January 17

In this episode of the Football's History Headlines, we discuss some real bad timing for kicker Gary Anderson to end his successful kicking streak. We also get into Super Bowl V between the Colts and the Cowboys as well as many more Hall of Fame Legendary stories.

The Titled photograph above is " Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia. High school football game " and was taken by photographer Jack Delanao in 1941 and kindly donated to the US Library of Congress.

January 17, 1952 - The 1952 NFL Draft took place and the top pick was Bill Wade from the University of Vanderbilt. The Pro-Football-Reference.com site says that after the Los Angeles Rams drafted Wade with the first pick there were two future Hall of Famers taken as the next selections. At number two the Dallas Texans took Linebacker Les Richter followed up by the Chicago Cardinals selecting receiver Ollie Matson with the third overall pick. Other players destined for the HOF in this draft were Hugh McElhenny going to the 49ers at number 9 and Frank Gifford hooking up with the Giants at 11. Gino Marchetti, Bobby Dillon and Yale Lary also were draft picks from this famous ‘52 draft that have bronze busts in Canton.

January 17, 1954 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - The NFL Eastern Conference doubled up the Western Conference, 20-9 in the 4th NFL Pro Bowl. The game's MVP was Chuck Bednarik, a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles.

January 17, 1960 - The 10th NFL Pro Bowl was once again played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In this edition the Western Conference pulled away from the Eastern Conference for a 38-21 final score. A pair of Baltimore Colts took home the MVP honors with Defensive lineman Eugene Lipscomb and QB Johnny Unitas being selected for their fine play.

January 17, 1970 - Astrodome, Houston - The 9th and final AFL All Star Game was played. The Western Division dominated the Eastern Division, 26-3. The game’s MVP was Los Angeles Charger quarterback John Hadl.

January 17, 1971 - Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida - Super Bowl V was a big one. It was also one of those big games that kept viewers on the edges of their seats right until the end per the NFL.com. The Baltimore Colts and the Dallas Cowboys rose above the rest of the League to have the honor of battling for the Lombardi. The game was knotted at 13 late in the fourth quarter. The Colts had the ball but starting signal caller Johnny Unitas had been knocked out of the game. A late push with backup quarterback Earl Morall at the helm took the Colts deep into Dallas territory. Blue Horseshoe kicker Jim O’Brien entered on to the field and with five ticks of the clock remaining booted the ball through the uprights! The Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13. FOr the only time in Super Bowl History a member of the losing team won the MVP award. Chuck Howley, the linebacker of Dallas, had little consolation in the trophy he took home compared to the large one that the Colts received.

January 17,  1977 - Seattle Kingdome - The NFL Pro Bowl saw Steelers legendary corner Mel Blount take home the MVP award as the AFC defeated the NFC, 24-14.

January 17, 1988 - Mile High Stadium, Denver - At the AFC Championship game that has gone down in history as the "The Fumble." 

The Following scoreboard posts are from Onthisday.com

January 17, 1988 - RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. - The Nation’s Capitol hosted the NFC Championship game. Washington Redskins beat Minnesota Vikings, 17-10

January 17, 1993 - Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami - At the AFC Championship the Buffalo Bills got past the Miami Dolphins, 29-10.

January 17, 1993 - Candlestick Park, San Francisco - The NFC Championship game resulted in the Dallas Cowboys knocking off the San Francisco 49ers, 30-20.

January 17, 1995 - The Los Angeles Rams announced that they were moving to St Louis. 

January 17, 1999 - Mile High Stadium, Denver - AFC Championship game Denver Broncos beat New York Jets, 23-10; 

January 17, 1999 - Metrodome, Minneapolis - The Dirty Birds of the Atlanta Falcons traveled to play the high flying offense of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game according to Twincities.com. The Vikings went 15-1 in the 1998 season, the best year in team history, and were 11-point favorites in the championship game against the Atlanta Falcons at home. But this is not a game that Vikings fans want to remember. With 2:18 left in the game Minnesota kicker Gary Anderson, who had not missed a field goal attempt or an extra point all season strolled onto the field with his team up 27-20 to possibly put the game out of reach for the Falcons.  To really put it into perspective that is a remarkable streak of 35 field goals and 59 extra points without a miss on the season! It was a sure thing right? G.A. was going to put the Vikes up by 10 at the two minute warning. At the most inopportune time, probably in the history of football, the terrific season of Gary Anderson fell apart as he missed the kick.  The Falcons had new life and drove the field to tie the game and send it into over time! The Vikings were demoralized as they had let a 27-17 lead in the fourth quarter slip away. The Falcons with momentum eventually kicked the game winner in the extra session that sent them to the Super Bowl. The game has now been remembered as "The Miss."  The Final score was the Atlanta Falcons 30 and the Minnesota Vikings 27.

January 17, 2001 - The NFL owners met in Dallas  and voted to increase the shared revenue across the League. The 32 teams agreed to pool the visiting team's share of gate receipts for all games ( regular and pre-season) and divide the pool equally starting in the 2002 season. According to a 2004 paper titled “ Revenue and Wealth Maximization in the National Football League: The Impact of Stadia”  found on repository.usfca.org by Matthew Brown, Mark Nagel, Chad McEvoy, and Daniel Rascher the revenue plan greatly aided in the construction of new stadiums and remodeling of old ones in the NFL. Some local governments had teamed up with franchises and used subsidies to aid in the construction costs shortly after the shared revenue plan was accepted and NFL cities like the Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Pittsburgh Steelers benefitted by this measure. Others like Dallas, New York, LA and Los Vegas have built super stadiums that really have revolutionized the game venue. Chicago’s Soldier Field and Green Bay’s Lambeau Field are examples of the funding to help with major facelift renovations of older stadiums to bring them up to speed with the NFL’s criteria of the 21st century.

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January 17, 1933 - Warrenton, Georgia - Former University of Illinois halfback J.C. Caroline was born. The National Football Foundation selected J.C. Caroline entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

January 17, 1937 - Ponca City, Oklahoma - Buddy Dial the legendary Rice University end celebrated his day of birth. Buddy Dial was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.