Highlighted Year: Cookie Gilchrist, 1963

Fullback, Buffalo Bills

Age: 28

8^th season in pro football, 2^nd in AFL & with Bills

College: None

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 250

Prelude:

Ever inclined to follow his own path, Gilchrist showed up at the Cleveland Browns’ training camp directly out of high school. He failed to make the team and, foregoing college, went to Canada instead where he played for seven years with three teams in the CFL. Big, fast, and multi-talented, Gilchrist excelled on both offense and defense, but also wore out his welcome with each club. He came to the Bills for the 1962 season and moved directly into the starting lineup at fullback as well as handling the team’s placekicking. Gilchrist led the AFL in rushing with 1096 yards and scored a total of 128 points on 15 touchdowns, 8 field goals, and 14 PATs. He was named AFL Player of the Year by the Associated Press and UPI and received consensus first-team All-AFL honors. Injuries hindered his performance in ’63, although he came on strong in the second half of the season.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 232 [1]

Most attempts, game – 36 (for 243 yds.) vs. NY Jets

Yards – 979 [3]

Most yards, game – 243 yards (on 36 carries) vs. NY Jets

Average gain – 4.2 [5]

TDs – 12 [1]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24      

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 36 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/17

Yards – 211

Most yards, game – 58 (on 3 catches) vs. Denver 11/9

Average gain – 8.8

TDs – 2

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 35 [19]

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 0

Scoring

TDs – 14 [2]

Points – 84 [4]

Postseason: 1 G (AFL Eastern Division playoff vs. Boston)

Rushing attempts – 8

Rushing yards – 7

Average gain rushing – 0.9

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Pass receiving yards – 11

Average yards per reception – 11.0

Pass receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-AFL: NY Daily News

2^nd team All-AFL: AP, UPI

AFL All-Star Game

Bills went 7-6-1 to tie for first place in the AFL Eastern Division. Lost Divisional playoff to Boston Patriots (26-8).

Aftermath:

Gilchrist led the AFL in rushing for a second time in 1964 (981 yards) in a title-winning year for the Bills, but became embroiled in conflict with Coach Lou Saban, was briefly suspended from the team, and in the offseason was dealt to the Denver Broncos. He again led the AFL in rushing attempts (252) as he ran for 954 yards in 1965. However, there was more turmoil and Gilchrist was traded to the expansion Miami Dolphins during the ’66 season where, playing on bad knees, he gained 262 yards in eight games. He returned to Denver in 1967 but saw scant action and retired. Altogether, Gilchrist rushed for 9204 yards (4911 in the CFL, 4293 in the AFL), caught 196 passes for 2203 more yards (86 for 1068 yards in the CFL, 110 for 1135 yards in the AFL), and scored 78 TDs (35 in the CFL, 43 in the AFL). An outstanding blocker as well as runner from scrimmage, he received consensus first-team All-AFL honors three times and was selected to four AFL All-Star Games.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1964: Bills Defeat Patriots in Showdown for AFL Eastern Division Title

The American Football League’s Eastern Division title was on the line as the Buffalo Bills met the Boston Patriots on December 20, 1964. The Patriots had won the previous meeting of the teams, blemishing Buffalo’s undefeated record in doing so, and had also beaten Buffalo in a divisional playoff the previous year after the teams tied for first place. Now the Bills were 11-2, after getting off to a 9-0 start, and Boston was right behind at 10-2-1, so once again the winner of the season-ending showdown would advance to the AFL Championship game.

Buffalo’s head coach for the third year was Lou Saban, and the Bills ranked at the top of the league in both offense and defense. Starting QB Jack Kemp (pictured above) was benched the previous week in favor of Daryle Lamonica, who often relieved if the offense needed a spark, but the 29-year-old veteran was back behind center at Boston. FB Cookie Gilchrist was the key to the strong running attack and there were good receivers in flanker Elbert Dubenion, split end Glenn Bass, and TE Ernie Warlick. The tough defense was especially strong on the line and in the backfield. Rookie PK Pete Gogolak, a pioneering soccer-style kicker, added additional scoring ability.

Boston was coached by Mike Holovak and was the hotter team down the stretch, having won five straight contests. 34-year-old QB Babe Parilli was a savvy veteran and flanker Gino Cappelletti the AFL’s most prolific scorer, between catching passes for touchdowns and his reliable placekicking. The defense was a good one and, like the Bills, featured a strong defensive line as well as excellent MLB Nick Buoniconti, who led a linebacker corps known for its blitzing.

There was a crowd of 38,021 fans in attendance on a snowy day at Fenway Park. The field was slippery, making the footing treacherous. The teams traded punts to start the game before Jack Kemp threw to Elbert Dubenion for a 57-yard touchdown and Pete Gogolak added the extra point. The Patriots responded with a seven-play, 72-yard drive. In a third-and-ten situation, Babe Parilli completed a pass to split end Art Graham for 22 yards and, three plays later, connected with TE Tony Romeo for a 37-yard TD. However, Boston tried for a two-point conversion and Parilli’s pass intended for Gino Cappelletti was incomplete, leaving the Bills in the lead by 7-6.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Kemp again went long for Dubenion (pictured at left), and it resulted in a gain of 52 yards to the Boston 20. Runs by Kemp and Cookie Gilchrist and a pass to Glenn Bass advanced the ball to the three, but after Gilchrist lost a yard on two carries, Kemp’s third down throw into the end zone was intercepted by FS Ron Hall.

The Patriots couldn’t move on offense and punted. Once again the Bills came through with a big pass play, with Kemp this time throwing to Ernie Warlick for 44 yards to the Boston 10. This time the visitors didn’t come up empty, with Kemp gaining the last yard for a touchdown. Gogolak’s point after made the score 14-6.

Parilli connected on passes for 15 yards to flanker Jim Colclough and 14 to Gino Cappelletti, but the drive stalled thereafter and the Patriots punted. Kemp threw a pass that was picked off by CB Don Webb, giving the Patriots the ball at the Buffalo 35, but two plays later the Bills returned the favor when FS George Saimes intercepted a Parilli throw.

Buffalo put together a long series that covered 65 yards in 14 plays. Kemp completed three passes, including one to Bass for 33 yards, and HB Wray Carlton carried six times. The advance halted at the Boston five and Gogolak kicked a 12-yard field goal with 24 seconds left on the clock. The Bills took a 17-6 lead into halftime.

The Patriots went three-and-out and punted to start the third quarter, regained possession on another interception by Hall, but had to punt again. Kemp connected on passes to Bass (pictured below) that covered 38 and 13 yards, but after reaching the Boston 21, a holding penalty backed the Bills up and they had to punt.

Boston reached the Buffalo 39 on the next series, with the big play a pass from Parilli to Cappelletti for 22 yards, but Cappelletti’s try for a 46-yard field goal hit the crossbar and was no good. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Bills had to punt again but regained possession four plays later when Parilli’s pass was intercepted by CB Charley Warner, who ran it back 38 yards to the Boston 17. Five plays later, Kemp scored another TD from a yard out and, with Gogolak’s kick, the Bills were ahead by 24-6.

With their backs to the wall, the Patriots struck back as Parilli threw to Colclough for a 43-yard gain and to Cappelletti for 17 yards to reach the Buffalo 11. But the next three passes fell incomplete and FB Larry Garron fumbled after making a catch on fourth down. Saimes recovered for the Bills, who were able to run vital time off the clock before punting it back. Boston scored a touchdown on its next series, with Parilli tossing a pass to Romeo that covered 15 yards, and also threw to Colclough for a two-point conversion. But with less than three minutes remaining to play, it was a case of too-little, too-late. The Bills won by a final score of 24-14.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (380 to 319) and first downs (17 to 15). The Patriots, playing from behind for most of the game, ran the ball only 11 times for 33 yards. Each team turned the ball over three times.

Jack Kemp completed 12 of 24 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown, giving up three interceptions, and scored the two short rushing TDs. Glenn Bass had 6 catches for 103 yards and Elbert Dubenion gained 127 yards on his three receptions that included a long touchdown. Cookie Gilchrist rushed for 52 yards on 20 carries and Wray Carlton contributed 31 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Patriots, Babe Parilli was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 294 yards and two TDs, and was picked off twice. Jim Colclough (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 134 yards and Tony Romeo gained 60 yards and scored twice on his three receptions. Larry Garron led the club with 26 yards on 8 rushing attempts.

“My everlasting thanks to you for beating Boston,” exclaimed Lou Saban to his players, who awarded him the game ball. Saban had been the original head coach of the Patriots, who fired him during the 1961 season, which added not only an additional element to the rivalry between the teams, but a personal note for the coach.

The Bills went on to defeat the San Diego Chargers for the AFL Championship, and did so again the next year. Boston dropped to 4-8-2 before rebounding to contend once more in 1966.

As was the case against the Patriots, Jack Kemp wasn’t a high-percentage passer, completing 44.2 percent over the course of the season, but when he connected, the yardage could be sizable. He led the AFL in yards per attempt (8.5) and yards per completion (19.2, which was a full three yards more than the runner-up). He was named to the AFL All-Star Game, as was Elbert Dubenion, who gained 1139 yards on his 42 catches for a league-leading 27.1 average gain. Glenn Bass averaged 20.9 yards on his 43 receptions for 897 yards. Between them, they scored a total of 17 touchdowns (Dubenion with 10, Bass 7).

Babe Parilli led the AFL in passing yards (3465) and TD passes (31). Gino Cappelletti, who received Player of the Year recognition, scored 155 points, which were 53 more than Pete Gogolak in second place. He scored seven touchdowns among his 49 catches for 865 yards (17.7 avg.) and also led the league with 25 field goals.

1966: Stofa Throws for 4 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were finishing up their inaugural AFL season as they hosted the Houston Oilers on December 18, 1966. As was typical of expansion teams, the Dolphins struggled and had lost six straight games to be 2-11 heading into the last week. Head Coach George Wilson, who once guided the Lions to a NFL title, had some talent to work with, especially in the defensive backfield. TE Dave Kocurek, formerly of the Chargers, was an able veteran and HB Joe Auer showed all-purpose skill, but fullback was a chronic problem and Cookie Gilchrist, who arrived at midseason, was an established talent but also, at age 31, showing wear. Quarterback was the biggest problem of all, and injuries had severely depleted the position.  Ex-Jet Dick Wood started the year, but completed only 36 percent of his passes and yielded to first draft choice Rick Norton, who went down with a broken jaw, and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who led the team to two wins before being sidelined.

QB John Stofa (pictured above) had been unheralded coming out of the Univ. at Buffalo in 1964, but performed well with minor league teams. He had tried out with the Dolphins, but was let go after two weeks in training camp, failed in a further trial with the Steelers in the NFL, and started the season with the Lakeland Brahmans of the North American Football League while teaching school on the side. He had good size at 6’3” and 210 and performed impressively for the Brahmans, throwing for 2029 yards and 23 touchdowns (including 451 yards and 7 TDs in one game against the hapless Chattanooga Redskins) before being re-signed by Miami. Now, with Wood unable to play due to a rib injury, Stofa was getting a chance to start in the finale.

The Oilers, coached for the second time around by Wally Lemm, were having their problems and had lost to the Dolphins in their previous meeting, the first of seven straight defeats that had them arriving in Miami with a 3-10 tally. Houston started off the year with a veteran-laden roster, and now younger players were getting an opportunity. Most notably, third-year QB Don Trull was finally starting ahead of 39-year-old George Blanda, and rookie FB Hoyle Granger was seeing more action in place of Charley Tolar and John Henry Johnson, aged 29 and 37, respectively.

There were 20,045 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl with weather in the 70s. The Oilers had the first possession and punted. After Cookie Gilchrist ran twice for a net of zero yardage, John Stofa completed his first three passes before giving up an interception to FS Jim Norton.

Houston again had to punt and the Dolphins reached Oilers’ territory thanks to a 20-yard run by Joe Auer and a Stofa pass to Dave Kocurek for 11 yards. But after getting to the Houston 36, Stofa was sacked by DE Gary Cutsinger for a loss of 11 yards and the Dolphins punted.

HB Ode Burrell  (pictured at right) returned the kick 29 yards to the Houston 41 and it took just three plays to travel the remaining 59 yards. Don Trull threw to Hoyle Granger, who picked up 25 yards, Burrell ran for seven, and then Trull connected once more with Granger, who went 27 yards for a touchdown. George Blanda added the extra point and the visitors took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next possession, with Stofa chased out of bounds for a 19-yard loss on one play, and a fake punt by George Wilson Jr. picked up 16 yards and gave up the ball to Houston at the Miami 34. Trull completed a third down pass to TE Bob Poole for 10 yards, FB John Henry Johnson ran for another 10, and Trull then threw to flanker Larry Elkins for an 11-yard TD. Blanda’s point after put the Oilers further ahead by 14-0.

Down by two touchdowns, the Dolphins responded with an 80-yard drive in nine plays. Following four running plays, Stofa connected on passes to Gilchrist for 18 yards, split end Karl Noonan for 12, and FB Billy Joe for 12 yards to the Houston 27. After a carry by Gilchrist gained nothing, Stofa went to the air again and it was complete to Auer for a 27-yard touchdown. Miami faked a kick for the conversion and Wilson, the holder as well as backup quarterback and punter, threw to Joe for two points, making it a 14-8 tally.

A short possession by the Oilers was followed by a punt, giving the Dolphins the ball at midfield. Auer ran for seven yards, but Stofa missed on two passes and Gene Mingo’s 50-yard field goal attempt was short. Houston regained possession with 2:10 left in the first half and advanced 90 yards. Trull completed passes to Burrell for 34 and 30 yards and to TE Bob McLeod for a two-yard TD with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Blanda’s PAT made the halftime score 21-8.

The Dolphins had the ball first in the third quarter and Stofa completed three passes, one to Auer for 17 yards who also had a 21-yard gain on a running play around end. A facemask penalty on the Oilers and a four-yard run by Auer got the ball to the Houston nine, but Stofa’s pass intended for Gilchrist was picked off by LB Ronnie Caveness. The Oilers were only able to reach their 31 before punting, and the Dolphins punted it back after a short possession.

With Burrell and Granger carrying the load on the ground, Houston made it just past midfield before having to try for a long field goal. Blanda’s attempt from 53 yards failed and the Dolphins scored again in three plays. Stofa threw to flanker Frank Jackson for 20 yards, Gilchrist rushed for six, and another throw to Jackson was good for a 48-yard touchdown. Mingo kicked the point after and Houston’s lead was cut to 21-15.

Miami got the ball back quickly when, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, CB Jimmy Warren intercepted a Trull pass. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were unable to get any farther than the Houston 47 and punted.

The Oilers drove 80 yards in 12 plays. Trull (pictured at left) had completions to McLeod for 13 yards, split end Charley Frazier for 11 yards, and McLeod again for 34, and Granger ran effectively. After a nine-yard carry by Johnson got the ball to the Miami one, Trull kept the ball himself to gain the final yard for a TD. Blanda added the PAT and the visitors again had a substantial lead of 28-15 with 6:15 remaining to play.

On the next Miami series, Stofa filled the air with passes, completing five of them. Noonan had two catches, the longest for 13 yards to convert a third down, and Gilchrist grabbed one for 20 yards. Stofa picked up 14 yards on a run to the Houston nine, but it appeared that it was all for naught when four straight passes fell incomplete. However, the last one drew a defensive holding penalty and on the next play, Stofa threw to TE Bill Cronin for a four-yard touchdown. Mingo added the extra point and the score was now 28-22 with three minutes to go.

The Oilers went three-and-out on their next series and, with the clock now down to 1:56, the Dolphins took over at their 45 following the resulting punt. An incompletion was followed by a 22-yard gain on a Stofa screen pass to Gilchrist. But Stofa was then sacked by DT Ernie Ladd and DE Don Floyd and a completion to Gilchrist lost another five yards. Facing third-and-23, Stofa connected with Jackson for 39 yards for a first down at the Houston 14. From there, and with the enthusiastic crowd cheering him on, Stofa completed his fourth touchdown pass, connecting with Auer, and Mingo added the all-important conversion that put the home team ahead by a point.

There were still 33 seconds remaining as the Oilers got the ball once more, but they were unable to get out of their end of the field and Miami came away the winner by a score of 29-28. 

The Dolphins led in total yards (417 to 307) and first downs (25 to 20). Each team recorded three sacks, turned the ball over two times, and drew five penalties. The decision to go for two points after the first touchdown proved fortuitous for the Dolphins.

John Stofa completed 22 of 38 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Joe Auer (pictured at right) rushed for 87 yards on 13 carries and also had four catches for 71 yards and two TDs. Cookie Gilchrist led the Dolphins with 6 pass receptions for 60 yards and also gained 23 yards on 9 rushing attempts. Frank Jackson accumulated 110 yards on four catches that included a score. On defense, DT Al Dotson and FS Willie West each had ten tackles.

For the Oilers, Don Trull was successful on 12 of 24 throws for 215 yards and three TDs while being intercepted once. Hoyle Granger ran for 46 yards on 8 carries and added another 52 yards and a touchdown on his two receptions while Ode Burrell picked up 45 yards on 9 rushes and gained 73 yards on three catches. Bob McLeod had four receptions that were good for 58 yards and a score.    

“He was great!” exclaimed Dick Wood about John Stofa. “All along I thought he was great. He’s big, has a strong arm, and throws well.”

While Purdue QB Bob Griese was drafted in the first round for 1967, Stofa parlayed his season-ending success into the starting job for the opening game. However, a broken ankle in the first quarter ended his season and Griese, pressed into service, was impressive. Stofa was traded to yet another expansion team, the Cincinnati Bengals, for 1968 and saw his most extensive AFL action with them. Released after the season, he returned to Miami to back up Griese for two years. Ultimately, he passed for 1758 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving up 11 interceptions, with the Dolphins and Bengals.

The season-ending win for the Dolphins put them in a tie with Houston for fourth place in the AFL Eastern Division at 3-11. Miami marginally improved to 4-10 in 1967, while the Oilers jumped all the way to first place with a 9-4-1 record, fueled by an outstanding defense and the good running of Hoyle Granger. However, Don Trull proved deficient as the starting quarterback and lost the job to Pete Beathard, who was obtained from the Chiefs.

1967: Denson & Defense Star as Revamped Broncos Beat Patriots

The Denver Broncos had made several notable changes as they opened their AFL season against the Boston Patriots on September 3, 1967. The perennially losing franchise was coming off a second straight 4-10 record in ’66 and had hired a new head coach/GM, Lou Saban, who had won back-to-back AFL titles in Buffalo. HB Floyd Little was drafted in the first round out of Syracuse and became the first top draft pick in the team’s short history to sign with the club (no doubt helped by 1967 being the first year that the AFL wasn’t competing with the NFL for draft picks). Quarterback had been a major issue for the Broncos in recent seasons, and a trade was swung with San Diego to obtain the strong-armed Steve Tensi to take over the position for ’67.

The visiting Patriots were coached by Mike Holovak (who had replaced Saban when he was fired from that job during the 1961 season) and were coming off an 8-4-2 year in ’66. FB Jim Nance had blossomed into a star, setting an AFL record with 1458 rushing yards. 37-year-old QB Babe Parilli was coming off of a good season and OE/PK Gino Cappelletti was the league’s top scorer.

There was a record crowd of 35,488 in attendance at Bears Stadium ready to get a look at the refurbished club that had won its last three preseason games. The Broncos got the first break of the game when a deflected pass by Parilli was intercepted by DB Gene Sykes and returned 29 yards to the Boston 13. Two plays later Steve Tensi completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to flanker Al Denson and Gary Kroner added the extra point.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots came through with a big play. Parilli threw to split end Art Graham on a play that covered 79 yards for a TD. Gino Cappelletti’s PAT evened the score at 7-7.

Neither team was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the opening quarter. On the last play of the period Jim Nance fumbled and DT Dave Costa recovered for the Broncos at the Patriots’ 28. However, after advancing to the seven yard line Denver came up empty when FB Cookie Gilchrist, returning to the team after a sojourn with the expansion Dolphins in 1966, was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-one play.

The teams again traded punts until Sykes again picked off a Parilli pass to give Denver the ball at the Boston 29. Floyd Little ran four straight times to pick up a total of 16 yards and the series ended with Kroner kicking a 20-yard field goal. The Broncos were back in front by 10-7, which remained the score at the half.

The Broncos extended their lead on the first series of the third quarter that was helped along when, initially forced to punt, the Patriots were penalized for roughing the kicker. Two plays later Tensi connected with Denson for a 55-yard touchdown. Kroner’s extra point try was blocked, however, and the score remained 16-7.

The Patriots wasted no time in coming back, driving 64 yards in five plays. After Boston ran the ball twice, Parilli threw to TE Jim Whalen for a 27-yard gain to the Denver 24. A pass interference call gained another 14 yards before Parilli threw to Nance for a 10-yard touchdown. Cappelletti added the extra point to make it a two-point game.

The Patriots got the ball back on the next series when DT Jim Hunt stripped Tensi at the Denver 37. Five plays later, Parilli passed to HB Larry Garron for a 20-yard touchdown and, with the successful conversion, Boston was in front by 21-16.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Broncos got a big play on offense when Tensi connected with Denson for a 58-yard gain to the Boston 9. Little and Gilchrist were unable to pound the ball into the end zone but Denver came away with a 9-yard Kroner field goal to narrow the tally to 21-19.

Now midway through the fourth quarter the Patriots had the ball back after the ensuing kickoff but, on the second play, CB Goldie Sellers (pictured at left) intercepted a Parilli throw and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. Kroner’s extra point gave the Broncos a five-point lead, but there were still over eight minutes to play.

Parilli immediately went to the air and connected with Cappelletti for a 30-yard gain to midfield, but his next pass was intercepted, this time by CB Nemiah Wilson. The Broncos couldn’t move the ball and, on a third-and-14 play, Tensi was sacked by LB Doug Satcher for an 11-yard loss to his own 10 yard line. HB Joe Bellino returned Bob Scarpitto’s punt 17 yards to the Denver 37 to give the Patriots excellent starting field position.

Garron took off for 15 yards on the first play of the series but Parilli was picked off for the sixth time, once again by Sellers. The Broncos had possession at their five yard line, went three-and-out, and Scarpitto boomed a punt that gave the Patriots the ball at their own 20 with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. They managed to reach the Denver 43 before Costa sacked Parilli for a 13-yard loss and a long desperation pass fell incomplete. The Broncos were winners by a score of 26-21.

Boston had more total yards (302 to 209) and first downs (14 to 11) than the Broncos, but the Patriots also turned the ball over seven times, to one suffered by Denver.

Al Denson was the offensive star for the Broncos as he caught four passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Steve Tensi completed 8 of 19 passes for 145 yards and the two TDs with none intercepted. Floyd Little, playing in his first regular season game, rushed for 66 yards on 25 carries, while Cookie Gilchrist, appearing in his last, gained 21 yards on 10 attempts (the talented and mercurial Gilchrist underwent knee surgery the next week and ultimately retired). Gene Sykes, Goldie Sellers, and Nemiah Wilson each intercepted two passes apiece.

For the Patriots, Babe Parilli was successful on 16 of 30 throws for 234 yards and three TDs but also gave up the six costly interceptions. Gino Cappelletti had 6 catches for 54 yards and, thanks to the long scoring reception, Art Graham gained 84 yards on his two receptions. Jim Nance ran the ball 15 times for 53 yards and Larry Garron contributed 37 yards on 6 carries while also gaining 53 yards on four catches that included a touchdown.

Tragedy dimmed Al Denson’s fine performance. He left immediately after the game for his home in Jacksonville, Florida due to the untimely death of his three-year-old son.

The exciting win did not herald a winning season in Denver. The Broncos lost their next nine games and finished at the bottom of the Western Division with a 3-11 record. The Patriots ended up at the bottom of the Eastern Division at 3-10-1.

Al Denson, a converted tight end, went on to catch 46 passes for 899 yards (19.5 avg.) and 11 touchdowns, received consensus second-team All-AFL honors (and was a first-team choice of the NEA), and was chosen to the AFL All-Star Game.

Steve Tensi had a decidedly uneven year, completing just 40.3 percent of his passes for 1915 yards and 16 touchdowns as well as 17 interceptions. Floyd Little led the club in rushing as a rookie, but with only 381 yards and averaging 2.9 yards per carry as opposing defenses focused on stopping him. However, he did lead the AFL in punt returning with a 16.9-yard average. While Tensi would ultimately not pan out as a starting quarterback, Little went on to an outstanding career worthy of his high draft status.

MVP Profile: Cookie Gilchrist, 1962

Fullback, Buffalo Bills



Age: 27
7th season in pro football, 1st in AFL & with Bills
College: None
Height: 6’3” Weight: 246

Prelude:
Ever inclined to follow his own path, Gilchrist showed up at the Browns’ training camp directly out of high school. He failed to make the team and, foregoing college, went to Canada instead where he played for six years with three teams in the CFL. Big, fast, and multitalented, Gilchrist excelled on both offense and defense, but also wore out his welcome with each team. He came to Buffalo for the ’62 season and moved directly into the starting lineup at fullback as well as handling the team’s placekicking.

1962 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 214 [3]
Most attempts, game - 25 (for 124 yds.) vs. San Diego 10/13
Yards – 1096 [1]
Most yards, game – 143 yards (on 19 carries) vs. Oakland 10/20, (on 17 carries) at NY Titans 12/8
Average gain – 5.1 [4]
TDs – 13 [1, tied with Abner Haynes]
100-yard rushing games – 6

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 24
Most receptions, game – 4 (for 48 yds.) vs. Denver 9/14, (for 42 yds.) at Boston 11/23, (for 69 yds.) vs. Dallas Texans 12/2
Yards – 319
Most yards, game – 76 (on 2 catches) at Denver 10/28
Average gain – 13.3
TDs – 2

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 7 [20, tied with Art Baker & Elbert Dubenion]
Yards – 150
Average per return – 21.4
TDs – 0
Longest return – 34 yards

All-Purpose Yards – 1565 [5]

Kicking
Field goals – 8 [7]
Most field goals, game - 2 at San Diego 11/11, at NY Titans 12/8
Field goal attempts – 20 [6, tied with George Blair]
Most field goal attempts, game – 4 at Oakland 11/18
Field goal percentage – 40.0 [7]
PATs – 14 [8]
PAT attempts – 17 [8]
Longest field goal – 42 yards at NY Titans 12/8

Scoring
TDs – 15 [2]
Field Goals – 8
PATs – 14
Points – 128 [2, tied with Gino Cappelletti]

Awards & Honors:
AFL Player of the Year: AP, UPI
1st team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI
AFL All-Star Game

Bills went 7-6-1 to finish third in the AFL Eastern Division and led the league in rushing (2480 yards). It was the franchise’s first winning record.

Aftermath:
Gilchrist was slowed by injuries in 1963, but still set a single-game rushing record with 243 yards against the Jets, led the AFL in rushing attempts (232) and rushing TDs (12) and gained 979 yards. He led the AFL in rushing for a second time in ’64 (981 yards) in a title-winning year for the Bills, but became embroiled in conflict with Coach Lou Saban, was briefly suspended from the team, and in the offseason was dealt to the Denver Broncos. He again led the AFL in rushing attempts (252) as he ran for 954 yards in 1965. However, there was more turmoil and Gilchrist was traded to the expansion Miami Dolphins during the ’66 season where, playing on bad knees, he gained 262 yards in eight games. He returned to Denver in 1967 but saw scant action and retired. Altogether, he rushed for 9204 yards (4911 in the CFL, 4293 in the AFL), caught 196 passes for 2203 more yards (86 for 1068 yards in the CFL, 110 for 1135 yards in the AFL), and scored 78 TDs (35 in the CFL, 43 in the AFL). He was also an outstanding blocker as well as runner from scrimmage.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).

[Updated 4/12/12]
[Updated 2/10/14]

1964: Bills Shut Down Chargers to Win AFL Championship

On December 26, 1964 the Buffalo Bills, champions of the American Football League’s Eastern Division, hosted the defending AFL champions, the San Diego Chargers. It was truly a study in contrasts between the Bills, a ball-control team with an outstanding defense, and San Diego, with its potent offense.

Coached by Lou Saban, the Bills had gone 12-2 and defeated the Chargers twice during the season, but didn’t clinch the division until a win over the Patriots in the final contest. The offense was conservative but effective, leading the league in ground-gaining and scoring. Hard-hitting 250-pound FB Cookie Gilchrist (pictured above) was the AFL’s leading rusher (981 yards). QB Jack Kemp, formerly of the Chargers, was a good field general and if a change of pace was necessary, backup QB Daryle Lamonica was capable of effective relief. An additional weapon was rookie PK Pete Gogolak out of Cornell who brought his then-unique soccer-style placekicking to pro football and was successful on 65.5 % of his field goal attempts (19 of 29), making the ball-control offense all the more effective. The rugged defense that allowed the fewest points in the AFL had an outstanding line that included ends Ron McDole and Tom Day and tackles Tom Sestak and Jim Dunaway, and had other stars in LB Mike Stratton and FS George Saimes.

Head Coach Sid Gillman’s Chargers were not as dominant as they had been in ’63. They got off to a 1-2-1 start but then ran off six straight wins to take control of the Western Division. While the streaky club lost three of its last four contests, it was good enough for an 8-5-1 record. The Chargers still had an outstanding offense that was transitioning from 36-year-old Tobin Rote to 24-year-old John Hadl at quarterback. They also had the exciting flanker Lance Alworth to pass to and the running game featured all-purpose FB Keith Lincoln, the hero of the 1963 title game with 329 yards from scrimmage, and HB Paul Lowe. And while defense may have been an afterthought, there were outstanding players in DT Ernie Ladd, DE Earl Faison, linebackers Chuck Allen and Frank Buncom, and CB Dick Westmoreland. Injuries were an issue, however, and San Diego would be going into the title game without Alworth, who had injured his left knee.

There were 40,242 in attendance at War Memorial Stadium and it didn’t look promising for the home team as the Chargers quickly drove to a score. Lincoln took off for a 38-yard gain on San Diego’s first play from scrimmage and he accumulated four more running and 11 on a pass reception before Rote threw to TE Dave Kocurek for a 26-yard touchdown that put the Chargers ahead 7-0 at just 2:11 into the first quarter (for good measure Lincoln, also the club’s placekicker, added the extra point).

However, on San Diego’s next series, a play occurred that changed the complexion of the contest. In a second down situation, Rote threw a flare pass toward Lincoln and as the ball arrived Mike Stratton delivered a jarring hit to the star running back that knocked him out of the game with a broken rib (he did kick off to start the second half, but that was the extent of his action for the rest of the day). Once Lincoln was gone, the Chargers offense was unable to sustain a long drive the remainder of the game. (Stratton pictured below just a moment before hitting Lincoln)


The Bills scored on a 12-yard field goal by Pete Gogolak and the score was 7-3 after one quarter of play. DB Speedy Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the Buffalo 35, where he was brought down by LB Paul Maguire, but Rote was intercepted by DB Charley Warner to end the threat.

The Bills began to move the ball again as Gilchrist carried for a 31-yard gain and Kemp threw to TE Ernie Warlick for 27 yards to the San Diego eight yard line. The Chargers held, however, and on fourth-and-four the Bills lined up for a Gogolak field goal attempt. However, holder Daryle Lamonica bootlegged instead and was stopped just short of a first down.

The Chargers were again unable to generate offense and punted. Kemp threw to flanker Elbert Dubenion for 18 yards, runs by HB Wray Carlton and Gilchrist gained another 11, Dubenion ran for 8 on an end-around, and Kemp threw to Gilchrist for 15 yards. Carlton finished off the drive with a four-yard touchdown run (pictured below) that put the Bills ahead, 10-7.


Later in the period, Buffalo added a 17-yard field goal by Gogolak following a 39-yard carry by Gilchrist. With time running out in the half, the Chargers threatened with the aid of a pass interference penalty. However, once more the Bills ended the threat with an interception as Stratton picked off a Rote pass at his 20.

Gillman had started Rote due to his greater experience, but late in the third quarter, John Hadl replaced the ineffective veteran at quarterback for the Chargers. There was no further scoring until 5:28 into the fourth quarter. Kemp connected with end Glenn Bass for a 51-yard gain to the San Diego one yard line. Two plays later, Kemp carried the ball in for the TD that effectively sealed the win for Buffalo.

Gilchrist was finally forced out of the game with bruised ribs in the fourth quarter, once the result was assured. With 26 seconds left, the celebrating Buffalo fans broke through the police line and began tearing down the goal posts while the Chargers were attempting their last play. Buffalo had won the AFL title for the first time by a score of 20-7.

The Bills outgained San Diego (387 yards to 259) and had more first downs (21 to 15). They played outstanding ball-control football, rushing for 219 of those yards and not turning the ball over. Meanwhile, the vaunted Chargers passing game was held to 135 net yards and they suffered three turnovers, all on interceptions.

Cookie Gilchrist ran for 122 yards on 16 carries and caught two passes for 22 more. Wray Carlton added 70 yards and a touchdown on his 18 rushing attempts. Jack Kemp completed 10 of 20 passes for 188 yards and, while he didn’t complete any for TDs, he didn’t give up any interceptions. Elbert Dubenion had three pass receptions for 56 yards and Glenn Bass gained 70 yards on his two catches.

It was telling that, even though he was gone before the game was midway through the first quarter, Keith Lincoln still ended up leading the Chargers in rushing with 47 yards on just three carries. Paul Lowe ran 7 times for 34 yards and Lincoln’s replacement, FB Keith Kinderman, gained 14 yards on four carries. Kinderman also caught 4 passes for 52 yards while Dave Kocurek gained 52 yards as well on his two receptions that included the one TD. Tobin Rote was successful on just 10 of 26 passes for 118 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. John Hadl went to the air 10 times and completed three for 31 yards with one picked off. Lost in the defeat were Speedy Duncan’s three kickoff returns for 147 yards – a 49.0 average.

Afterward, a jubilant Lou Saban said he was glad the Chargers had scored first. “It jarred us quick. It jarred us to our senses – woke us up.”

The teams went on to win their respective divisions in 1965 and met for the AFL title in San Diego. In perhaps a more stunning result, the Bills dominated the Chargers even more thoroughly by a 23-0 score. By that point, Gilchrist was gone, having been dealt to Denver in the offseason. But despite a lesser running game, the defense was still strong enough to carry the club. And while Keith Lincoln was back in the San Diego backfield in ’65, and still capable when healthy, injuries would diminish his effectiveness for the remainder of his career.

1964: Bills Surge from Behind in Fourth Quarter to Beat Jets

The Buffalo Bills were undefeated at 6-0 as they hosted the New York Jets in an American Football League game on October 24, 1964. In their third season under Head Coach Lou Saban, Buffalo had a ball-control offense featuring the running of FB Cookie Gilchrist and the passing of QB Jack Kemp, who was frequently relieved by second-year backup Daryle Lamonica (pictured above) if the offense was bogging down or needed a change of pace. Another weapon, rookie Pete Gogolak, added to the team’s scoring potential with his then-unique soccer-style placekicking. The defense was the league’s best across the board.

The Jets were in their second season under the guidance of Head Coach Weeb Ewbank. The refurbished club was benefiting at the gate, having moved into the new Shea Stadium at Flushing Meadows. Rookie FB Matt Snell was Gilchrist’s rival for the AFL rushing title and there were outstanding receivers for strong-armed but immobile QB Dick Wood to throw to in flanker Don Maynard and split end Bake Turner. New York had played one less game than the Bills thus far and brought a 3-1-1 record into the game.

There were 39,621 fans present at War Memorial Stadium for the Saturday night contest. They saw the visitors score first as Wood threw to Turner for a seven-yard touchdown. Gogolak cut that to 7-3 in the second quarter with a 12-yard field goal, but New York responded with another TD, again on a pass by Wood - this time to Maynard from 12 yards out. The Bills cut New York’s lead with less than two minutes remaining in the half as Kemp connected with fleet flanker Elbert “Golden Wheels” Dubenion on a 44-yard touchdown play. The score was 14-10 in favor of the Jets at halftime.

Less than two minutes into the third quarter, the Jets extended their margin when Wood threw to Maynard for a 15-yard TD. Six minutes later, Jim Turner added another three points with a nine-yard field goal, and it seemed as though an upset was in the making with New York ahead by a 24-10 score.

Lamonica came on in relief of Kemp and led the Bills on an 80-yard drive in six plays. On the final play of the third quarter, rookie HB Bobby Smith finished off the possession when he ran off tackle for a 13-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, the tally stood at 24-17 entering the fourth quarter.

It was all Buffalo in the final period. The Bills defense completely shut down New York’s attack. Lamonica threw to Dubenion for a 44-yard TD that, with Gogolak’s successful conversion, evened the score at 24-24 with 7:44 to go. The Bills went ahead to stay less than four minutes later as Lamonica dove into the end zone to finish off a three-yard run. Gogolak concluded the scoring with a 31-yard field goal and the Bills came away with a 34-24 win to keep their record perfect for another week.

Buffalo outgained the Jets (527 yards to 245) and had more first downs (20 to 15). However, the Bills also turned the ball over three times, to none by New York. The Jets averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on the ground (66 yards on 29 attempts) while Buffalo gained 180 on 37 rushes (4.9 avg.). In the anticipated showdown between the AFL’s top two rushers, neither Cookie Gilchrist (15 carries for 27 yards) nor Matt Snell (28 yards on 12 attempts) was a factor.

Bobby Smith was the rushing star for Buffalo, gaining 98 yards on 12 carries with a TD, and was especially effective during the second-half comeback. Elbert Dubenion (pictured below) had a huge performance with 5 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Jack Kemp completed 8 of 16 passes for 220 yards with a touchdown and an interception while Daryle Lamonica was successful on 4 of 11 throws for 127 yards, also with a TD and one picked off, in his fourth successful relief effort of the year.


For the Jets, Dick Wood went to the air 40 times and completed 16 for 183 yards with three touchdowns and none intercepted. While Matt Snell didn’t accomplish much running the ball, he caught a team-leading 6 passes, for 48 yards. Bake Turner gained 74 yards on his 5 pass receptions and Don Maynard added four for 53 yards and two scores. HB Bill Mathis topped the running game, such as it was, with 34 yards on 12 attempts.

The Bills ran their record to 9-0 before being beaten by the Patriots; as it was, they finished first in the Eastern Division with a 12-2 tally and defeated San Diego for the AFL Championship. The Jets, after the promising start, won the next week against the Patriots but then lost six of their last seven games (including the rematch with Buffalo at Shea Stadium) as injuries accrued (especially in the defensive backfield) to end up at 5-8-1 and third in the division.

The quarterback combination continued to be productive for the Bills. Jack Kemp led the AFL in yards per attempt (8.5) and yards per completion (19.2 – a full three yards better than runner-up Cotton Davidson of the Raiders). The savvy 29-year-old veteran threw for 2285 yards and 13 touchdowns, as well as 26 interceptions, and was named to the league’s All-Star Game. Daryle Lamonica completed 55 of 128 throws (43.0 %) for 1137 yards with six TDs against eight interceptions. He also ran for 289 yards and six touchdowns (Kemp, also mobile, gained 124 yards and scored five times).

Elbert Dubenion caught 42 passes for 1139 yards (a gaudy 27.1 average) and 10 touchdowns. Like Kemp, he was named an AFL All-Star. While Cookie Gilchrist was the league’s leading rusher (981 yards), Bobby Smith, as he showed against the Jets, was an able change-of-pace runner and averaged 4.9 yards-per-carry (306 yards on 62 attempts). Pete Gogolak paved the way for more soccer-style kickers as he booted 19 field goals in 29 attempts and placed second in scoring with 102 points.

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1965: Buffalo Trades Cookie Gilchrist to Denver

The Buffalo Bills had won the AFL championship in 1964 in no small part to the efforts of their 250-pound battering ram fullback Cookie Gilchrist, the league’s leading rusher with 981 yards on 230 carries. But on February 24, 1965 they traded Gilchrist to the Denver Broncos for a lesser fullback, Billy Joe.

Gilchrist had been a mainstay of the Buffalo backfield since joining the team in 1962 after six years in the Canadian Football League. He had been an outstanding all-around player north of the border, but wore out his welcome with three teams before heading back to the US and the American Football League. With the Bills, he was both a powerful and productive runner, twice leading the league in rushing and setting a single-game record of 243 yards while gaining a well-earned reputation as an outstanding pass blocker. He was also outspoken and assertive in ways that sometimes annoyed teammates and most certainly led to disputes with Head Coach Lou Saban and the front office.

Prior to the ’64 season, Gilchrist had openly requested a trade to New York, where he saw greater potential for off-field business opportunities. He was often late for practice and openly disagreed with QB Jack Kemp, who wanted to throw the ball more. The situation came to a head during a game on November 15 against the Boston Patriots. The Bills were trailing late in the first half and had been passing far more often than running (Gilchrist had five carries for 23 yards, while Kemp had gone to the air 22 times). With the offense driving, Gilchrist suddenly pulled himself out of the game and sent in rookie Willie Ross to replace him.

The team lost for the first time all year, and an angry Coach Saban placed Gilchrist on waivers two days later. Not surprisingly, three teams claimed him, but a group of players interceded with Saban to have him recall the big fullback from waivers. Kemp had played a part – whatever their differences regarding offensive philosophy, the two were friends off the field – and convinced Gilchrist to apologize to the team and request a reinstatement. Whatever annoyances he had caused, his teammates were well aware that he always showed up motivated to play and they needed him if they were to win the division and league titles.

Saban agreed to allow Gilchrist back on the team, but once the season was over and a championship won, he was ready to take action. There were plenty of explanations offered by the club as to why they dealt him – most notably, although he had played in the AFL for just three years, he was 30 years old and, combined with his years in the CFL when he had also played linebacker on defense, his body had taken a beating. But in reality, he had simply become too difficult to handle.

Billy Joe was about the same size as Gilchrist, at 6’2” and 235 pounds and had been the league’s Rookie of the Year in 1963 after arriving as an 11th round draft choice out of Villanova. But his 646 yards in that first season ended up being his career high. He wasn’t the punishing and productive runner that Gilchrist had been, nor nearly as effective a blocker. In ’65, he contributed 377 yards with just a 3.1 average gain per carry (HB Wray Carlton led the team with 592 rushing yards), although he caught a career-high 27 passes. The Bills, with Kemp still at quarterback, an outstanding offensive line, and excellent defense, still had more than enough to win another championship.

Gilchrist gained 954 yards for the lowly Broncos (4-10) in 1965, which ranked second in the AFL, on 230 carries. It was a last hurrah for the big fullback with the big personality, and he refused to report to the club for the ’66 season. Placed on reserve to start the season, he ended up being dealt to the expansion Miami Dolphins midway through the campaign.

Ironically, Gilchrist and Joe were teammates in Miami in 1966 – the Dolphins had selected Joe from Buffalo in the expansion draft. Appearing in eight games, Gilchrist gained 262 yards on 72 carries (30 more yards than Billy Joe gained over the course of the entire season). He went back to Denver, where, in another irony, he was reunited with Lou Saban, but played in just one game before it was apparent that his knees could no longer provide the power needed to continue as an effective power back.

Cookie Gilchrist was certainly one of the most memorable characters in the AFL, and one of its best players. He was a force on the football field and a larger-than-life personality off of it – charming and intelligent, but also brazen and defiant. As a general manager of the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts put it, “Put up with him for a season or two, he’ll be great. But then get rid of him before you have a nervous breakdown.”

The Bills got three good years out of him, including a key role in a league championship season.

1963: Buffalo’s Cookie Gilchrist Runs for 243 Yards and 5 Touchdowns

Fullback Carlton “Cookie” Gilchrist was a big athlete with an equally big personality. At 6’3” and 250 pounds, he was a behemoth for a running back in the 60s. He had gone directly from high school to the Canadian Football League (after a brief stint in the training camp of the Cleveland Browns), where he was an outstanding player for six seasons, appearing at fullback, offensive tackle, defensive tackle, linebacker, and placekicker. He was named a Divisional All-Star in five of those seasons - as a running back on each occasion and once as a linebacker as well. However, he also developed a reputation for being difficult to manage as he wore out his welcome with three different CFL teams (he started out with two years in the Ontario Rugby Football Union).

At age 27, Gilchrist joined the Buffalo Bills of the AFL in 1962 and was named league MVP by UPI after leading the league in rushing with 1096 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns (13 on the ground). A bruising power runner, he was also an outstanding pass blocker. But injuries that included torn rib cartilage, a broken toe, and sprained ankle ligaments slowed Gilchrist down in ’63. Running at about forty percent efficiency, he gained just 318 yards on 94 carries (3.4 yards per carry) through the first eight games. But then he picked up 125 yards on 26 attempts at Denver in the ninth game; it was a sign that he was returning to form.

Four games later, on December 8, 1963, the Bills hosted the New York Jets at War Memorial Stadium and Gilchrist ran for 243 yards on 36 carries. He not only set a new AFL record but exceeded Jim Brown’s existing NFL record by six yards.

Gilchrist scored the first TD of the game on a four-yard run in the first quarter and went on to accumulate five touchdowns on the day, all by rushing. His longest scoring run of the game was 19 yards in the fourth quarter as he repeatedly pummeled the Jets defense, and he was all the offense that Buffalo needed on this occasion. The final score was 45-14, and the only non-Gilchrist touchdown for the Bills came in the second quarter (after the big fullback had already twice rumbled into the end zone) on a 23-yard pass play from QB Daryle Lamonica to flanker Elbert Dubenion. Of Buffalo’s 370 total yards, Gilchrist had accounted for almost two thirds of it.


The unfortunate Jets had to face the Bills once again the following week at the Polo Grounds in the season finale, and Gilchrist carried 31 times for 114 yards and a TD as Buffalo won again, 19-10. The two wins to close out the regular season allowed the Bills to tie for first place in the weak Eastern Division with a 7-6-1 record. They lost the playoff to the Boston Patriots, 26-8, and Gilchrist was held to just 7 yards on 8 carries. The Jets ended up at the bottom of the division with a 5-8-1 record.

With the late rally, Gilchrist finished third in the AFL with 979 yards on a league-leading 232 carries (the first of three consecutive seasons in which he had the most rushes), for a 4.2-yard average and 12 TDs (he had two receiving scores to give him a total of 14). He was the league’s top rusher for a second time in 1964, but wore out his welcome with Head Coach Lou Saban and was traded to Denver.

Assertive to a fault, Gilchrist was both outspoken and independent-minded – traits not always appreciated in professional athletes, especially ones of color, during that era. But his accomplishments on the field spoke most eloquently to his toughness and ability, and teammates insisted that no matter what was said and done off the field, when it came time to play, Gilchrist was ready.