1960 Los Angeles Chargers season

1960 Los Angeles Chargers season
Head coach Sid Gillman
General manager Frank Leahy
Owner Barron Hilton
Home field Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record 10–4
Division place 1st Western Division
Playoff finish Lost AFL Championship
(Houston Oilers, 24–16)

The 1960 Los Angeles Chargers season was the team's inaugural season, also the first season of the American Football League. Head coach Sid Gillman led the Chargers to the AFL Western Division title with a 10–4 record, in the team's only season in Los Angeles, with its home field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[1][2]

The season concluded with the AFL championship game against the Houston Oilers (10–4) of the Eastern Division, held at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston on New Year's Day. The teams had split their two games in the regular season, with the home teams winning, and the host Oilers were 6⅓-point favorites to win the title.[3] Down by a point after three quarters, the Chargers gave up an 88-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and lost, 24–16.[4][5]

Initially denied in December,[6] but announced in late January, owner Barron Hilton relocated the Chargers down the coast to a soon-to-be expanded Balboa Stadium in San Diego for the 1961 season.[7][8][9]

AFL draft

Season schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Game site Attendance
1 September 10, 1960 Dallas Texans W 21–20 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
17,724
2 September 18, 1960 at Houston Oilers L 38–28 Jeppesen Stadium
20,156
3 September 25, 1960 at Dallas Texans L 17–0 Cotton Bowl
42,000
4 October 2, 1960 at Buffalo Bills W 24–10 War Memorial Stadium
15,821
5 October 8, 1960 Boston Patriots L 35–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
18,226
6 October 16, 1960 at Denver Broncos W 23–19 Bears Stadium
19,141
7 Bye
8 October 28, 1960 at Boston Patriots W 45–16 Nickerson Field
13,988
9 November 4, 1960 at New York Titans W 21–7 Polo Grounds
19,402
10 November 13, 1960 Houston Oilers W 24–21 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
21,805
11 November 20, 1960 Buffalo Bills L 32–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
16,161
12 November 27, 1960 Oakland Raiders W 52–28 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
15,075
13 December 4, 1960 at Oakland Raiders W 41–17 Candlestick Park
12,061
14 December 10, 1960 Denver Broncos W 41–33 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
9,928
15 December 18, 1960 New York Titans W 50–43 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
11,457

Playoffs

Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance
Championship January 1, 1961 Houston Oilers L 24–16 Jeppesen Stadium
32,183

Standings

AFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Los Angeles Chargers 1040.7145–1373336W4
Dallas Texans 860.5714–2362253W3
Oakland Raiders 680.4292–4319388W1
Denver Broncos 491.3081–5309393L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

  1. "Chargers clinch Western crown". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 11, 1960. p. 2, sports.
  2. "Chargers, Oilers set for big test". Spokane Daily Chronicle (Washington). Associated Press. December 19, 1960. p. 14.
  3. "Oilers choice to win AFL grid title". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1961. p. 3, sports.
  4. "Blanda paces Oilers to AFL title". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 2, 1961. p. 44.
  5. "Oilers stop LA pass attack, win AFL title contest, 24-16". Eugene Register-Guard (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1961. p. 2C.
  6. "Harry Wismer optimistic about future". Gettysburg Times (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. December 23, 1960. p. 5.
  7. "LA Charger owner Hilton likes the setup in San Diego". Lodi News-Sentinel (California). UPI. January 7, 1961. p. 9.
  8. "Chargers move south". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 25, 1961. p. 13.
  9. "Chargers go to San Diego". Eugene Register-Guard (Oregon). Associated Press. January 25, 1961. p. 3B.


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