-1960 Pro Football Handbook
"The Titans feature the hallowed name of Baugh in the hallowed Polo Grounds- a good start toward bucking the competition of the Giants across the river. In addition to exploring new territory such as Buffalo and Houston, the AFL had to buck entrenched competition. A New York franchise was vital. And a man to lead it showed up early- sportscaster Harry Wismer, a longtime minority owner of the Redskins. Next to the Texas interests, Wismer has given the new league its greatest publicity push.
He hired popular Steve Sebo, martyred at Penn, as general manager; Steve is not only a sound football man but was a classmate of Harry's at Michigan State. One of the greatest names in pro football, Sammy Baugh, the old Redskins quarterback, was persuaded to leave his Texas coaching job at Hardin-Simmons to head the Titans on the field. John Dell Isola, Giants line coach, just moved his office across town.
After the Polo Grounds was reactivated as a playing site Sebo spread his dragnet around the country for players to fill it. While the Titans haven't the glamour names that some of the other AFL clubs feature, they do have a respectable mixture of college youngsters and old pros. Top back is Blanche Martin, a high draft choice of the Rams as a junior at Michigan State. He's a strong, swift runner, just one of a flock of ex-Michigan Staters who'll reunite in the Big City. End John 'Thunder' Lewis, tackle Tom Saidock, quarterback Larry Bielat and linebacker Embry Robinson will join him. Eight of Baugh's own Hardin-Simmons boys reported to camp, most prominent being Ken Ford, who led the nation in passing in 1957. Frank Kremblas, an Ohio State Rose Bowl quarterback, will also compete. Veteran pro runners include Ted Wegert (Eagles), Corky Tharp of Alabama and Fran Rogel (Steelers). Two fine college linemen are Larry Grantham of Mississippi and Nick Patella of Wake Forest, a place-kicking guard.
Dell Isola is the only one of the coaches with recent contacts in pro ball, but Baugh and his other aides- Dick Todd, Bones Taylor and John Steber- have all played enough of it to know what makes a pro."
-Murray Olderman, Sports All-Stars 1960 Pro Football
"The most significant figure in the New York Titans' football future is an indestructible cotton farmer who isn't on the roster. In fact, he isn't in the AFL.
His name is Charlie Conerly and you'll find him just a subway stop away from the Titans' Polo Ground base most Sunday afternoons, throwing touchdown passes and trying to help the NFL Giants maintain their solid grip on Metropolitan New York football fans.
There you have the Titans' No. 1 headache in a nutshell: finding a dramatic passer who can convince the faithful that Yankee Stadium doesn't have the only wheel in town.
Coach Sammy Baugh, who obviously knows a good passer when he sees one, took nine quarterback candidates to camp in July and rated four of them top contenders. One of them must come through- and come through big- to give the Titans a real shot at developing their own hard corps of followers.
Tops in the picture could well be experienced Tom Dimitroff, a former Miami of Ohio Little All-American, who made the grade impressively in Canada. Spurning a draft call from the Browns, Dimitroff signed with Ottawa in 1957 and swept rookie and MVP honors on the strength of 14 touchdowns passes. But a leg injury cut him down in 1958 and he spent the next year in the service. Should his delicate underpinning fail, there are three outstanding college passers behind him- but each must prove himself of pro caliber.
First, there is Bobby Colburn, a highly touted youngster out of Bowling Green. Ken Ford, the nation's top passer when he played under Baugh at Hardin-Simmons, and Billy Joe Caldwell are the other candidates. Caldwell, performing with Arkansas, set or tied 14 school passing records last fall. Others in the quarterback scramble include Frank Kremblas of Ohio State and Minnesota's Jimmy Reese.
If Baugh gets his passing situation squared away, he has capable ends in Pete Abadie (Tulane), Larry Grantham (Mississippi) and John Bredice (Eagles).
'Grantham rates very highly,' Baugh explained, 'but don't overlook a kid like Abadie. He wasn't a first stringer at Tulane but he's a great receiver and he won't have to play defense here so he could be a real surprise.'
Baugh's running game is in capable- and veteran- hands. Ted Wegert (Eagles) is set at one halfback post and Fran Rogel (Steelers) has the fullback job. That takes care of the poise. The rookie talent includes Blanche Martin, a good short yardage halfback from Michigan State who can also punt; Dick Felt, an All-Air Force halfback; and Gordon LeBoeuf, a talented fullback from Texas A&M who might just be shifted to linebacker.
In addition, there are veterans like Harry Stone (all-pro Canada), Don Maynard (Giants) and Tommy Tharp (Canada). Stone, at 210 pounds, may be the hardest runner in the halfback corps. Maynard performed at safety with the Giants but could parlay his speed into an offensive post.
Up front, the situation bears improvement, but Baugh has the nucleus of good offensive and defensive lines. Veteran Sid Youngelman (Eagles and Browns) was acquired from Buffalo for a high draft choice and this 30-year-old 257-pounder is set at defensive tackle.
Other key linemen include center Mike Hudock (Miami- 245 pounds), center-linebacker Roger Ellis (Maine- 232 pounds), guard John McMullan (Giants- 240 pounds), tackle Tom Saidock (Eagles- 265 pounds) and guard Nick Patella (Wake Forest- 215 pounds). The Titans' line situation will be helped considerably if Bob Mischak, the ex-Giant guard, succeeds in his comeback plan.
What kind of football will the Titans play?
'Sure we'll pass. I guess last year at Hardin-Simmons we passed more than any other team in the Border Conference,' Baugh acknowledges. 'But we don't pass just because we're trying to play what you fellows call a pro game. We pass because that's the way we win. If I could win by staying on the ground with a tight line, I'd do that.
'But we bring an end over and use flankers and we throw the ball. It seemed to work pretty good at Hardin-Simmons.'
There was a tendency to downgrade the Titans when they left for camp because they had gambled their first draft choice on Notre Dame's George Izo. They didn't get him and they were left without a glamour boy.
But perhaps of more importance was the acquisition of Johnny Dell Isola from the Giants' coaching staff. Johnny scouted many of these collegians for the Giants. He knows his personnel and Baugh knows his coaching."
-Jerry Izenberg, 1960 Dell Sports Magazine Pro Football
1960 New York Titans Preseason Roster
Pete Abadie (E) Tulane
Charles Baldwin (G) McMurray
James Baldwin (C) McMurry
Lawrence Bielat (QB) Michigan State
Joe Biggs (G) Hardin-Simmons
Dewey Bohling (HB) Hardin-Simmons
John Bredice (E) Boston University
Earl Brown (HB) Hardin-Simmons
Neal Buckman (QB) Alabama
Bob Campbell (E) West Chester
Tom Campbell (HB) Indiana
Walt Chattman (LB) Ventura
Gene Cockrell (T-E) Hardin-Simmons
Bob Colburn (QB) Bowling Green
Albert Crawford (T) Ohio State
Charles Davis (G) McMurray
Tom Dimitroff (QB) Miami (Ohio)
Ed Dudley (HB-QB) Texas A&M
Teddy Edmondson (T) Hardin-Simmons
Roger Ellis (C-LB) Maine
Larry Enstrom (G) Moravian College
Dick Felt (HB) BYU
Ken Ford (QB) Hardin-Simmons
Mike Friedberg (T) Millersville State
Larry Grantham (E) Mississippi
Ralph Hawkins (HB-DB) Maryland
Mike Hudock (C) Miami
Leon Horin (HB) Villanova
John Klotz (T) Pennsylvania Military College
Frank Kremblas (QB) Ohio State
Gordon LeBoeuf (FB) Texas A&M
John Lewis (E) Michigan State
Bill Marks (LB) John Carroll
Blanche Martin (FB) Michigan State
Jerry McFarland (G) Michigan State
John McMullan (G-LB) Notre Dame
Frank Merchant (E) Florida A&M
Charles Moore (G) Texas Tech
Jay O'Brien (QB) McMurray
Robert Owens (T) Mississippi
Nick Patella (G) Wake Forest
Ronny Rice (HB) Texas Tech
Embry Robinson (DB) Michigan State
Fran Rogel (FB) Penn State
Tom Saidock (T) Michigan State
Bill Sandie (HB) Miami
Jerry Selfridge (E) Texas Tech
Michael Simmons (E) Auburn
Russ Sloan (E) Missouri
Avatus Stone (HB) Syracuse
William Strickland (QB-FB) South Carolina
Corky Tharp (HB) Alabama
Larry Wagner (T) Vanderbilt
Sammy Walker (C) Hardin-Simmons
Ted Wegert (HB)
Lee Williams (DB-HB) Ohio State
William Wohman (LB-FB) South Carolina
-1960 Pro Football Handbook
1960 New York Titans Preseason Depth Chart
Offense
QB Al Dorow (Michigan State) 12, Tom Dimitroff (Miami-Ohio) 11, Bobby Colburn (Bowling Green) 16, Ken Ford (Hardin-Simmons) 14
HB Ted Wegert 20, Dewey Bohling (Hardin-Simmons) 26, Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29, Avatus Stone (Syracuse) 32
FB Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31, Blanche Martin (Michigan State) 36, Pete Hart (Hardin-Simmons) 33, Fran Rogel (Penn State) 44
SE Art Powell (San Jose State) 84, Pete Abadie (Tulane) 81, Jerry Selfridge (Texas Tech) 85
T Jack Klotz (Pennsylvania Military College) 78, Teddy Edmondson (Hardin-Simmons) 71
G Bob Mischak (Army) 67, Nick Patella (Wake Forest) 69
C Mike Hudock (Miami) 52, Jim Baldwin (McMurry) 50
G John McMullan (Notre Dame) 68, Jerry McFarland (Michigan State) 66
T Gene Cockrell (Hardin-Simmons) 70
TE Thurlow Cooper (Maine) 88, John Bredice (Boston University) 83
FL Don Maynard (Texas-El Paso) 13, Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
Defense
DE Bob Reifsnyder (Navy) 79, Ed Cooke (Maryland) 82
DT Tom Saidock (Michigan State) 75, Joe Katchick (Notre Dame) 73
DT Sid Youngelman (Alabama) 76, Dick Guesman (West Virginia) 72
DE Nick Mumley (Purdue) 74, Mike Simmons (Auburn) 80
LB Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, Gordon LeBoeuf (Texas A&M) 34
MLB Roger Ellis (Maine) 56, John McMullan (Notre Dame) 68
LB Eddie Bell (Pennsylvania) 25, Leon Dombrowski (Delaware) 61
HB Roger Donnahoo (Michigan State) 35, Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
S Fred Julian (Michigan) 39, Sammy Walker (Texas Tech) 37
S Corky Tharp (Alabama) 45, Charlie Dupre (Baylor) 28
HB Dick Felt (BYU) 23, Lee Williams (Ohio State) 38
K Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29, Nick Patella (Wake Forest) 69
P Joe Pagliei (Clemson) 40, Blanche Martin (Michigan State) 36
KR Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
PR Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
Embry Robinson (DB) Michigan State
Fran Rogel (FB) Penn State
Tom Saidock (T) Michigan State
Bill Sandie (HB) Miami
Jerry Selfridge (E) Texas Tech
Michael Simmons (E) Auburn
Russ Sloan (E) Missouri
Avatus Stone (HB) Syracuse
William Strickland (QB-FB) South Carolina
Corky Tharp (HB) Alabama
Larry Wagner (T) Vanderbilt
Sammy Walker (C) Hardin-Simmons
Ted Wegert (HB)
Lee Williams (DB-HB) Ohio State
William Wohman (LB-FB) South Carolina
-1960 Pro Football Handbook
1960 New York Titans Preseason Depth Chart
Offense
QB Al Dorow (Michigan State) 12, Tom Dimitroff (Miami-Ohio) 11, Bobby Colburn (Bowling Green) 16, Ken Ford (Hardin-Simmons) 14
HB Ted Wegert 20, Dewey Bohling (Hardin-Simmons) 26, Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29, Avatus Stone (Syracuse) 32
FB Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31, Blanche Martin (Michigan State) 36, Pete Hart (Hardin-Simmons) 33, Fran Rogel (Penn State) 44
SE Art Powell (San Jose State) 84, Pete Abadie (Tulane) 81, Jerry Selfridge (Texas Tech) 85
T Jack Klotz (Pennsylvania Military College) 78, Teddy Edmondson (Hardin-Simmons) 71
G Bob Mischak (Army) 67, Nick Patella (Wake Forest) 69
C Mike Hudock (Miami) 52, Jim Baldwin (McMurry) 50
G John McMullan (Notre Dame) 68, Jerry McFarland (Michigan State) 66
T Gene Cockrell (Hardin-Simmons) 70
TE Thurlow Cooper (Maine) 88, John Bredice (Boston University) 83
FL Don Maynard (Texas-El Paso) 13, Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
Defense
DE Bob Reifsnyder (Navy) 79, Ed Cooke (Maryland) 82
DT Tom Saidock (Michigan State) 75, Joe Katchick (Notre Dame) 73
DT Sid Youngelman (Alabama) 76, Dick Guesman (West Virginia) 72
DE Nick Mumley (Purdue) 74, Mike Simmons (Auburn) 80
LB Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, Gordon LeBoeuf (Texas A&M) 34
MLB Roger Ellis (Maine) 56, John McMullan (Notre Dame) 68
LB Eddie Bell (Pennsylvania) 25, Leon Dombrowski (Delaware) 61
HB Roger Donnahoo (Michigan State) 35, Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
S Fred Julian (Michigan) 39, Sammy Walker (Texas Tech) 37
S Corky Tharp (Alabama) 45, Charlie Dupre (Baylor) 28
HB Dick Felt (BYU) 23, Lee Williams (Ohio State) 38
K Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29, Nick Patella (Wake Forest) 69
P Joe Pagliei (Clemson) 40, Blanche Martin (Michigan State) 36
KR Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
PR Leon Burton (Arizona State) 24
1960 New York Titans Fleer Cards
Sammy Baugh (head coach)
Jim Baldwin
John Bredice
Gene Cockrell
Thurlow Cooper
Tom Dimitroff
Teddy Edmondson
Roger Ellis
Ken Ford
Larry Grantham
Mike Hudock
Blanche Martin
Jerry McFarland
John McMullan
Fran Rogel
Tom Saidock
Mike Simmons
Corky Tharp
1960 New York Titans Profile Summary
General Manager: Steve Sebo
Head Coach: Sammy Baugh
Coach: Johnny Dell Isola
Coach: John Steber
Coach: Hugh Taylor
Coach: Dick Todd
QB Al Dorow (Michigan State) 12
QB Tom Dimitroff (Miami-Ohio) 11
QB Ken Ford (Hardin-Simmons) 14
QB Dick Jamieson (Bradley) 15
HB Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29
HB Ted Wegert 20
HB Ger Schwedes (Syracuse) 30
FB Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31
FB Pete Hart (Hardin-Simmons) 33
FB Blanche Martin (Michigan State) 36
FB Fran Rogel (Penn State) 44
FL Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13
SE Art Powell (San Jose State) 84
SE John Bredice (Boston University) 83
TE Thurlow Cooper (Maine) 88
TE Dave Ross (Los Angeles State) 80
C Mike Hudock (Miami) 52
C Jim Baldwin (McMurry) 50
G Bob Mischak (Army) 67
G John McMullan (Notre Dame) 68
G Jerry McFarland (Michigan State) 66
T Gene Cockrell (Hardin-Simmons) 70
T Teddy Edmondson (Hardin-Simmons) 71
DT Sid Youngelman (Alabama) 76
DT Tom Saidock (Michigan State) 75
DT Dick Guesman (West Virginia) 72
DE Bob Reifsnyder (Navy) 79
DE Mike Simmons (Auburn) 81
DE Ed Cooke (Maryland) 82
MLB Roger Ellis (Maine) 56
LB Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60
LB Eddie Bell (Pennsylvania) 25
DHB Roger Donnahoo (Michigan State) 35
DHB Dick Felt (BYU) 23
S Fred Julian (Michigan) 39
S Corky Tharp (Alabama) 45
K Bill Shockley (West Chester) 29
P Al Dorow (Michigan State) 12
September 17, 1960
Titans On Offense
QB Al Dorow 12, Dick Jamieson 15
LH Ted Wegert 20, Bill Shockley 29, Leon Burton 24
RH Don Maynard 13, Dewey Bohling 26, Rick Sapienza 22
FB Pete Hart 33, Blanche Martin 35, Bill Mathis 31
LE Art Powell 84
LT Jack Klotz 78, Joe Katcik 73
LG Bob Mischak 67
C Mike Hudock 52
RG John McMullan 68, Frank D'Agostino 61
RT Gene Cockrell 70, Joe Katcik 73
RE Thurlow Cooper 88
Titans On Defense
LE Joe Ryan 77, Bob Reifsnyder 79
LT Tom Saidock 75
RT Sid Youngelman 76
RE Nick Mumley 74
LLB Larry Grantham 60
MLB Bob Marques 55, Roger Ellis 56
RLB Ed Bell 25
LHB Fred Julian 39
RHB Dick Felt 23
LS Roger Donnahoo 35
RS Corky Tharp 45, Roger Dupre 28
Titans Specialists
Punting: Rick Sapienza 22
PAT and FG: Bill Shockley 29
Holders: Dick Jamieson 15, Al Dorow 12
Kickoffs: Bill Shockley 29
-1960 New York Titans Official Program (Polo Grounds)
September 17, 1960, New York Titans Roster
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
12 Al Dorow (Michigan State)
15 Dick Jamieson (Bradley)
Halfbacks
26 Dewey Bohling (Hardin-Simmons)
24 Leon Burton (Arizona State)
22 Rick Sapienza (Villanova)
29 Bill Shockley (West Chester State)
20 Ted Wegert
Fullbacks
33 Pete Hart (Hardin-Simmons)
35 Blanche Martin (Michigan State)
31 Bill Mathis (Clemson)
30 Ger Schwedes (Syracuse)
Ends
82 Ken Campbell (West Chester State)
88 Thurlow Cooper (Maine)
13 Don Maynard (Texas Western)
84 Art Powell (San Jose State)
Tackles
70 Gene Cockrell (Hardin-Simmons)
73 Joe Katcik (Notre Dame)
78 Jack Klotz (Pennsylvania Military College)
Guards
61 Frank D'Agostino (Auburn)
68 John McMullan (Notre Dame)
67 Bob Mischak (Army)
Centers
52 Mike Hudock (Miami-Fla.)
DEFENSE
Ends
74 Nick Mumley (Purdue)
79 Bob Reifsnyder (Navy)
77 Joe Ryan (Villanova)
Tackles
75 Tom Saidock (Michigan State)
76 Sid Youngelman (Alabama)
Linebackers
25 Ed Bell (Pennsylvania)
56 Roger Ellis (Maine)
60 Larry Grantham (Mississippi)
55 Bob Marques (Boston University)
Defensive Backs
35 Roger Donnahoo (Michigan State)
28 Chuck Dupre (Maryland)
23 Dick Felt (Brigham Young)
39 Fred Julian (Michigan)
45 Corky Tharp (Alabama)
-1960 New York Titans Official Program (Polo Grounds)
1960 NEW YORK TITANS PORTRAITS
QB Dick Jamieson
QB Ken Ford
QB Frank Kremblas
QB Bob Scrabis
QB Terry O'Brien
HB Dewey Bohling
HB Ted Wegert
FB Blanche Martin
FB Pete Hart
FB Fran Rogel
FL Don Maynard
E Lee Williams
E Russ Sloan
E Ken Campbell
C Mike Hudock
G Bob Mischak
G John McMullan
G Charles Moore
G Nick Patella
T Jack Klotz
T Gene Cockrell
T Joe Katcik
T Mike Friedberg
DT Sid Youngelman
DT Tom Saidock
DE Thurlow Cooper
DE Jim Bryan
MLB Roger Ellis
LB Larry Grantham
LB Joe Biggs
DB Dick Felt
DB Fred Julian
DB Roger Donnahoo
DB Chuck Dupre
-1960 Dallas Texans Official Program, October 2
November 4, 1960
Titans On Offense
QB Bob Scrabis 46, Al Dorow 12, Dick Jamieson 15
LH Bill Shockley 29, Leon Burton 24, Don Herndon 20
RH Don Maynard 13, Dewey Bohling 26
FB Pete Hart 33, Bill Mathis 31, Joe Pagliei 40
LE Art Powell 84
LT Jack Klotz 78, Larry Baker 73
LG Dan Callahan 61, Bob Mischak 67
C Mike Hudock 52
RG John McMullan 68
RT Gene Cockrell 70
RE David Ross 80, Thurlow Cooper 88
Titans On Defense
LE Ed Cooke 82, Bob Reifsnyder 79
LT Tom Saidock 75
RT Sid Youngelman 76, Dick Guesman 72
RE Nick Mumley 74
LLB Larry Grantham 60
MLB Roger Ellis 56, Hall Whitley 50
RLB Ed Bell 25
LHB Dick Felt 23
RHB Fred Julian 39
LS Roger Donnahoo 35
RS Corky Tharp 45, Roger Dupre 28
Titans Specialists
Punting: Joe Pagliei 40, Al Dorow 12
PAT and FG: Bill Shockley 29
Holders: Dick Jamieson 15, Al Dorow 12
Kickoffs: Bill Shockley 29
-1960 New York Titans Official Program (Polo Grounds)
November 4, 1960 New York Titans Roster
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
12 Al Dorow (Michigan State)
15 Dick Jamieson (Bradley)
46 Bob Scrabis (Penn State)
Halfbacks
26 Dewey Bohling (Hardin-Simmons)
24 Leon Burton (Arizona State)
20 Don Herndon (Tampa)
29 Bill Shockley (West Chester State)
Fullbacks
33 Pete Hart (Hardin-Simmons)
31 Bill Mathis (Clemson)
40 Joe Pagliei (Clemson)
Ends
88 Thurlow Cooper (Maine)
13 Don Maynard (Texas Western)
84 Art Powell (San Jose State)
80 David Ross (Los Angeles State)
Tackles
73 Larry Baker (Bowling Green)
70 Gene Cockrell (Hardin-Simmons)
78 Jack Klotz (Pennsylvania Military College)
Guards
61 Dan Callahan (Akron)
68 John McMullan (Notre Dame)
67 Bob Mischak (Army)
Centers
52 Mike Hudock (Miami-Fla.)
DEFENSE
Ends
82 Ed Cooke (Maryland)
74 Nick Mumley (Purdue)
79 Bob Reifsnyder (Navy)
Tackles
72 Dick Guesman (West Virginia)
75 Tom Saidock (Michigan State)
76 Sid Youngelman (Alabama)
Linebackers
25 Ed Bell (Pennsylvania)
56 Roger Ellis (Maine)
60 Larry Grantham (Mississippi)
50 Hall Whitley (Texas A&I)
Defensive Backs
35 Roger Donnahoo (Michigan State)
28 Chuck Dupre (Maryland)
23 Dick Felt (Brigham Young)
39 Fred Julian (Michigan)
45 Corky Tharp (Alabama)
-1960 New York Titans Official Program (Polo Grounds)
"In ancient mythology, the Titans were a race of people who inhabited Mount Olympus long before the Greek gods. They were tall, strong, well-proportioned, and stood above their fellow man. Another group of Titans has come into modern existence. They too are tall, strong, well-proportioned, and stand above their fellow man. Coached by the incomparable Sammy Baugh, they hope to fill the Polo Grounds once more with professional football fans.
Titan President Harry Wismer is a man well qualified to stand at the helm of the new American League team representing New York. As a broadcaster, he has spent many hours in the booths of different stadia across the nation, and this association brings an intimate knowledge of professional football into the front office.
General Manager Steve Sebo is no stranger to California football fans, for he was Biggie Munn's backfield coach when the Michigan State Spartans defeated the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl. Following his tenure at MSC, Sebo spent several years as head football coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
A fine array of bone crushing young men, wearing the Titan colors of Navy Blue and Gold, will roam the gridiron against any and all comers. With Head Coach Baugh's background as one of professional football's great passers, the Titans will present an explosive offense.
Defensive Line Coach Johnny Dell Isola, another great from the NFL has re-created his own brand of rough tumble line play with staunch men such as Jim Bryan, Tom Saidock, Thurlow Cooper, and Roger Ellis.
Other famous names pepper the Titan roster. There is Blanche Martin of Michigan State, Al Dorow of Michigan State, Ken Ford of Hardin-Simmons, the great Bob Mischak of Army, Sid Youngelman of Alabama, and Dick Jamieson, Johnny Unitas' stand-in at Baltimore last year. A Little All-America at Bradley in 1956, Jamieson led the nation's small colleges in total offense."
-1960 Oakland Raiders Official Program, December 11
MOBILIZING FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL WAR
"Only a year ago the New York Titans had nothing but Harry Wismer's energy, a name and a strong desire to succeed. They came a long way.
After the franchise owners in the new American Football League held their third organizational meeting, Harry Wismer was invited to the New York district attorney's office for questioning. Wismer, the owner of the New York Titans, can look and joke about it now, but at the time, the plot resembled a bad television script.
Only one year ago- October 29, 1959, to be precise- the AFL was still a paper league. It had owners, and they had desire- but little else. The owners did have large bottles of aspirin, and a genuine need for the same, because they had no players, no coaches, no stadium leases and no commissioner. The commissioner problem, the owners felt, would be taken care of at that third meeting, in Wismer's tastily appointed Park Avenue apartment.
It is not quite fair to say that Wismer's team had nothing at the time; it did have a name- the Titans of New York. Wismer, an experienced sports announcer accustomed to dealing in glamorous words, chose the name after the U.S. Air Force came out with the majestic Titan missile. 'Besides,' Wismer said, 'Titans are bigger and stronger than Giants,' hopefully referring to his well-established National Football League competitors in New York.
Wismer was to have the name of his team thrown into his teeth during that stormy meeting in his apartment. The two earlier meetings, held in the presidential suite of the Waldorf Towers (courtesy of Barron Hilton, who possessed, among things, the Los Angeles franchise and a father named Conrad), had produced much discussion, considerable voice-raising and little progress. In fact, few owners could agree on exactly what had been achieved or even said.
'For that reason,' Wismer recalled, 'I decided to have minutes kept of this third meeting. We hadn't bothered to do that before, and there was no record we could refer to.' Being a most modern man, Wismer decided to go electronic. Rather than employ a conventional, manual stenographer, he instructed his private secretary to hire a man who specialized in tape-recorded records. Naturally, the secretary went to the telephone company's Yellow Pages and came up with the desired party- or so she believed.
The male court steno arrived early and set up his equipment. He placed about ten button microphones around the living room, their wires criss-crossing over the wall-to-wall carpeting and leading to the recording device, then rigged a sound box to identify each owner as he spoke.
Soon after the morning session began, a shouting match developed Wismer and Max Winter, the Minneapolis-St. Paul representative. Winter, possibly feeling a bit superior because his group had access to a bright new municipal stadium, screamed: 'Whatinell do you know? All you have is a name for your team. You don't have a place to play.'
'That's not true!' Wismer shot back- and Harry has a coast-to-coast reputation for being able to raise his voice when he's excited.
Before the disagreement could become more than vocal, other owners smoothed over the rough spots, and the meeting continued. Through most of the morning and then the afternoon sessions, the owners discussed possible commissioners. Some mighty big names were dropped, and some mighty surprising objections were raised to them while the silently rotating tape soaked up all the juicy information that there was to get.
The meeting ran over to the next day, with a few hours off for sleeping and bandaging emotional wounds. When the men reconvened, Winter arose, pointed to the tired stenographer and, as though he hadn't seen the man the day before, asked: 'What's this fellow doing here?'
Wismer patiently, for him, explained that he thought it would be a good idea to keep minutes of all business transacted at the meetings, and that he intended to have typewritten transcripts made and distributed to every owner present.
'I don't know anything about that man,' Winter snapped, 'and I don't like his being here.'
Wismer assured Winter that the stenographer came loaded with credentials showing him to be a sound security risk. 'He's done work for the Atomic Energy Commission,' Wismer said, 'and surely, as important as the AFL might be to all of us, it couldn't possibly be more classified than the AEC, now could it?'
'I don't care,' Winter said unimpressed, 'I want to have this business stopped.'
'Okay,' Wismer said with a shrug, 'if that's the way you feel.'
The man from the Yellow Pages was told his services were no longer required, which, of course, he had gathered in those hectic, preceding moments. He assembled his equipment and departed in a professional huff after it had been agreed that, on the basis on the initial fee of $1,000 for the two-day meeting, he would be paid $500 for quickly supplying transcripts of the first day's discussions.
After the man with the mikes left, the business at hand proceeded, unrecorded. As the hour grew late, and the man from the Yellow Pages failed to return with the minutes as promised, the football men, especially Max Winter, began to worry. They telephoned the man, who informed them, rather casually, that he had raised his price to $10,000, which was little enough when you consider how his professional pride had been insulted.
Well ...
They sent a lawyer to see the injured soul and haggled the price down to $5,000. When the man insisted he would go no lower, the AFL owners decided he could keep the damn minutes; they didn't need them after all.
Aside from Wismer having to listen to a few 'I told you so's from Winter, the disturbing matter seemed forgotten- until a few days later. Then the episode popped up in a sports column- even juicer than the real thing. This version had Wismer's living room surreptitiously wiretapped- and all sorts of cloak-and-dagger jazz going on.
Wismer received a telephone call the next day, asking if he would please come to the district attorney's office, and explain a few things about bugging, and about confidential court stenographers who aren't so confidential. Eventually he explained away all the confusion, but the investigation showed the troubles that can involve men dedicated to nothing more than the establishment of a few football teams.
Actually Wismer's role in the AFL amounts to considerably more than being the Titans' chief stockholder. He has been such a powerful factor in organizing the league, in fact, that without his talents and his connections, the AFL's kickoff probably would never have got off the tee.
The mobilization of the Titans is interwoven with the formation of the league and dates back to the day in July, 1959, when Lamar Hunt, a Texas oil man, and Davey O'Brien, a former NFL star quarterback, visited Wismer. 'We want to start a new league,' Hunt said, 'and I've been told you're the man to see. We want you to have the New York franchise, but there's more to it than that. I don't know much about television and radio, so I'd appreciate it if you'd help us line up a network and sponsors.'
At that time, Hunt felt that O'Brien would make an ideal commissioner for the new league. He mentioned that to Wismer, who said it was all right with him, but wouldn't it be best to finish organizing the league and then let all the owners decide on a commissioner? Meanwhile, Wismer suggested, why not visit Bert Bell, the NFL commissioner, and outline the entire plan to him? Hunt and O'Brien agreed.
The secret meeting took place in Atlantic City and lasted nearly six hours. Bell, according to Hunt's later version, not only agreed not to fight the new league but said there was plenty of room for both. 'Mr. Bell,' Hunt testified before a Senate hearing three months later, 'told me the second pro league would be good for the NFL and all the players. He said that the NFL would not want to become involved in another war like it had with the All-America Conference.'
Unfortunately, Bell could not corroborate the testimony because he died of a heart attack. With his leadership gone, the headstrong NFL owners, whom Bell had disciplined well, broke out in open contempt of the new league. The war was on.
The bidding for several college stars soared to the skies. Although there were bitter and expensive legal battles involving such publicized players as Billy Cannon and Charlie Flowers, the Titans were not involved in any major player controversies with the NFL. Their conflicts involved coaching talent.
Because Wismer devoted so much time and effort to assembling strongly backed franchises for the league, as well as setting up the rich and essential television contract, the development of his own Titan structure lagged during those early months. He quickly signed Steve Sebo, a classmate at Michigan State and a former football coach at the University of Pennsylvania, as general manager, but the important matter of a coaching staff remained unresolved.
In mid-December, Wismer finally went looking for a head coach. Harry wanted a big name; and what bigger name in football, he thought, than Sammy Baugh? He caught up with Baugh in Washington, D.C., at the final Redskin game of 1959. The following morning, as Baugh was flying home to Texas, via New York, Wismer accompanied him and presented the proposition. Baugh had turned down many pro coaching jobs, but never had he received such an offer- $30,000 per year, plus the security of a three-year, money-in-the-bank contact.
Baugh asked for time to think it over and to talk with the authorities at Hardin-Simmons College in Abilene, Tex., where he had been coaching football for five years.
A couple of weeks later, Baugh returned to New York and signed, bringing with him his line coach at Hardin-Simmons, Johnny Steber. Baugh added two former Redskins stars to his staff- Dick Todd, backfield coach, and Bones Taylor, end coach- before any problems arose.
To coach the defensive line, so essential to any pro football team's success, Wismer wanted to get Andy Robustelli, the Giants' All-Pro end.
When Robustelli was contacted, he said he would think it over. The money was good, he said, much more than he was making with the Giants, and after nine years of taking knocks from those NFL bruisers, it was time to consider a move to the more insurable profession of coaching. But when word of Wismer's intended raid got back to the Giants, their front office countered by offering Robustelli a solid raise for one more season of active playing, plus a promise of a coaching future. That did it; Robustelli decided to stay with the Giants.
Wismer turned next to his old stomping grounds- Washington. Since he believed that he had a member of owner George Marshall's staff all locked up, Harry eagerly looked forward to making the press announcement. Nothing would give him greater satisfaction, Wismer felt, than to put one over on Marshall, his former Redskin business associate, and then his mortal enemy.
Everyone showed up for the press conference at Wismer's apartment- except for the new coach who was to be introduced. As time ticked on, and reporters grew impatient, Wismer and his staff grew uneasy. Finally it became evident that their new man was not going to appear. Frantic phone calls produced no coach or reason for his absence.
Wismer called Sebo into a bedroom, locked the door and asked: 'Did you tell any reporter that this meeting was called to announce the hiring of a coach? Do any of them know about it?'
'Just one,' Sebo said.
Knowing that their young organization could be deeply embarrassed with nothing to announce at a specially called press conference, the Titan high command put their heads together.
'I've got it,' said Arthur Susskind, a live-wire, all-around aide. 'We haven't announced any players yet, and we've got 16 signed up, including some good ones like Don Maynard. Why not give that out now instead of the coaching job?'
That saved the Titans' faces. The story got a good play, and only one reporter in the room knew that the press conference called to unveil a coach had not produced him.
'To this day I don't know what happened,' Wismer says. 'The fellow we had in mind had gone as far as to mail his biography to us in advance so we could hand out copies to the reporters.'
Determined to get an established, well-known NFL man for the last coaching job, Wismer again aimed at the Giants. This time he succeeded. Competent Johnny Dell Isola accepted and showed up at the prescribed press conference. Wismer had his defensive line expert, and the Titan coaching staff was complete.
Still dozens of problems had to be overcome, and the Titans had little time to solve them. Wismer worked fast. He needed a stadium, and he wanted the Polo Grounds. He negotiated with Edgar Feeley (the Polo Grounds representative of Horace Stoneham, the departed baseball man whose lease on the site runs out in March 1962) and with Jay Coogan, the owner of the property. They completed the deal in late December, but Wismer received no Christmas present. He paid a high price- $7,500 rent per game for seven games- in advance, with the money to be forfeited if the team folded.
General manager Sebo concentrated on getting potential players lined up, while Wismer continued to spend the money necessary to mobilize for a pro football war. He posted a $125,000 bond with the AFL to be forfeited if the team dropped out of the league. Then he estimated his future expenses- salaries for the office and coaching staff, expenses for training more than a hundred men in training camp, all new equipment from helmets to bunion plasters (nothing could be handed down as it would be in future years), advertising costs, ticket printing costs and promotional-party costs, and came up with a figure of about $820,000 before the Titans had taken in a nickel. Although advanced ticket sales were encouraging, the Titans couldn't touch that income because, according to law, advance-sale money can't be spent by a team until that specific game is played.
Yet Wismer and his partners did not worry. The partners- Dr. Fred Crescenti, a New Jersey surgeon; Nash Dwodle, one of the many Texas oilmen in the AFL who hoped to strike black ink; and Dan O'Shaughnessy, son of a major stockholder of the Cleveland baseball club- agreed that their return would come at the gate and from the solid television contract that Wismer set up with the American Broadcasting Company. Each of the eight AFL teams would share equally in the television jackpot to the tune of $205,000 apiece.
'We got a good price,' Wismer said, 'because ABC didn't have to gamble a dime. We assured them we could sell at least 50 percent of the airtime. The NFL had us in a vise and was really squeezing. They had divided their package between NBC and CBS, with NBC getting Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and CBS getting the rest. That left us only ABC to deal with, so we couldn't drive too hard a bargain.' Still, high-powered salesman Wismer sold 100 percent of the airtime to solid sponsors.
Of course, the never-ending and biggest problem of all was the attempt to assemble a winning Titans team. Sebo, Baugh and the coaching staff worked thousands of hours to achieve their goal. Sebo criss-crossed the country, traveling more than 35,000 miles, searching for playing talent. He and the coaches watched games, studied movies, made and answered phone calls, talked to other coaches, read applications and interviewed prospective players before they invited 105 candidates- about half of them with NFL or Canadian League experience- to training camp in Durham, N.H., on July 9. That was just the beginning.
Knowing that he would cut all but 45 players before he broke camp on July 31, Baugh wasted no time separating the men from the boys. He wanted only men, no matter what their age. In the first two weeks, he ordered eight scrimmages and an 80-minute game played in 85-degree heat. Many boys voluntarily disappeared, then more were cut. The Titans broke camp with 45 men.
Still Baugh wasn't finished. He continued to weed out and replace players while the Titans lost their first four exhibition games. Some of the replacements worked out well enough to help the team beat the Buffalo Bills easily in the final exhibition game. A few more players were cut and a few more potential AFL stars were acquired, and by the time the Titans' season opened on September 11, 11 of their 35 uniformed players were men who had joined the squad after training camp closed. The skillful blending of new players and veterans paid off. The Titans won their opener against the Bills, 27-3.
Although New York's opening-game roster contained no nationally famous names such as Johnny Unitas, Frank Gifford or Paul Hornung, many of the players were known to fans. Quarterback Al Dorow, who scored two touchdowns against the Bills, had eight years' pro experience with the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and Toronto Argonauts; halfback Bill Shockley starred with little West Chester State Teachers College in 1959; quarterback Dick Jamieson, a former Little All-America at Bradley Tech, was a non-playing Baltimore Colt behind Unitas last season; fullback Gerhard Schwedes scored 100 points for Syracuse in '59; defensive tackle Sid Youngelman played pro ball with San Francisco, Philadelphia and Cleveland; offensive guard Bob Mischak, a one-time Army star, played for the Giants two years ago; offensive tackle Bob Reifsnyder was an All-America at Navy.
The Titans and the AFL solved many problems in one year, jumping from paper to playing with plenty of hard work. Wismer's personal problem, the heckling Max Winter, disposed of himself. He transferred his Minneapolis-St. Paul group to the NFL for the promise of a 1961 franchise. Harry Wismer had wished him luck, but not too much, because he knows that the pro football war is far from over. It's just begun."
-Dick Young, Sport Magazine, December 1960
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