as its own model...
convertible automobiles.
3rd Qtr
The Oilers received the kickoff and Blanda again came out throwing. With Charlie Tolar (an oil-well fire fighter in the off-season)3 knocking defenders down and Blanda passing, Houston culminated the drive with a 15-yard pass to Willard Dewveall, closing the gap to 17-7, Dallas.
Later in the third period Haynes fumbled and Houston recovered at the Dallas 20, but Johnny Robinson picked-off Blanda's pass at the goal line and returned in to the Dallas 37.
Dallas kept the ball on the ground in the 2nd half, intending to use up the clock and keep Houston's potent offense off the field. Dallas consistently moved the ball, but could not get into scoring position.
4th Qtr
George Blanda using the double wing backfield, had Houston driving again. On a third down pass from the Dallas 24, Johnny Robinson delivered a hard hit to Billy Cannon at the goal line, knocking the ball loose and preventing a touchdown. Blanda then cooly kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 17-10, Dallas.
Dallas stayed conservative and Blanda continued the aerial assault connecting with Cannon and Hennigan to move to the Dallas 1-yard line. Fullback Charlie Tolar the "human bowling ball" took the ball in on a 1-yard dive, again knocking defenders out of the way. Blanda's extra-point tied the game at 17-17.
With the clock running down, Dave Grayson blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt by Blanda to end any more scoring threats.
Overtime
The first overtime started with a potentially damaging gaffe by Dallas captain Abner Haynes, who won the toss and elected to "kick to the clock." What Haynes wanted was the strong wind behind his team, but, by saying "kick" first, he gave the Oilers the choice of having the wind at their backs. As it turned out, it didn't matter. The first overtime went scoreless, but Bill Hull
Bill Hull
William Harry Hull, Jr. is a former American football defensive end who played in the American Football League.-Career:Hull played college football at Wake Forest and was selected by the National Football League's Chicago Bears in the 3rd round of the 1962 NFL Draft and the AFL's Boston Patriots...
intercepted a Blanda pass to end it with the Texans at the Oilers' 48. In the second overtime, Jack Spikes
Jack Spikes
Jack Erwin Spikes is a former American collegiiate and Professional Football running back and placekicker. He played in the American Football League for the Dallas Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers, and the Buffalo Bills...
picked up ten yards on a pass reception and nineteen yards on a rush. After the Texans ran a couple of plays to position the ball, rookie Tommy Brooker
Tommy Brooker
William Thomas “Tommy” Brooker is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player....
came in on fourth-and-nine, and calmly kicked a 25-yard field goal after 2:54 of the sixth quarter, or 17:54 of sudden-death overtime, to end the game.
The Houston Oliers had come within a hair's breadth of winning the first three American Football League championships, but the Texans prevailed, 20-17, in their last game before the team became the Kansas City Chiefs.
- First Quarter
- Dal-Tommy BrookerTommy BrookerWilliam Thomas “Tommy” Brooker is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player....
16-yd FG
- Dal-Tommy Brooker
- Second Quarter
- Dal-Abner HaynesAbner HaynesAbner Haynes is a former college and professional football player in the United States.Haynes is a graduate of North Texas State University where he and his then teammate Leon King integrated college football in the state of Texas in 1956...
28-yard pass from Lenny Dawson (Brooker kick) - Dal-HaynesAbner HaynesAbner Haynes is a former college and professional football player in the United States.Haynes is a graduate of North Texas State University where he and his then teammate Leon King integrated college football in the state of Texas in 1956...
2-yard run (Brooker kick)
- Dal-Abner Haynes
- Third Quarter
- Hou-Willard DewveallWillard DewveallWillard Charles Dewveall is a former American football end. He was the first player to jump from one American professional football league to another, leaving the National Football League's Chicago Bears to play for the American Football League's Houston Oilers for the 1961 season...
15-yard pass from George BlandaGeorge BlandaGeorge Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
(Blanda kick)
- Hou-Willard Dewveall
- Fourth Quarter
- Hou-BlandaGeorge BlandaGeorge Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
31-yd FG - Hou-Charlie TolarCharlie TolarCharlie Tolar was an early American Football League star.Tolar attended Northwestern State University of Louisiana...
1-yard run (Blanda kick)
- Hou-Blanda
- First Overtime
- No scoring
- Second Overtime
- Dal-BrookerTommy BrookerWilliam Thomas “Tommy” Brooker is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player....
25-yd FG
- Dal-Brooker