Mel Branch
Encyclopedia
Melvin Leroy Branch was a college
and professional
American football
defensive end
for the Dallas Texans
, the Kansas City Chiefs
and the Miami Dolphins
in the American Football League
.
He was a member of the national championship
winning 1958 LSU Tigers football team
, and a starter
for the Texans in their victory over the Houston Oilers
in the longest professional football game played up to that time, the 1962 AFL Championship Game
.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
American football
American 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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Dallas Texans
History of the Kansas City Chiefs
The following is a detailed history of the Kansas City Chiefs, a professional American football franchise that began play in 1960 as the Dallas Texans...
, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas 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...
and the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the American Football League
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...
.
He was a member of the national championship
1959 Sugar Bowl
The 1959 edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the top ranked LSU Tigers, and the 12th ranked Clemson Tigers. This game was one of the classic Sugar Bowl games, as LSU won its first ever national championship....
winning 1958 LSU Tigers football team
1958 LSU Tigers football team
The 1958 LSU Tigers segregated football team represented Louisiana State University during the 1958 college football season. Under head coach Paul Dietzel, the Tigers cruised to an undefeated season capped by a win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl...
, and a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for the Texans in their victory over the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in the longest professional football game played up to that time, the 1962 AFL Championship Game
1962 American Football League Championship Game
The 1962 American Football League Championship Game was played at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston, Texas 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 Texans, also at 11-3...
.