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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE PATRIOTS' FIRST TITLE November 25, 1963 ... The Patriots will not play Sunday. The AFL has cancelled its Sunday schedule out of respect to the death of President John F. Kennedy. The Patriots will play Buffalo the following Sunday at Fenway Park. President Billy Sullivan will attend the funeral as the representative of the American Football League. November 27, 1963 ... Tom Yewcic may see more playing time according to Coach Mike Holovak. When Babe Parilli injured his shoulder earlier in the season, Yewcic took over and did a nice job. Holovak wants to shake up the lineup in hopes of jump starting a lethargic offense. Parilli has been the Patriots’ quarterback for two years, replacing Butch Songin with three games left in the 1961 season. Both Buffalo and the Patriots are tied with a 5-5-1 record and the Eastern Division crown could be at stake. The Houston Oilers are 6-4 and are playing the San Diego Chargers. Both teams with people banged up or hurt, have been helped considerably with the extra week’s rest following the tragic death of President Kennedy. November 29, 1963 ... The Patriots selected Boston College quarterback, Jack Concannon in the AFL draft. The Patriots got the first pick by swapping their first and third draft choices to the Denver Broncos. The Patriots next pick was Notre Dame’s receiver Jim Kelly in the second round and Holy Cross’ center, Jon Morris in the fourth round. In the sixth round, the Patriots picked the Syracuse guard, Jim Mazorek and T.W. Alley a big tackle from William & Mary in the next round. J.D. Garret, the Grambling running back, Roger Lalonde, a tackle from Muskingum, Len St. Jean, an end from Michigan rounded out the picks in the first ten rounds. November 30, 1963 ... This season has been a disappointment to the Patriots financially, in spite of being in the thick of the divisional race and moving to Fenway Park from B.U.’s Nickerson Field. Costs have skied for the Patriots. The rental of Fenway Park is huge and the payroll is heavier. Attendance at the home games has totaled 169,870 or $670,480. Television, radio, and concessions has brought in an additional $225,000. In spite of four years of losses, Patriots ownership still plans on making plenty of bonus money for their draftees.
December 1, 1963 ... Babe Parilli, with his job on the line, rose up in the second half of today’s game at a frigid Fenway Park, passing for a touchdown and running for another, to push the Patriots past the Buffalo Bills by a score of 17-7. The win lifted the Patriots into a first place tie with the Houston Oilers in the A.F.L.’s Eastern Division. On the West Coast, the San Diego Chargers helped the Patriots by walloping the Oilers, 27-0. So, next Sunday, Boston plays Houston for all the marbles. The Patriots, trailing Buffalo 7-0 on a second period touchdown, and playing as if they were dead, the Patriots suddenly came alive. The transformation was sudden and unexpected. It happened when Babe Parilli called a switch in plays at the line of scrimmage after seeing that Buffalo was rushing eight men. Parilli shifted his backs to the left and as he turned to his left after the snap, he was blitzed by the Buffalo safeties. He turned around a tossed a short screen over the middle of the Bill’s line to Larry Garron who was open because of the blitz. Garron took the ball for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Moments later, Parilli saw another chance to exploit Buffalo. Gino Cappelletti had suggested that the defensive backs were having trouble with their footing on the frozen turf. Babe faked to Artie Graham on a stop-and-go, and then tossed one to him at the Boston 23. Graham hoofed it down to the Buffalo 40 where Willie West, the Bills defender, tried to shoulder tackle him. Graham lugged West down to the 14-yard line. Jim Colclough then picked up a first down at the three. Parilli then faked Jim Crawford into the line and bootlegged to his left, following Garron into the end zone. In the fourth quarter, Parilli kept the ball on the ground rather than throw into the icy gale coming over the left field wall. He took out down to field goal range, where Gino Cappelletti, the league’s leading scorer, iced the game with a 43-yard field goal. Buffalo had nothing except in the first half with one 80-yard drive, in nine plays, and one penalty leading to their only score. The Patriots now play the Oilers who they have already beaten 45-3. |
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