IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1286 

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural season of the American 

Football League. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 21, 2010 

Mr. PERLMUTTER (for himself, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. HODES, Mr. 

KENNEDY, Ms. MARKEY of Colorado, Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, Mr. 

MOORE of Kansas, and Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural 

season of the American Football League. 

Whereas, on August 14, 1959, businessman Lamar Hunt and 

11 colleagues proposed a new major professional football 

league in the United States; 

Whereas the American Football League was chartered to expand professional football to athletically minded cities 

growing in population and industry; 

Whereas most professional football fans at the time believed 

the well-established National Football League was the 

premier football league; 


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•HRES 1286 IH 

Whereas the owners of the new league, including Bud Adams, 

Lamar Hunt, and Ralph Wilson, jokingly referred to 

themselves as the ‘‘Foolish Club’’ for taking such a financial risk; 

Whereas securing major television coverage of the proposed 

league and the financial viability of the American Football League were very much in doubt; 

Whereas the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Texans, 

Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Chargers, 

New York Titans, and Oakland Raiders comprised the 

original 8 teams of the inaugural American Football 

League; 

Whereas few experts felt the American Football League had 

the talented players or coaching staffs to provide a quality product marketable to the American people; 

Whereas the American Broadcasting Company agreed to a 

television contract with the new League without knowing 

the potential reception of the league; 

Whereas, on September 9, 1960, the Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots in the first regular season 

AFL game; 

Whereas steadily over the 1960s many talented players chose 

to play in the new AFL rather than the NFL; 

Whereas football legends Sid Gillman, Al Davis, Hank Stram, 

Joe Namath, Lionel Taylor, George Blanda, Jack Kemp, 

and Gino Cappelletti coached or played in the AFL; 

Whereas, on June 8, 1966, the American Football League 

and the National Football League announced a proposed 

merger; 


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•HRES 1286 IH 

Whereas, on January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl, 

pitting the winner of the AFL against the winner of the 

NFL; 

Whereas, on August 5, 1967, the Denver Broncos became the 

first AFL team to defeat an NFL team when they defeated the Detroit Lions; 

Whereas, on January 12, 1969, the New York Jets defeated 

the Baltimore Colts, becoming the first AFL team to win 

the Super Bowl; 

Whereas, in 1970, the American Football League officially 

merged with the National Football League; 

Whereas American football has become the most watched 

sport in the Nation; 

Whereas, since the merger, the former AFL teams have won 

a combined 12 Super Bowl championships; and 

Whereas 10 current National Football League teams (the 

Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, New 

England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, 

and Tennessee Titans) trace their roots to the American 

Football League: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 

3 inaugural season of the American Football League 

4 as a landmark moment in the history of football; 

5 (2) reaffirms that professional football is a uni6 fying force in the United States; 


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•HRES 1286 IH 

1 (3) encourages football fans to reflect on the 

2 contributions of the American Football League to 

3 professional football; and 

4 (4) supports the continued involvement of chil5 dren and adults in the sport of football. 

Æ 


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