I was looking through YouTube for AFL videos and came across this highlight piece on the Chargers vs. Bills game from December 14, 1969. This was the last game these two teams played as members of the American Football League, and as such carried a degree of importance. It was also notable to Chargers fans as the game in which Lance Alworth broke Don Hutson’s record by going 96 consecutive games with a reception. Additionally, it was Ron Mix’s last game as a Charger. Mix had initially planned to end his football career, but was later lured out of retirement to play for Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders. Mix’s “unretirement” upset Chargers owner Gene Klein so much, that he had Mix’s #74 put back into circulation, though the team had previously retired the number in honor of the great tackle.
That’s stellar footage, thanks for posting this.
It looks like original Kodachrome film stock, assuming no post-processing was done in the modern era.
Was it clear to all involved that the AFL was in transition at this point, or did those discussions and, in turn, decisions not come until after this ’69 season? No matter. With both the Alworth and Mix story lines, this makes for great footage.
Indeed the AFL was in transition as could already be seen in the officials’ uniforms. Gone were the legendary red/orange stripes. Boring NFL black & white was in use. It was already decided the AFL would become the majority of the new AFC combined with Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh in 1970. It always went against my grain. My thought was that it should have been kept as two separate leagues, much like baseball under some new professional football banner.
I loved Charlie Jones on “This Week in the AFL”. One of the best announcers of all time.
Wes Welker reminds me a bit of Lance Alworth. Great patterns and good hands. I read an interview in Sports Illustrated a few years ago with Lance Alworth. He was talking about his trade to the Cowboys before the 1971 season. Tom Landry said to Alworth that he acquired him for his blocking. Landry said if you block we will win the Super Bowl that year. Well, they did win that year, but, using Alworth for blocking is like using a Ferrari for hauling plywood.
Being an AFL but not a Chargers fan, don’t recall the ‘why’ as to Mix un-retiring to be a Raider in 1971… was it the Al Davis influence? Seems that lots of folks in SD were variously less than content back then, players, coaches and fans, latter probably spoiled some extent aft appearing in 5 the first 6 AFL Championships games, then going cold turkey: none for four straight seasons through the AFL’s end,1969.
Mix to Oakland reminds me that KC’s Bobby Bell went to the Raiders too in ’75 after being released by the Chiefs (he appeared in pre-season but never played a regular season game.) I’m sure that when Alworth went to Dallas & Gillman left only to reappear in Houston a bit later, the death knell Chargers AFL glory days was complete (probably not unlike a Colts fan seeing Unitas wearing a Chargers uniform I imagine, beautiful as the threads were; some things just aren’t right.)
The sideline shot of Ron Mix being honored shows Chargers linebacker # 56 Bob Bruggers. Bruggers played collegiately at Minnesota and in 1972 his buddy Wahoo McDaniel introduced him to Verne Gagne and Pro Wrestling. In 1975 Bruggers flying to Wilmington De with Johnny Valentine, Tim Woods Mr Wrestling and Ric Flair were involved in a plane crash that injured all four ending all but Ric Flair’s wrestling career. Flair was scheduled to wrestle Wahoo McDaniel.
Brugger for a short time wrestled with a mask under a fictious name to disguise himself and his NFL day job.
Great to hear Charlie Jones again, one of the best and the announcer I most relate to the old AFL games. Thanks Todd!
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