1964 American Football League Championship Game

none November 2013 aflc 1964 San Diego Chargers 8–5–1 Buffalo Bills 12–2 SD BUF Sid Gillman Lou Saban Western Eastern 7 0 0 0 7 3 10 0 7 20 December 26, 1964 War Memorial Stadium Buffalo, New York Bob Finley 40,242 ABC Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman Chargers: Sid Gillman (coach), Lance Alworth, Ron Mix Bills: Ralph Wilson (owner), Billy Shaw USA 1 Buffalo 42.905 -78.856 Location in the United States bottom 5 290 The 1964 AFL Championship Game was the American Football League's fifth championship game, played at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday, December 26.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1964/12/27/page/49/article/bills-bruise-chargers-win-a-f-l-title-20-7 Chicago Sunday Tribune Bills bruise Chargers; win A.F.L. title, 20-7 December 27, 1964 1, section 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BFIaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5682%2C1592418 Milwaukee Journal UPI Buffalo's Bills bull past San Diego for title, 20-7 December 27, 1964 1, sports June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W7ZQAAAAIBAJ&pg=2859%2C5436411 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Rathet Mike Buffalo gains AFL championship December 27, 1964 1B https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UTxYAAAAIBAJ&pg=2844%2C6636388 The Bulletin Bend, Oregon UPI Buffalo Bills out-charge Charger 20-7 in finale December 28, 1964 9 https://www.si.com/vault/1965/01/04/607241/foggy-feast-for-buffalos-faithful Sports Illustrated Shrake Edwin Bud Shrake Foggy feast for Buffalo's faithful January 4, 1965 14 The Buffalo Bills (12–2) of the Eastern Division hosted the defending AFL champion San Diego Chargers (8–5–1) of the Western Division. The two had met twice in the regular season and the Bills won both, most recently by three points in San Diego a month earlier on Thanksgiving Day. This was the first time the city of Buffalo had competed for a football championship since the AAFC Championship Game sixteen years ago in 1948. Hall of fame wide receiver Lance Alworth of the Chargers was injured in the final regular season game (left knee hyperextension) and did not play.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1964/12/26/page/31/article/alworth-is-out-of-a-f-l-title-game Chicago Daily Tribune UPI Alworth is out of AFL title game December 26, 1964 1, section 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rThWAAAAIBAJ&pg=7202%2C2775059 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Chargers lose star for AFL title game December 26, 1964 12 The Chargers had lost three of their last four games to end the regular season, and the Bills were slight favorites to win the title at home;https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DltYAAAAIBAJ&pg=5523%2C5969728 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Weather factor in pro finales Associated Press December 24, 1964 10 with Alworth out they became strong favorites.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EF8tAAAAIBAJ&pg=833%2C4901031 Schenectady Gazette New York Associated Press Bills rated as strong favorites to win AFL title December 26, 1964 18 Game summary San Diego opened the game with an 80-yard drive in four plays, but it was their only score as the Bills won 20–7 for their first league championship. Combined with the next season, the Bills' consecutive AFL titles are the only two championships ever won by a major league team based in Buffalo. One of the game's most iconic plays was one known as the "hit heard 'round the world," when Bills linebacker Mike Stratton laid a particularly hard hit on Chargers running back Keith Lincoln that broke a rib and forced him out of the game midway through the first quarter. Lincoln had over 330 yards of offense in the previous year's title game and had already rushed for 47 yards, caught a pass for 11 yards, and kicked an extra point (as the reserve placekicker) in the first 6½ minutes.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EVtYAAAAIBAJ&pg=2629%2C6810496 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Linebacker key in Buffalo win December 28, 1964 10 Without Lincoln and Alworth, the San Diego offensive attack was severely hindered. Bills' fullback Cookie Gilchrist rushed for 122 yards on sixteen carries, while quarterback Jack Kemp completed ten of twenty passes for 188 yards and scored a fourth quarter touchdown on a sneak. Rookie kicker Pete Gogolak added two field goals in the first half. War Memorial Stadium was filled with a sellout attendance of 40,242. Box score text-align:center; background:#eee Buffalo Bills 20, San Diego Chargers 7 Chargers 7 0 0 0 Bills 3 10 0 7 December 26, 1964 War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York 40,242 2:00 p.m. EST Bob Finley Pro-Football-Reference.com ABC Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman1964 NFL-AFL Commentator Crews https://web.archive.org/web/20090129090229/http://the506.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1223123501 January 29, 2009 Scoring First quarter SD – Dave Kocourek 26-yard pass from Tobin Rote (Keith Lincoln kick). Chargers 7–0 BUF – Pete Gogolak 12-yard field goal. Chargers 7–3 Second quarter BUF – Wray Carlton 4-yard rush (Gogolak kick). Bills 10–7 BUF – Pete Gogolak 17-yard field goal. Bills 13–7 Third quarter Fourth quarter BUF – Jack Kemp 1-yard rush (Gogolak kick). Bills 20–7 Top passers SD – Tobin Rote – 10/26, 118 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT BUF – Jack Kemp – 10/20, 188 yards Top rushers SD – Keith Lincoln – 3 rushes, 47 yards BUF – Cookie Gilchrist – 16 rushes, 122 yards Top receivers SD – Keith Kinderman – 4 receptions, 52 yards BUF – Glenn Bass – 2 receptions, 70 yards Statistics Statistics Chargers BillsFirst downs 15 21 Rushing yards 124 219Yards per carry 6.8 5.3Passing yards 149 188 Sacked-Yards 2–14 2–20 Total yards 259 387Fumbles-Lost 1–0 0–0Turnovers 3 0Penalties-Yards 3–20 3–45 Aftermath It was the final game for Chargers quarterback Tobin Rote, who had led the Detroit Lions to the NFL title seven years earlier in 1957 and the Chargers to the AFL crown in 1963. He was replaced in the game by John Hadl, who had played most of the regular season. The 1964 AFL championship game was the penultimate pro football championship game played in Buffalo (the Bills hosted again in 1966, but lost in their attempt for a third consecutive AFL crown). Held six days after the completion of the 1964 regular season, it was the only AFL title game not played on Sunday, as well as the final one televised in black-and-white. The NFL's championship game was played the following day on Sunday, December 27. This was the last AFL game on ABC television; rights were sold in January 1964 to NBC for $36 million over five years, beginning with the 1965 season.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BusxAAAAIBAJ&pg=5992%2C4622151 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon UPI reports AFL, NBC ink pact January 29, 1964 3Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jZcrAAAAIBAJ&pg=5397%2C2441193 Nashua Telegraph New Hampshire Associated Press American Football League may be expanded in 1966 May 23, 1964 8 This infusion of cash helped spur a bidding war for talent with the NFL, which led to the AFL–NFL merger agreement in June 1966. With the exception of the 1966 Continental Football League championship, ABC did not carry pro football again until after the completion of the merger and the subsequent creation of Monday Night Football for the 1970 season. Players' shares The winning Bills split their players' shares for the title game 43 ways for $2,668 each, while the Chargers split theirs into 44 shares for $1,738 each.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1964/12/27/page/49/article/bills-get-2-668 Chicago Tribune Associated Press Bills get $2,668 December 27, 1964 1, section 2 These shares were about one-third of those for the NFL title game in 1964, at $8,000 and $5,000 each.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BFIaAAAAIBAJ&pg=2040%2C2569420 Milwaukee Journal Associated Press Facts and figures December 28, 1964 13, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes With the new television deal with NBC, the players' shares for the AFL title game nearly doubled in 1965.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fbFOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5888%2C3868172 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Bills turn solid gold with $100 quarterback December 27, 1965 31 See also 1964 AFL season AFL Championship Games 1964 NFL Championship Game References 30em 42.905 -78.856 type:event title 1964 Category:Buffalo Bills postseason Category:Jack Kemp Category:San Diego Chargers postseason Championship Game Category:American football in Buffalo, New York American Football League Championship Game American Football League Championship Game Category:American football competitions in New York (state)