Chronology 1959-1969

1959-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-Today

1959
Aug. 14First meeting of proposed football league is held in Chicago with representatives of six teams, including Los Angeles entry headed by Barron Hilton.
Aug. 22Second meeting is held in Dallas with announcement that league will be known as "American Football League."
Oct. 14Frank Leahy, former Notre Dame University football coach, is named general manager of Los Angeles team.
Oct. 28Gerald Courtney of Hollywood wins expenses-paid trip to Mexico City and Acapulco for submitting "Chargers" in name-the-team contest.
1960
Jan. 7Sid Gillman, former coach of NFL Los Angeles Rams, signs three-year contract as head coach of Chargers.
March 20Owner Barron Hilton unveils Chargers uniforms, blue and gold with lightning bolts on sides of helmets and trousers, at cocktail party at Hilton's Santa Monica residence; players Jack Kemp and Ron Mix model uniforms.
April 9-12A total of 207 candidates is reduced to three who are invited back to summer training camp after four-day tryout camp in Burbank.
June 9AFL teams sign five-year contract with American Broadcasting Company for televising selected games.
July 1General manager Frank Leahy resigns because of poor health.
July 8Chargers open training camp at Chapman College, Orange, 30 miles Southeast of Los Angeles.
July 9Sid Gillman assumes dual role of coach and general manager.
Aug. 6Paul Lowe returns opening kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown as Chargers defeat New York Titans 27-7 before 27,778 in Los Angeles Coliseum in first preseason game.
Sept. 10The Chargers overcome 20-7 deficit in fourth quarter to defeat Dallas 21-20 before 17,724 persons in Coliseum in opening league game.
Dec. 10A crowd of 9,928 in Coliseum watches Chargers top Denver 41-33 to clinch AFL Western Division title.
Dec. 23Hilton says he will accept invitation to visit San Diego regarding a possible move of Chargers from Los Angeles.
Back to top

1961
Jan. 1A crowd of 32,183 in Jeppesen Stadium and a national television audience sees host Houston defeat Chargers 24-16 for AFL championship.
Jan. 6Civic leaders form Greater San Diego Sports Association to attract major-league sports following Hilton's visit.
Feb. 10AFL gives Hilton formal approval to move Chargers to San Diego.
May 1Workers begin enlarging the Chargers future home, Balboa Stadium, which will add an upper deck and increase capacity from 23,000 to 34,000.
July 22The Chargers open training camp at University of San Diego.
Aug. 6Balboa Stadium is reminiscent of ancient Roman ruins as Chargers defeat Houston 27-14 on a 93-degree afternoon before paid crowd of 12,304 (total attendance estimated at 15,000) in first preseason game.
Nov. 19Chargers defeat Dallas 24-14 to clinch AFL West title with five games remaining; Charlie McNeil makes club's forty-third pass interception, a professional record.
Dec.17The Chargers lose to Boston 41-0 in Balboa Stadium, but Dick Harris intercepts Babe Parilli's pass to Gino Cappelletti, the Chargers 49th interception of the season, setting a new NFL record.
Dec. 24Houston defeats Chargers 10-3 before 29,556 persons in Balboa Stadium to win second AFL championship.
Back to top

1962
Jan. 7West defeats East 47-27 in Balboa Stadium in first AFL All-Star game, featuring Chargers coaches and 11 players.
July 16Chargers open training camp at USD.
Dec. 16A 26-17 loss to Dallas marks the end of a 4-10 season for the Chargers, who saw 23 players miss at least two games with injuries.
Back to top

1963
Jan. 13Chargers Earl Faison is named outstanding defensive player as West defeats East 21-14 in AFL All-Star game before 27,641 persons in Balboa Stadium.
April 30Barron Hilton and his father, Conrad, sell one-third of their interest in the Chargers to San Diego businessmen John Mabee, George Pernicano, Kenneth Swanson, James Copley, and M.L. Bengston of Los Angeles.
July 10The Chargers open their training camp at Rough Acres Ranch, located near Boulevard, a hamlet of 100 persons in the mountains of east San Diego County, 60 miles from the city.
Dec. 22Eight Chargers score and Paul Lowe rushes for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries as the Chargers clinch AFL West title with 58-20 victory over Denver; season ended week later than scheduled after AFL postponed games weekend following Nov. 22 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Back to top

1964
Jan. 5Keith Lincoln accounts for 349 yards of total offense as Chargers win AFL championship, defeating Boston 51-10, before 30,127 persons in Balboa Stadium.
Jan. 19Lincoln is named MVP after gaining 121 yards in 14 carries as West defeats East 27-14 in front of 20,016 persons in AFL All-Star game in Balboa Stadium.
Jan. 29AFL teams sign a five-year television contract with National Broadcasting Company for a record $36 million; the contract will commence with the 1965 season.
July 15The Chargers open training camp at the TraveLodge in Escondido.
Oct. 3The Chargers and New York Jets tied 17-17 before a record AFL crowd of 50,222 fans, 46,828 paid in New York's Shea Stadium.
Nov. 26A Balboa Stadium attendance record of 34,865 is set as Buffalo defeats San Diego 27-24 on Thanksgiving Day.
Dec. 6The Chargers defeat the Jets 38-3 before 25,753 persons in Balboa Stadium to clinch their fourth AFL West title in five years.
Dec. 26With wide receiver Lance Alworth out of the game with a knee injury and fullback Keith Lincoln sidelined in the first quarter with a fractured rib, the Chargers are beaten 20-7 in Buffalo for the AFL championship.
Back to top

1965
Jan. 16Fullback Keith Lincoln runs 80 yards for one touchdown and combines on a 73-yard pass play for a touchdown as the West defeats the East 38-14 in the AFL All-Star game before 15,446 persons at Houston's Jeppesen Stadium. The game, originally moved from San Diego to New Orleans, was switched to Houston on one day's notice after black players experienced mistreatment in New Orleans.
April 27The San Diego City Council endorses construction of a multipurpose stadium in Mission Valley and drops idea of a floating stadium in Mission Bay.
May 17The City Council approves expenditure of $750,000 for architectural and engineering drawings of a 50,000-seat stadium at the southwest corner of Friars Road and Murphy Canyon Road in Mission Valley.
July 14The Chargers open training camp in Escondido.
Nov. 2Construction of a $27 million San Diego Stadium is authorized by a 73 percent "yes" vote by San Diego citizens.
Dec. 12San Diego wins fifth AFL West title in six years by defeating Houston 37-26.
Dec. 23Paul Lowe and Lance Alworth finish 1-2 in balloting by players for AFL player of the year.
Dec. 24Groundbreaking ceremonies are conducted for San Diego Stadium.
Dec. 26Buffalo defeats the Chargers 23-0 in front of 30,361 persons in Balboa Stadium for the AFL championship; a new automobile, the "Charger," is introduced by Chrysler officials at halftime.
Back to top

1966
Jan. 15The AFL All-Stars beat the Buffalo Bills, 30-19, as Lance Alworth catches two touchdown passes and Chargers linebacker Frank Buncom is defensive player of the game before a crowd of 35,572 in Houston's Rice Stadium.
Jan. 18Tight end Dave Kocourek, guard Ernest Park, and defensive backs Dick Westmoreland and Jimmy Warren are selected from San Diego by Miami in the allocation draft to stock the new AFL franchise during league meeting in Houston.
June 8AFL and National Football League teams announce plans to merge in the 1970 season and Chargers and Los Angeles Rams announce they will play three preseason games in San Diego Stadium, beginning in 1967.
July 8The Chargers report to training camp in Escondido.
Aug. 25Eugene V. Klein of Beverly Hills heads a group of 21 business executives who purchase the Chargers for $10 million, a record transaction in professional football.
Back to top

1967
July 10The Chargers report to their Escondido training camp.
Aug. 20San Diego Stadium is dedicated before a crowd of 45,988; Detroit defeats the Chargers 38-17 in San Diego's first meeting with an NFL team.
Oct. 15Leslie "Speedy" Duncan has 203 yards in returns, 35 on a fumble recovery for a touchdown, 68 on four kickoff returns, and 100 for a touchdown on the longest interception return in AFL history as the Chargers defeat Kansas City 45-31 in a game in which the teams combine for 897 yards total offense and 622 in returns.
Dec. 3The Chargers are beaten by Oakland 41-21 before the first sellout crowd in the Stadium, 52,661 persons, and 2,018 persons also watched the game on closed-circuit television in the San Diego Sports Arena.
Back to top

1968
July 5The Chargers open training camp in Escondido.
Aug. 3The Chargers open the preseason at home and score their first victory over an NFL team, defeating San Francisco 30-18 before 39,553 in San Diego Stadium.
Nov. 24Leslie (Speedy) Duncan sets an AFL record with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 37-15 loss to the New York Jets in San Diego Stadium.
Back to top

1969
July 11The Chargers open training camp at the University of California at Irvine, 85 miles north of San Diego.
Sept. 28The Chargers defeat the defending Super Bowl III champion New York Jets before a record San Diego Stadium crowd of 54,042.
Nov. 14Offensive backfield coach Charlie Waller is named head coach following the resignation of Sid Gillman, who is suffering from stomach ulcer and chest hernia. Gillman continues as general manager.
Dec. 14Lance Alworth sets a professional record with a pass reception in his 96th consecutive game; the Chargers finish with an 8-6 record and a 45-6 victory over Buffalo.
Back to top