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SUPER BOWL I
By Callie Spear
In 1967, the two existing rival football leagues came together to play what in future years would be known as the Super Bowl. The National Football League and The American Football league had fought for bragging rights and dominance over the sport of football. This first game, played before the two leagues combined to form the modern National Football League, was to determine the superiority of one league over another.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers won their respective league championships to face each other in this first showdown. Hank Stram led the Chiefs to a decisive win over the Buffalo Bills, 31-7, for the AFL Championship. The legendary Vince Lombardi led the Packers in a tight game over the Dallas Cowboys where the Packers’ defense held the Cowboys on the 2-yard line for three downs. On the fourth down, an interception secured the Packers’ victory, 34-27.
This championship game would become the only Super Bowl in history that would not be a sell-out. The lack of attendance (61,946) causedthe game that was televised by both CBS and NBC, to be blacked out in the Los Angeles area.
The game was played on January 15 at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum. The first Super Bowl, the championship of all American Football was about to be played for the first time in history. The Green Bay Packers would launch the series by defeating Kansas City’s American Football League champions, 35-10.
. The Packers took the early lead until the Chiefs only touchdown came on a 7-yard pass from Dawson to Curtis McClinton. Green Bay scored a second touchdown and Kansas City answered with a 31-yard field goal to keep the game close at halftime,14-10. Lombardi’s champions put the game out of reach with three second-half touchdowns, the first of which was set up by Willie Wood’s 50-yard return of an interception to the Chiefs’ 5-yard line.
The pass, thrown by the Chiefs’ Len Dawson, was intended for Kansas City’s tight end, Fred Arbanas
After having caught only four passes all season, wide receiver Max McGee snared seven passes from Packers’ quarterback Bart Starr for 138 yards. McGee was filling in for Boyd Dowler who was injured on the Packers’ first offensive series.
Elijah Pitts ran for two other scores; one on a 5-yard run and the other a 1-yard bolt in the fourth quarter.
For completing 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards, two of which were touchdowns, Starr was named Super Bowl MVP of the game.
His scoring strikes came on a 37-yard pass to McGee in the first quarter and a 13-yard pitch in the third quarter.
The passing game of Starr, McGee’s receptions, and an interception by Wood, led the Packers to take home the title of Super Bowl I Champions.
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