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 fol-
lowing 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 ex-
pand 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 finan-
cial risk; 
Whereas securing major television coverage of the proposed 
league and the financial viability of the American Foot-
ball 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 qual-
ity 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 de-
feated 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 de-
feated 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 de-
feated 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, Kan-
sas 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 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 
inaugural season of the American Football League 
as a landmark moment in the history of football; 
(2) reaffirms that professional football is a uni-
fying force in the United States; 
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•HRES 1286 IH 
(3) encourages football fans to reflect on the 
contributions of the American Football League to 
professional football; and 
(4) supports the continued involvement of chil-
dren and adults in the sport of football. 
Æ 
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