AFL

West 38

East 14

January 16, 1965

After the 1964 season, the AFL All-Star Game had been scheduled for New Orleans' Tulane Stadium. After numerous black players were refused service by a number of New Orleans hotels and businesses, black and white players alike lobbied for a boycott. Under the leadership of Buffalo Bills players including Chester Carlton  "Cookie" Gilchrist, the players put up a unified front, and the game was successfully moved to Houston's Jeppesen Stadium. This was the first boycott in history of an entire city by a professional sports event. The coaches for the game were Sid Gillman of the Chargers and Lou Saban of the Bills. Due to the change in venue and the cold, windy weather, only 15,446 fans witnessed the game.

Len Dawson, quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, wasted no time getting the scoring started when he hit San Diego’s Keith Lincoln on the first play from scrimmage for a 73 yard touchdown. Dawson suffered from a bloody nose later in the quarter and retired for the day. San Diego’s John Hadl took over and guided the West to a touchdown, hitting Oakland’s Clem Daniels on a 5 yard scoring toss. With five minutes to go in the half the East answered with an 80 yard drive ending in a 5 yard touchdown run by Houston’s Sid Blanks. The West added three points on a 46 yard field goal by Tommy Brooker of the Chiefs. The score was 17-7 in favor of the West. On their next possession, an interference penalty then brought the East to the West 12 yard line. The drive stalled and the East tried a fake field goal which failed. On the ensuing West possession, Hadl threw to Abner Haynes who was hit by Boston’s Nick Buoniconti, jarring the ball loose. Buoniconti grabbed the ball and raced 17 yards for the touchdown. The West led 17-14 at the half.

On the West’s first possession of the second half, Lincoln took a pitchout and raced 80 yards around right end for a touchdown. Later in the third quarter, the East’s George Byrd of Buffalo intercepted a Hadl pass. On the return, he attempted to lateral the ball to a teammate, but Oakland’s Art Powell intercepted the flip at the East 21 yard line. Hadl then passed seven yards to the Chargers’ Lance Alworth. The score was 31-14. In the fourth quarter, Hadl hit Powell with a 17 yard scoring pass. The final was an easy 38-14 win for the West. It was the fourth straight West victory in the series.

Lincoln was voted the outstanding offensive performer of the game. It was Lincoln’s second straight MVP award. Willie Brown of the Broncos was voted the outstanding defensive player. The City of Houston and the Oilers ball club did an amazing job of pulling off this game, given they had only 5 days notice.

Ernie Ladd pressures Babe Parilli

The West took the lead early on Lincoln's 73 yard pass from Dawson on the game's first play

RETURN