Post by TheShadow on Nov 29, 2003 20:53:36 GMT -5
www.nflthrowbacks.com
1960
To tell the story of the Raiders we need to start with the birth of the
American Football League (AFL), which began in 1960 as an 8 team rival
league to the NFL. Both leagues competed head to head for players, fans and
broadcast revenue. This was the way it was from 1960 to 1965 - two separate
leagues, two separate champions, although few people would have honestly
believed that the AFL champion could have beaten the NFL champs. Then in
1965 the two leagues agreed to merge. It was decided that beginning in 1970
there would be only one league, the NFL. In the interim, between 1966 and
1969, the AFL Champion would play the NFL Champion for the "World
Championship". It was only after the first World Championship had been
played in 1966 that the name "Super Bowl" came into being.
With the birth of the AFL, the city of Oakland is awarded the 8th and final
franchise after the Minnesota franchise opts out of the AFL for the NFL
before they play a single game. Thus the Raiders joined the following teams
in the AFL: New York Titans (now Jets); Dallas Texans (now Kansas City
Chiefs); Los Angeles Chargers (now San Diego Chargers); Houston Oilers (now
Tennessee Titans); Boston Patriots (now New England Patriots); Buffalo
Bills; and Denver Broncos.
A group of 8 headed by Chet Soda, Ed McGah, Wayne Valley and Robert Osborne
constitute the ownership. The franchise held a contest to determine the
nickname of the team with the fans choosing the name 'Senors'. Ownership,
however, opted for the 'Raiders'. With 'Babe' Parilli and Tom Flores at QB,
and the legendary Jim Otto at Center, the Raiders took to the field
compiling a respectable 6-8 record their first year.
To the astute football observer, the Raiders' black 1960 HOME uniform
somewhat resembles a Pittsburgh Steelers' jersey with a black & gold color
scheme. The use of unusual 'round' numbers is something that both the
Steelers and the Chicago Bears have previously, and still do, use. The look
of the jersey is very clean and elegant with 3 gold stripes on each sleeve
and white numbers with gold trim. This would be the only time in Raiders'
history that the franchise used this numeric style. The helmet style was
simple: black with no logo.
The first three years of Raiders' history were pretty bleak - the team went
a combined 9-33-0 and averaged fewer than 11,000 fans per game. But don't
despair, help is on its way.
1963
1963 was a very significant year in Raiders' history! Coming off a
disastrous 1-13 season in 1962, Al Davis was brought in as head coach. With
his infamous 'Just Win Baby' attitude, the 33-year old turned the
organization around, and won Coach of the Year honors for helping guide the
Raiders to a 10-4 record in '63. Amazingly, the Raiders didn't make the
playoffs as the AFL playoffs at the time consisted of the East Division
winner playing the Western Division winner, and although the Raiders
finished 10-4, the San Diego Chargers finished 11-3 to win the West and
therefore the right to play the 7-6-1 Boston Patriots.
The 1963 ROAD uniform was very simple, but still unique: there was no sleeve
striping; the uniform numbers took on a less rounded, more 'varsity' or
traditional look; both the chest and sleeve numbers were gold with black
trim. The most dramatic change from year one, however, was the addition of
the infamous Raiders' logo to the helmet. This logo, which has remained
virtually identical to the present day, captures the essence of the Raiders'
organization and their fans.tough, gritty, pirates that will do almost
anything to win!
Did you know.the logo's centerpiece (the helmeted face with the eye patch)
was supposedly modeled after actor Randolph Scott?
1967
In 1966, Al Davis - Oakland's coach from 1963-65 - is named Commissioner of
the AFL. He is replaced by John Rauch, who goes a remarkable 33-8-1 from
1966-68. The Raiders start the 1967 season off by absolutely annihilating
Denver 51-0.and go on to finish the regular season an amazing 13-1 and thus
make the playoffs for the first time in their history! They go on to play
the Eastern Division Champion Houston Oilers, and crush them 40-7 to become
'AFL Champions'. Next up? The NFL Champion Green Bay Packers and Vince
Lombardi's Packers.
Before we tell you who won, the years 1966-1969 warrant a bit of
explanation. As mentioned earlier, the AFL began in 1960 as an 8 team rival
league to the NFL - both leagues competed head to head for players, fans and
TV revenue. And thus it was for 5 years, two separate leagues, two separate
champions (although few people would have honestly believed that the AFL
champion could have beaten the NFL champs). Then in 1965 the two leagues
agreed to merge. It was decided that beginning in 1970 there would be only
one league, the NFL, and that between 1966 and 1969 the AFL Champion would
play the NFL Champion for the "World Championship". It was only after the
first World Championship had been played in 1966 that the name "Super Bowl"
came into being. Thus in 1967 the AFL Raiders were actually competing for
two titles, the AFL Championship and the Super Bowl Championship. They
achieved the first goal, but came up short on the second as they succumbed
to the mighty Packers 33-14 in Super Bowl II at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
This black HOME jersey, as worn by such Raiders' greats as Jim 'Double 0'
Otto, Ben Davidson, Daryl Lamonica, George Blanda & Willie Brown, is in the
traditional 'silver & black' colours Raiders' fans are now so accustomed to.
There's no striping, no trim around the numbers.just a black jersey with
silver-grey uniform numbers. Nothin' fancy, and that's the way the Raiders
like things.
Here's one for you: Beginning in 1965, the Raiders had a winning record 19
of the next 20 seasons, and during that span they won 12 division
championships and Super Bowls XI, XV and XVIII. The Raiders are the only
team to play in the Super Bowl in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's. We're also
told that in the 30-year period between 1963 and 1992, the Raiders' record
285-146-11 (.661) ranks as the best among all major sports teams.
1960
To tell the story of the Raiders we need to start with the birth of the
American Football League (AFL), which began in 1960 as an 8 team rival
league to the NFL. Both leagues competed head to head for players, fans and
broadcast revenue. This was the way it was from 1960 to 1965 - two separate
leagues, two separate champions, although few people would have honestly
believed that the AFL champion could have beaten the NFL champs. Then in
1965 the two leagues agreed to merge. It was decided that beginning in 1970
there would be only one league, the NFL. In the interim, between 1966 and
1969, the AFL Champion would play the NFL Champion for the "World
Championship". It was only after the first World Championship had been
played in 1966 that the name "Super Bowl" came into being.
With the birth of the AFL, the city of Oakland is awarded the 8th and final
franchise after the Minnesota franchise opts out of the AFL for the NFL
before they play a single game. Thus the Raiders joined the following teams
in the AFL: New York Titans (now Jets); Dallas Texans (now Kansas City
Chiefs); Los Angeles Chargers (now San Diego Chargers); Houston Oilers (now
Tennessee Titans); Boston Patriots (now New England Patriots); Buffalo
Bills; and Denver Broncos.
A group of 8 headed by Chet Soda, Ed McGah, Wayne Valley and Robert Osborne
constitute the ownership. The franchise held a contest to determine the
nickname of the team with the fans choosing the name 'Senors'. Ownership,
however, opted for the 'Raiders'. With 'Babe' Parilli and Tom Flores at QB,
and the legendary Jim Otto at Center, the Raiders took to the field
compiling a respectable 6-8 record their first year.
To the astute football observer, the Raiders' black 1960 HOME uniform
somewhat resembles a Pittsburgh Steelers' jersey with a black & gold color
scheme. The use of unusual 'round' numbers is something that both the
Steelers and the Chicago Bears have previously, and still do, use. The look
of the jersey is very clean and elegant with 3 gold stripes on each sleeve
and white numbers with gold trim. This would be the only time in Raiders'
history that the franchise used this numeric style. The helmet style was
simple: black with no logo.
The first three years of Raiders' history were pretty bleak - the team went
a combined 9-33-0 and averaged fewer than 11,000 fans per game. But don't
despair, help is on its way.
1963
1963 was a very significant year in Raiders' history! Coming off a
disastrous 1-13 season in 1962, Al Davis was brought in as head coach. With
his infamous 'Just Win Baby' attitude, the 33-year old turned the
organization around, and won Coach of the Year honors for helping guide the
Raiders to a 10-4 record in '63. Amazingly, the Raiders didn't make the
playoffs as the AFL playoffs at the time consisted of the East Division
winner playing the Western Division winner, and although the Raiders
finished 10-4, the San Diego Chargers finished 11-3 to win the West and
therefore the right to play the 7-6-1 Boston Patriots.
The 1963 ROAD uniform was very simple, but still unique: there was no sleeve
striping; the uniform numbers took on a less rounded, more 'varsity' or
traditional look; both the chest and sleeve numbers were gold with black
trim. The most dramatic change from year one, however, was the addition of
the infamous Raiders' logo to the helmet. This logo, which has remained
virtually identical to the present day, captures the essence of the Raiders'
organization and their fans.tough, gritty, pirates that will do almost
anything to win!
Did you know.the logo's centerpiece (the helmeted face with the eye patch)
was supposedly modeled after actor Randolph Scott?
1967
In 1966, Al Davis - Oakland's coach from 1963-65 - is named Commissioner of
the AFL. He is replaced by John Rauch, who goes a remarkable 33-8-1 from
1966-68. The Raiders start the 1967 season off by absolutely annihilating
Denver 51-0.and go on to finish the regular season an amazing 13-1 and thus
make the playoffs for the first time in their history! They go on to play
the Eastern Division Champion Houston Oilers, and crush them 40-7 to become
'AFL Champions'. Next up? The NFL Champion Green Bay Packers and Vince
Lombardi's Packers.
Before we tell you who won, the years 1966-1969 warrant a bit of
explanation. As mentioned earlier, the AFL began in 1960 as an 8 team rival
league to the NFL - both leagues competed head to head for players, fans and
TV revenue. And thus it was for 5 years, two separate leagues, two separate
champions (although few people would have honestly believed that the AFL
champion could have beaten the NFL champs). Then in 1965 the two leagues
agreed to merge. It was decided that beginning in 1970 there would be only
one league, the NFL, and that between 1966 and 1969 the AFL Champion would
play the NFL Champion for the "World Championship". It was only after the
first World Championship had been played in 1966 that the name "Super Bowl"
came into being. Thus in 1967 the AFL Raiders were actually competing for
two titles, the AFL Championship and the Super Bowl Championship. They
achieved the first goal, but came up short on the second as they succumbed
to the mighty Packers 33-14 in Super Bowl II at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
This black HOME jersey, as worn by such Raiders' greats as Jim 'Double 0'
Otto, Ben Davidson, Daryl Lamonica, George Blanda & Willie Brown, is in the
traditional 'silver & black' colours Raiders' fans are now so accustomed to.
There's no striping, no trim around the numbers.just a black jersey with
silver-grey uniform numbers. Nothin' fancy, and that's the way the Raiders
like things.
Here's one for you: Beginning in 1965, the Raiders had a winning record 19
of the next 20 seasons, and during that span they won 12 division
championships and Super Bowls XI, XV and XVIII. The Raiders are the only
team to play in the Super Bowl in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's. We're also
told that in the 30-year period between 1963 and 1992, the Raiders' record
285-146-11 (.661) ranks as the best among all major sports teams.