By Thomas Tarapacki
The Buffalo Bills obviously aren't going to be in the Super Bowl this year, but it's interesting to recall that the Bills help set off a chain of events that led to the creation of that game.
In The Birth of the New NFL: How the 1966 NFL/AFL Merger Transformed Pro Football by Larry Felser (Lyons Press, $14.95), the former Buffalo News sports editor, examines the events leading up to the pro football merger and the playing of the first Super Bowl on January 15, 1967. Buffalo not only played a pivotal role in the merger and the creation of the Super Bowl, but it also came close to representing the American Football League in that historic game.
The AFL was a rival league to the established National Football League, created in 1960. The Buffalo Bills had won AFL titles in 1964 and 1965, helped by a place kicker named Pete Gogolak, pro football's first soccer-style kicker (He was also one of the few kicking specialists who didn't play another position). In 1963, the Hungarian-born Gogolak had a great season kicking for Cornell, including booting the first-ever 50-yard field goal. Despite his stellar college career he was undrafted by the NFL, though the Bills decided to select him in the 12th round --- the first time they'd ever drafted a kicker. Gogolak turned out to be a great find for the Bills. He drew a lot of attention when, in his first preseason game, he kicked a 57-yard field goal. Gogolak went on to become the AFL's second-leading scorer as a rookie in 1964 with 102 points, connecting on 19 of 27 field goal attempts. In his 2nd year he scored 115 points and made 28 of 46 field goal attempts.
After two years with the Bills Gogolak became a free agent. The Bills offered Gogolak $13,000 a year, which was only a $2000 raise over his top salary. Although the AFL and NFL were at "war," they had a "gentleman's agreement" not to go after other teams' veterans. They competed aggressively against each other for rookies but, as Felser put it, free agents were "the forbidden fruit of the football war." However, the NFL New York Giants were desperate for a kicker. Their incumbent kicker, Bob Timberlake, had made just one field goal in 15 attempts. In addition, the Giants were feeling some heat from their crosstown rivals, the AFL New York Jets. The Jets were "winning the race for public interest and attention" with their sensational young quarterback, Joe Namath. The Giants were hoping that signing Gogolak would give them some more media attention.
Well, the Giants got a lot of attention when they signed Gogolak for a reported $32,000. AFL team owners were outraged that the Giants had signed one of their free agents, while NFL owners were dismayed that one of their own had reneged on the gentlemen's agreement --- especially for a kicker. Then-AFL Commissioner Al Davis already had a plan of attack in place. The AFL aggressively went after NFL free agents, negotiating deals with stars like John Brodie, Roman Gabriel, and Mike Ditka. Not surprisingly, a few months later, there was a merger agreement. As part of agreement, the first championship game between the two leagues was scheduled for January 1967.
With Gogolak gone in 1966 the Bills brought in Booth Lusteg, who only lasted a year with the team. Lusteg is probably best remembered for missing a 23-yard field goal against San Diego with 5 seconds left in a 17-17 tie. As the kicker was leaving War Memorial Stadium, he was approached by four fans who asked, "Are you Booth Lusteg?" When he replied in the affirmative, they punched him and left.
However, you can't blame Lusteg for the Bills not making it to the first Super Bowl ever played. After winning AFL titles in 1964 and 1965, Bills' star players like Jack Kemp and Tom Sestak were showing their age in 1966. In addition, Lou Saban was no longer head coach, replaced by former defensive coordinator Joel Collier. Still, Buffalo finished 9-4-1 and managed to return to the AFL Championship game, which was played on New Year's Day 1967 in War Memorial Stadium. However, the Bills "played as if they would become champions by force of habit," and were trounced by the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-7. The Bills continued their decline in the following seasons, going 4-10 in 1967 and 1-12-1 in 1968.
For all of the upheaval resulting from his signing, Gogolak didn't make much of a difference for the Giants. In his first season, he kicked two 47-yard field goals, and made 16 of 28 attempts, but New York had a 1-12-1 record. Gogolak played there for 9 years, and had a solid if unspectacular career, as the Giants had just one winning season during that time.
So Kansas City represented the AFL in the first Super Bowl, and was soundly defeated by the NFL champion Green Bay Packers, 35-10 (AFL-NFL World Championship Game was the official name back then). There are those who argue --- Felser among them --- that the Bills might have fared much better against the NFL champions. Unlike most AFL teams, Buffalo had a ball-control offense and an outstanding defense, especially against the run. In addition, the two-time AFL champions had much more post-season experience than the Chiefs.
The Birth of the New NFL doesn't just focus on Buffalo, but delves into all sides of the AFL/NFL merger. Felser gives an insider's view of the wheeling and dealing that led to the creation of the richest and more profitable sports league in the world.
With the brilliant moves the Bills are making, it's unlikely Buffalo will return to the Super Bowl before a new Peace Bridge is built.