May God Bless you Mr Stram. And thank you for a life time of wonderful football memories.
Texans now rule AFL kingdom
Brooker's FG finally edges Houston, 20-17
10:00 PM CDT on Monday, July 4, 2005
By SAM BLAIR / The Dallas Morning News
This story appeared in the December 24, 1962 editiions of The Dallas Morning News.
HOUSTON, Texas -- The foot finally proved deadlier than arm in gray, misty Jeppesen Stadium Sunday as the Dallas Texans used Tommy Brooker's 25-yard field goal to boot the Houston Oilers off the American Football League throne in the longest game ever played. For the record, the score was 20-17.
This one also must have been one of the greatest games ever played from the standpoint of excitement, suspense and violent conflict between two determined teams.
A similar phrase was hung on Baltimore's 24-17 victory over New York for the NFL title in sudden-death overtime in 1958 and Sunday's swinger had the same elements flashing before a raging, raving overflow crowd of 37,981.
And this one was 10 minutes longer than the Colt-Giant classic.
Cowboys/NFL
Hank Stram (1923-2005)
Hall of Fame coach Stram dead at 82
From the archives:
• Stram gets Texan post (Dec. 21, 1959)
• Chargers spoil Texans' debut, 21-20 (Sept. 11, 1960)
• Texans now rule AFL kingdom (Dec. 23, 1962)
From Pro Football Hall of Fame official site:
• Profile | Enshrinement speech
The AFL's version of "the longest day" finally exploded across the finish line slightly more than three hours after the almost forgotten 2 p.m. kick-off. Dallas and Houston were tied 17-17, when the fourth 15-minute quarter expired, so they played another 15 minutes and 54 seconds before finally settling the issue.
But when Brooker's turn to settle it arrived, the classy rookie end was ready. He stood calmly as quarterback Len Dawson placed the ball on the 25-yard line, stepped forward, swung his leg smoothly and sent a straight, line-drive kick through the uprights to end this frantic struggle and the Oilers' 2-year-reign as league kings.
This actually was a wildly spectacular 3-act play which couldn't have improved on the excitement and entertainment, which it spread before the packed stadium and a national television audience.
The first act was an all-Dallas show. That was the first half, when the Texans tore away to a 17-0 lead and dominated the entire 30 minutes so strongly that folks were beginning to feel sorry for the Oilers by intermission.
But the second act was an all-Houston affair. The defending champions rebounded violently as soon as they received the second half kick-off and controlled the rest of the regular game except for a few tremendous defensive plays which saved the Texans from defeat.
The biggest defensive masterpiece had to be all-AFL middle linebacker Sherrill Headrick's blocking George Blanda's attempted field goal from the Dallas 42-yard line with three minutes left. The score was tied 17-17, and the Texans appeared to be doomed until Headrick smashed straight over the Houston blockers and slammed an angry hand squarely against the football.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Abner Haynes of the Dallas Texans (right) joins Houston Oilers for the coin toss. The Texans, whose offense was bullied badly by the blitzing Oilers defense in the second half, couldn't move past the Houston 46-yard line and finally was forced back to their 35 and forced to punt with 14 seconds left. The Oilers had time for one play but Blanda's long pass fell incomplete as Dallas rushed only one man and 10 dropped back to protect against the touchdown which would destroy the dream of their first title.
So it went in overtime and the Texans immediately looked like they were in trouble again.
There was a new coin flip by the referee preceding the sudden-death session, and Dallas offensive captain Abner Haynes called it right. Haynes had been instructed by Texans coach Hank Stram to choose the north goal with a 14-mph aiding wind, but in the confusion on the field, Abner first said that the Texans would kick.
It was assumed that they would do that anyway if they exercised their option by selecting a goal. But when Haynes announced the intention to kick, Houston then had the privilege of electing to take the north goal and the wind which Dallas intended to take.
So Houston had its cake and could eat it, too. It didn't help too much, however, and the Oilers eventually choked on it.
Their first possession started with great promise from the Houston 34 when Blanda hit Willard Dewveall, his best receiver Sunday, for nine yards on first down. But then Blanda scorned the chance to run for the yard to make another first down and threw twice more.
Both times the 13-year pro vetern threw weakly behind Billy Cannon on the right side. So Houston punted.
But the Texans' offense continued to be frozen in its tracks by a gallant defense led by tackle Ed Hussman and linebackers Doug Cline, Mike Dukes and Gene Babb. So Eddie Wilson, who had succeeded James Saxton's weak punting with some more weak punting, sent a 27-yarder to the Houston 45.
Spikes Voted Outstanding Player
Once again the Oilers were in fine position to move into field goal range and finish it all. But Blanda persisted in passing some more after Texan linebacker E.J. Holub ended Oiler running ace Charley Tolar's day with a savage tackle. And Blanda, who had suffered three interceptions at critical moments during the regular game, was burned again when safety Johnny Robinson stole his throw up the middle and returned 13 to the Oiler 47.
The Texans stalled again but this time Wilson's punt rolled nicely to the Oiler 12.
But that's where Blanda fired up a drive which appeared destined to stop this marathon. His passes to Dewveall for 12, Charley Hennigan for 9 and Bob McLeod for 15 featured a surge to the Texan 35. McLeod's neat run after his catch gave Houston first down and life looked dark for Dallas.
Headrick and end Mel Branch slammed Tolar's sub, Dave Smith, for a yard loss, however, and Blanda turned to the air again although he already was in field goal range. He aimed a pass at Hennigan on the right side but end Bill Hull, dropping off to back the line on short passes, sprung up to intercept at the Texan 27. Hull, another rookie and a former college basketball star, moved upfield like he was running a fast break before he was stopped at the 50.
Dallas ran two plays and the first 15-minute overtime period was over, sending the game into an unprecedented "sixth quarter."
That's when Jack Spikes started making the big plays which won him the outstanding player award in the post-game voting of sports writers.
Sidelined with a leg injury mid-season and mainly a sub for rookie Curtis McClinton when he returned to action, the veteran fullback ignited his team by taking Dawson's pass in the right flat and surging 10 yards to the Houston 38, Dallas' deepest penetration since that first half long ago.
Texan Pass Barely Misses at the 5
Then Dawson counter-attacked against the Oilers raging blitz by sending Spikes off left tackle and away from the heavy traffic. Jack bolted for 19 and Dallas was in business on the Oilers 19.
Spikes almost had a touchdown on the next play when Dawson fired to him in the open at the 5. But he tripped as he pivoted to grab the ball and it fell incomplete.
Dawson nudged the ball to the 17, however, and jockeyed it to the middle of the field to set up Brooker's big moment.
After a time out to clean the mud from his kicking shoe, the sturdy Alabaman kicked perfectly and the Texans had their first title after three years of suffering.
Much earlier, however, you would have bet the family jewels on their winning it in a breeze instead of a brawl. The Texans killed Houston's one big threat of the first half with Holub's interception on the goal line and from there Dallas danced to a 17-0 halftime lead.
Blanda, who suffered a record 42 interceptions during the regular 14-game season and was burned badly by Texan thefts in a 31-7 rout here two months ago, stick with mostly short and medium-range throws this time but still had troubles.
Some of the trouble could be blamed on Blanda, but some also had to be blamed on his receivers.
Holub's interception and dandy return to the Texan 43, however, appeared to be Blanda's fault. Forced back to the Dallas 9 on third down after having a first down on the 5. Blanda chose to throw into the congested middle and the ball went behind Tolar, the intended receiver.
But Holub was there to snag it and the Texans escaped an early deficit and headed for a big advantage of their own.
Dallas Uses Two Fullbacks
Dallas enjoyed itself running against the Oilers throughout the first two quarters as Stram juggled his backfield and sent Haynes to flanker while using Spikes and McClinton as his "bull" backs. This worked well to the Oiler 8, but there the Texans were forced to settle for Brooker's field goal from the 15 for a 3-0 lead with 4:30 left in the first quarter.
But next time the Texans sailed 80 yards in four plays for a TD and a 10-0 lead. Spikes' 33-yard bolt up the left sideline got them rolling and a 15-yard penalty against an Oiler for grabbing his face mask aided the cause. Then from the 28 Dawson turned to his rarely used passing attack and hit Haynes, who slipped past defender Tony Banfield on the sideline at 20 and tightroped across for the score.
Dave Grayson intercepted another Blanda pass, sped 20 yards to the Oiler 29 later in the second quarter and the Texans scored another TD in seven plays.
McClinton and Haynes handled the footwork this time and Abner slashed through the left side to score from the 2.
There was still 3:40 left in the half and everyone was wondering if the Oilers were going to be humiliated even worse than they were on the Texans' last visit.
But the Oilers showed a brief spark after Bobby Jancik's spendid 48-yard kick-off return to midfield and drove to the Texan 25. But Hennigan and Dewveall dropped passes on third and fourth down and the Oilers could only go to the locker room and sulk over their misfortune.
The Plot Changes in Second Half
They did something about it in the second half though. Blanda and his receivers decided to get in tune and they made beautiful music in a 6-play, 67-yard TD drive.
George's three shots to Dewveall were the key plays. The first carried 24 to the Texan 43. The second carried 12 to the 15. And the pay-off was a 15-yarder which the rangy tight end caught as he fell into the end zone.
The Texans started dying offensively then and it was only their astounding defensive toughness which kept them from being run clear into the Gulf of Mexico.
Haynes' fumble at the Dallas 19 gave the Oilers a shining opportunity to close the gap some more late in the third quarter, but Robinson's goal-line theft of a Blanda pass directed at an open Dewveall killed it.
Next the Oilers drove from their 43 to the Texan 15 but the Dallas defense foiled them again. This time, however, they managed to add three points on Blanda's 31-yard field goal.
Eleven minutes still remained and you wondered if the Texans could hold them off. Blanda answered that by teaming with Cannon on two passes worth 37 yards to set up Tolar's 1-yard blast 5:58 left.
It's the Largest AFL Crowd
The it was 17-17, and Houston appeared headed for its third title when Wilson's punt rolled only to the Dallas 41 after the Oiler defense had slapped the Texans down again.
But the Texans' defense wouldn't quit and forced Blanda's 42-yard field goal try on fourth-and-4. Headrick roared through (getting there just an instant before Grayson), blocked it and the stage was set for the typr of finish no football audience had witnessed before.
IN the end, the Texans' first title had to be credited primarily to their gutty defense. Holub, Branch, Hull, Headrick, Robinson, Grayson, Jerry Mays, Duane Wood, Paul Rochester and everyone else played so well that the offense knew it just couldn't lose this one.
Finally, Spikes' big run and Brooker's big kick made sure that the they didn't. Houston's reign was broken and the largest crowd in AFL history staggered out of the stadium with the feeling that they may have just witnessed the beginning of a Dallas dynasty.
