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	10	4	0	.714	5–1	373	336	W4
Dallas Texans	8	6	0	.571	4–2	362	253	W3
Oakland Raiders	6	8	0	.429	2–4	319	388	W1
Denver Broncos	4	9	1	.308	1–5	309	393	L3

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.