Visitor:  Dallas Texans

Home:  Houston Oilers

Date:  December 23, 1962  (AFL Championship)

 

Scoring:

Team                1          2          3          4          OT       2OT     Final

DAL                3          14        0          0          0            3          20

HOU                0          0         7          10        0            0          17

 

Visitor playmakers:

LB E.J. Holub, RB Abner Haynes, K Tommy Brooker, S Johnny Robinson

 

Home playmakers:

TE Willard Dewveall, QB George Blanda, RB Charley Tolar

 

Network:  ABC

Announcers:  Curt Gowdy, Jack Buck, Paul Christman

 

Pregame:  No

Halftime:  Yes

Postgame:  Yes

Commercials:  No

 

Grade:  Good – Although for its age it’s probably more like Very Good.  Probably the best copy available short of finding the actual kinescope.

 

Notes:  In what was at the time the longest game in the history of professional football, the Dallas Texans dethroned the two-time defending AFL champion Houston Oilers when Tommy Brooker kicked a 25-yard field goal after 2:54 of the sixth quarter, or 17:54 of sudden-death overtime.

 

Regulation time consisted of one half for the Texans, who led 17-0 after two quarters, and one half for the Oilers, who tied it up with 17 second-half points.

 

The overtime started with a potentially damaging gaffe by Dallas captain Abner Haynes, who had already scored twice, but who won the toss and then elected to ‘kick to the clock.’  What Haynes wanted was the strong wind behind his team, but, by saying kick first, to give the Oilers the chance to decide which end to take, and they, needless to sat, chose to have the wind behind them.  As it turned out, it didn’t matter.

 

After an interception near the end of the first overtime period, the Texans took over at midfield.  Two big plays by fullback Jack Spikes put the ball at the Houston 19, and, on fourth-and-nine, Brooker calmly ended the contest.

 

Astronaut Gus Grissom tees up the ball for the opening kickoff, George Blanda throws five interceptions, and the game lasts until dusk – a classic.  This copy is missing the Texans’ second touchdown and an extra point or two, as well as a couple of other plays.  Still a great game!

 

Thanks John!

 

Running time:  1:58