1966 AFL Season
See also 1966 NFL Season.
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
The Miami Dolphins begin play this season in the AFL.
One major item of note: The NFL and AFL agree to a full merger, effective with the 1970 season. However, both sides hurriedly agree to play a "World Championship" game between the NFL and AFL Champions at a neutral site. The first such game, officially entitled the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game" will be played at the end of this season. The stuffy title is ditched almost immediately by the media and fans alike for the more catchy "Super Bowl".
National Television
PRESEASON
Sunday 8/7: Bills-Patriots, 3:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman
Sunday 8/28: Raiders-Broncos, 4:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, Paul Christman
AFL WEEK 1, 1966:
Friday 9/2:
Raiders-Dolphins, 8:00, Not televised.
Saturday 9/3:
Broncos-Oilers, 8:30, Not televised.
Sunday 9/4:
Bills-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Not playing: Patriots, Jets, Chiefs
AFL WEEK 2, 1966:
Friday 9/9:
Jets-Dolphins, 7:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Saturday 9/10:
Raiders-Oilers, 8:30, Not televised
Patriots-Chargers, 11:00, Not televised
Sunday 9/11:
Chiefs-Bills, 2:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Bye: Broncos
Note: With massive wattage from the Orange Bowl floodlights, the NY-MIA game is likely the first pro football night game ever to be televised in color.
AFL WEEK 3, 19666:
Sunday 9/18:
Oilers-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Dolphins-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup (C)
Patriots-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Chiefs-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Bye: Chargers
AFL WEEK 4, 1966:
Sunday 9/25:
Oilers-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Chiefs-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup (C)
Jets-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Chargers-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Bye: Dolphins
AFL WEEK 5, 1966:
Sunday 10/2:
Jets-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Oilers-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup
Bills-Chiefs, 4:00, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Dolphins-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman
Bye: Raiders
AFL WEEK 6, 1966:
Saturday 10/8:
Patriots-Bills, 8:00, Not televised
Chargers-Jets, 8:00, Not televised
Broncos-Chiefs, 10:00, Not televised
Sunday 10/9:
Dolphins-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, Paul Christman (C)
Bye: Oilers
Note:
This was game 4 of the 1966 World Series, and the AFL schedule reflects the priority. MIA-OAK was seen after the World Series clincher.
AFL WEEK 7, 1966:
Sunday 10/16:
Chargers-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Jets-Oilers, 3:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Raiders-Chiefs, 3:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman
Broncos-Dolphins, 4:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup (C)
Bye: Patriots
AFL WEEK 8, 1966:
Sunday 10/23:
Raiders-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Chargers-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Dolphins-Oilers, 2:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Chiefs-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup
Bye: Bills
AFL WEEK 9, 1966:
Sunday 10/30:
Bills-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Raiders-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Oilers-Chiefs, 2:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Broncos-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup
Bye: Dolphins
AFL WEEK 10, 1966:
Sunday 11/6:
Broncos-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman
Chargers-Chiefs, 2:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Bills-Dolphins, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Oilers-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup
Bye: Jets
AFL WEEK 11, 1966:
Sunday 11/13:
Oilers-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup (C)
Jets-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Dolphins-Chiefs, 2:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Raiders-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman
Bye: Broncos
AFL WEEK 12, 1966:
Sunday 11/20:
Dolphins-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Patriots-Chiefs, 2:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Bills-Oilers, 2:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Raiders-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup
Bye: Chargers
AFL WEEK 13, 1966:
Thursday 11/24:
Bills-Raiders, 3:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Saturday 11/27:
Chiefs-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Chargers-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman
Patriots-Dolphins, 4:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Bye: Oilers
AFL WEEK 14, 1966:
Saturday 12/3:
Jets-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Sunday 12/4:
Bills-Patriots, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Chargers-Oilers, 2:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Dolphins-Broncos, 3:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman (C)
Note:
Confirmed that Gowdy & Christman called a late afternoon game in the Bay Area on Saturday, flew a red-eye to Boston, and then called the BUF-BOS game the next day at 1 PM. Hope they caught up on sleep the rest of the week!
AFL WEEK 15, 1966:
Sunday 12/11:
Patriots-Oilers, 2:30, NBC. Charlie Jones, George Ratterman (C)
Broncos-Raiders, 4:30, NBC. Lou Boda, Lee Grosscup (C)
Chiefs-Dolphins, 4:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Elmer Angsman
Jets-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Bye: Bills
AFL WEEK 16, 1966:
Saturday 12/17:
Patriots-Jets, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Sunday 12/18:
Broncos-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman (C)
Oilers-Dolphins, 4:30, NBC. *Jim Simpson, *Elmer Angsman (C)
Chiefs-Chargers, 4:30, NBC. *Charlie Jones, *George Ratterman (C)
Bye: Raiders
1966 AFL Championship:
Sunday 1/1: Chiefs-Bills, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman, Pat Hernon (C)
Super Bowl I in Los Angeles:
Sunday 1/15:
Chiefs-Packers, 4:00, CBS. Ray Scott (1st half), Jack Whitaker (2nd half), Frank Gifford, Pat Summerall (C)
4:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman, Charlie Jones (C)
AFL All-Star Game in Oakland:
Saturday 1/21: East-West, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman, Charlie Jones (C)
Local Radio Crews
Originally written by garretta
Now let's move on to 1966 in the AFL, We begin with radio in the West:
Chiefs: KCMO-AM will head a network of more than forty stations that will carry four exhibition games and all fourteen regular-season games. Sponsors signed at press time are Interstate Securities, Fairmount Country Club Dairy, and Schlitz Beer. The pregame show is called Pow Wow and will be sponsored by Businessmen's Assurance Company. There are three postgame shows: the syndicated Pigskin Playback, sponsored by Red Barn Drive Ins; Locker Room. sponsored by Swift Dodge, and Scoreboard. sponsored by U.S. Royal Tires. Tom Hedrick and Bill Grigsby will call the action.
Broncos: KTLN-AM has just signed a new four-year contract to broadcast all of the team's scheduled games to the thirty-two stations of the Intermountain Network in Wyoming and Colorado plus two stations in Nebraska. Humble Oil and the Colorado-Wyoming Bakers Association will each sponsor a quarter of each game, with the other half being sold locally. On KTLN one quarter will be sponsored by Colorado Public Service Company. while the other quarter will be sponsored by Johnny Haas Lincoln-Mercury. Bob Martin and Paul Manasseh will call the action.
The pregame show will be sponsored by Denver Tramway. As was the case in Kansas City, there will be three postgame shows: Scoreboard, sponsored by Wirkin Homes; Fifth Quarter, sponsored by Lefty Martin Appliances; and Pigskin Playback, sponsored by Red Barn Drive-In Restaurants.
Chargers: KFMB-AM is in the second year of a four-year contract to carry four preseason and all regular-season games. The games will be fed to a four-station network that includes KNX Los Angeles. Lyle Bond will do play-by-play, while Emil Karras provides color. Union oil of California will co-sponsor the games with Home Federal Savings and Loan Association. The fifteen-minute pre- and postgame shows will be sponsored by the Dodge Dealers of San Diego.
Raiders: KEWB-AM has a new three-year contract to broadcast four exhibition games and fourteen regular-season games. They're also the flagship of a fourteen-station network covering California and Nevada. Union Oil Company of California will sponsor half or each game, with one quarter sponsored by Foster Farms Hatchery and the other sponsored by Guild Wine Company. Bill King and Van Amburg will call the games.
The pre- and postgame shows, each lasting fifteen minutes, will be sponsored by Sunlite Bakery, Volvo Western Distributing Company, and Franklin Optical Company. The weekly thirty-minute Call the Coach with (I'm assuming) head coach John Rauch will be sponsored by General Tire and Rubber and Stayner Corporation (vitamins and drugs).
Since that didn't take too long, let's go ahead and look at radio in the East:
Patriots: WBZ-AM has signed a three-year contract to carry the team's games and expects to set up a three-station network. Bob Starr and Gil Santos will call the games. Pre- and postgame shows were still being developed at press time. Game sponsors will be Citgo, Ballantine Beer, the New England Rambler Dealers, and Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Oilers: Sports Broadcasting Company of Houston has put together a twenty-one-station network in Texas and Louisiana, KILT-AM will be the flagship. Lone Star Brewing and Phillips Petroleum will co-sponsor the games, The pre- and postgame shows will be sponsored by the local Dodge Dealers. Bill Enis and Al Jamieson are your announcers.
Jets: WABC-AM is in the third year of a five-year contract to be the team's only radio outlet. Sponsors are Standard Oil, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Rheingold Beer, and Liggett and Myers. Merle Harmon will do play-by-play; the article doesn't mention a color analyst. The pre- and postgame shows will once again be sponsored by Broadstreet's House of Worsted Tex. The pregame host was unsigned at press time; Dick Young will host the postgame show.
(No Howard Cosell this year. This was 1966, so he was doing more boxing and other events for Wide World of Sports on TV. I find it ironic that he was at least partially replaced by Dick Young, the sportswriter who was so opposed to broadcasters in the locker room that he shouted obscenities into their tape recorders so their interviews couldn't be used. Or did he only do that to Cosell?)
Bills: WBEN-AM will head a fourteen-station New York State network; some stations in Pennsylvania may be added later. The sole sponsor is Marine Trust Company. It sells time in certain cities, and member banks also sponsor in their respective cities. Van Miller and Dick Rifenburg will call the action. Miller will also host the ten-minute Kickoff pregame show, sponsored by Milk for Health on the Niagra Frontier. and the ten-minute Postgamepostgame show, which is sold locally. On WBEN it's sponsored by Kenmore Motor Company.
Miami Dolphins: The team is setting up a Florida network of approximately ten stations. WIOD-AM will be the flagship. Johnny Bell will call play-by-play, with Don Bossler doing color. The games will be sold locally; sponsors on WIOD are National Airlines, Ballantine Beer, Velda Dairies, and Burger King. There will be two fifteen-minute pregame shows on WIOD: one features Dolphins coach George Wilson and will be sponsored by Miami Skyways Motel, while the other will be sponsored by Velda Diaries. The network pregame show will be sold locally; on WIOD it will be sponsored by Renuzit. The fifteen-minute postgame show on WIOD will be sponsored by Dumas Milner Chevrolet.
WIOD is also producing four sixty-second vignettes written by their sports department called Football for Women Only featuring Coach Wilson's wife explaining the terminology of the game. Velda Dairies sponsors the vignettes, which will run daily from August through December.
Pigskin Playback began last year on WERE Cleveland and will be syndicated to other cities this year. It consists of game highlight clips that are each stopped halfway through so listeners can be called and asked if they remember the outcome, Prizes include free game tickets and other prizes, About eight to ten calls are made per show to registered participants who filled out forms including their phone numbers at the sponsor's place of business.
Local TV Crews
Originally written by garretta
Here's the television situation in the AFL for 1966. We begin in the East:
Bills: WKBW-TV will carry two preseason games. Rick Azar will call the play-by-play. Liberty National Bank and Magecki's Sausage will each sponsor a quarter; the remaining half is unsold at press time, but a sale is pending to a regional brewery. Also included are a half-hour show called Highlights and a stadium special is September, both to be narrated by Azar. The Buffalo NBC station is WGR-TV, which will carry the NBC telecast of the Bills' game against the Patriots in Boston on August 7.
Oilers: KPRC-TV will carry the team's regular season games as the Houston NBC station. It will also carry three night exhibition games on August 13, 20, and 27. The games will also be carried on an eleven-station network in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. John Ferguson and Paul Orseck will do play-by-play, with Dick Maegle handling color. Lone Star Brewing will sponsor half of each game on the network, with the other half sponsored locally. Sponsors on KPRC include Coca-Cola, Trans Texas Airways, Bank of Texas, Kirby Lumber, and Mestex Steel.
Jets: WOR-TV will carry all five exhibition games, four taped and one live. Rheingold Beer will sponsor three quarters of each game, with the other being sold on a spot basis, Bob Murphy will call the action while Don Criqui provides color, The NBC New York station is WNBC-TV.
Patriots: The Boston NBC station is WBZ-TV, which will carry the Pats' home preseason game against the Bills on August 7. Kickoff is at 3:30 PM Eastern, with Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman on the call.
Dolphins: Joe Croghan will host a one-hour color special called Birth of the Dolphins ion August 4. It will be carried on WCKT-TV, the local NBC station, and sponsored by Eastern Air Lines, which will also be a sponsor of the thirty-minute pregame show hosted by Croghan. Coverage of exhibition games on August 20 and 24 is expected but wasn't finalized at press time.
Now to the West:
Chargers: The San Diego NBC station is KOGO-TV.
Raiders: The Bay Area NBC station is KRON-TV, which will carry the network telecast of the Raiders' August 28 game against the Broncos in Denver.
Broncos: The Denver NBC station is KOA-TV, which will show the Broncos' August 28 home exhibition game against the Raiders. Kickoff is set for 4:30 PM Eastern. Christman will be joined by Charlie Jones in the booth.
Chiefs: WDAF-TV, the local NBC station, will carry two exhibition games: one on August 6, the other on August 12. A local brokerage firm, H.O. Peet Company, will sponsor half of each game. Interstate Securities will sponsor a quarter, with the other quarter still open, Charlie Jones will call the action.