Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Last but not least...

New England gave birth to a brand new bouncing baby on this date in 1959 when a group of local Boston businessmen led by former public relations executive William H. "Billy" Sullivan, Jr. was awarded the 8th and final franchise in the new American Football League. Now let's see, what shall we call him ? Well we're the home of the battles of Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere, minutemen and lots of other patriots, hey we may be on to something. Did someone say patriots ? Hmmm...

The first Patriot logo featured "Pat Patriot" dressed for battle in a 3-point stance, football in right hand, ready to be snapped to a waiting quarterback (not pictured, he may have been reloading his musket and preparing himself for another battle). I must confess that being a diehard Patriot fan who got used to the "Flying Elvis" logo that would be the successor to our beloved "Pat Patriot" in the 70s, I still consider Pat to be an old and cherished friend that I still miss...

Silver has been added to the original team colors of red, white and blue (you were expecting maybe purple or even worse, teal ?) in recent years and as long as black never rears its ugly head, rest easy fellow Patriot fans...

Following a rough start in 1960, the Patriots had a winning record in their second year but victories were scarce in the 60s and 70s and while the home team teased us by tying for the Eastern Division title in 1963 they would lose in the playoffs. In 1978 the Pats would win their 1st Eastern Division crown. They would appear in their 1st Super Bowl (XX) in 1986 but get crushed by the Chicago Bears, reappear in 1997 (SB XXXI) only to lose again, this time to the Green Bay Packers but the Super Bowls played in 2002, 2004 and 2005 brought victory to the red, white, blue (and okay, silver) and those 3 Super Bowl titles in the last 4 years mark the Patriots as the most successful NFL franchise in the land. Thank you Billy Sullivan...

More on the Patriots follows in my commentary...

More November 16 Memories...

1952) Lucy holds the football for Charlie Brown for the 1st time in "Peanuts"...

1957) Jim Brown sets an NFL season rushing record of 1,163 yards after only 8 games...

1957) Dick Lynch scampers around right end for a touchdown, ending Oklahoma's streak of 47 straight wins as Notre Dame beats the #1 ranked Oakies 7-0 at Norman, Oklahoma...

1959) Billy Sullivan buys the Patriots (feature story)...

1959) Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" opens on Broadway...

1960) "Stay" by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs tops the charts (the song is the shortest #1 single in the rock era at one minute and 37 seconds)...

1960) Clark Gable dies of a heart attack at 59...

1966) Dr. Sam Sheppard is acquitted in his second trial on charges he had murdered his pregnant wife, Marilyn, in 1954 (this story was the basis for the TV series, "The Fugitive")...

1970) "I Think I Love You" tops the charts for David Cassidy & The Patridge Family (the song tops the charts exactly 2 months and 4 days after the TV show debuts)...

1974) John Lennon has his 1st and only solo #1, "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" (with piano and backup vocals provided by Elton John)...

1974) Motown releases "Boogie On Reggae Woman" by Stevie Wonder...

1978) The movie version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" opens (The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton and Billy Preston make their acting debuts)...

1979) Paul McCartney releases "Wonderful Christmas"...

1980) "Lady" by Kenny Rogers is #1 (written and produced by Lionel Richie)...

1981) Luke marries Laura on "General Hospital" in front of 16 million viewers...

1982) An agreement is announced on the 57th day of a strike by NFL players...

1987) Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet say their "I Do's" on Lisa's 20th birthday (the couple will separate in 1990 and divorce in 1993)...

2000) Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting president to visit Communist Vietnam...

2001) Congress passes an aviation security bill mandating that airport screeners be federal employees...

Happy Birthday To...

1928) Clu Gulager...

1958) Marge (Margggg, with a hard "g" or is it a soft "g" ?) Helgenberger...

1964) Dwight Gooden (hopefully he gets a leave to celebrate)...

1964) Diana Krall...

1967) Lisa Bonet...

1977) Oksana Baiul...

Commentary...

Billy Sullivan, the original owner of the Patriots was a cheerful Irishman (oh, really ?) who always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He was the perfect owner and spokeman for this fledgling team. Billy wasted little time after receiving the franchise in 1959, drafting a running back, Ron Burton from Northwestern University, with his first draft pick with the not so immortal running back Gerhardt Schwedes being the team's first territorial choice...

I had a pressbox view of most of the nomadic Patriots' games in the 60s (from '66 on). After getting kicked out of Fenway Park by Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey the team was homeless, playing games wherever they could find a field. I saw them play at B.C.'s Alumni Field and even Harvard Stadium. All that changed in 1971 when the Patriots finally had a home of their own at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro. It was exciting to be part of the press day, walk on the synthetic turf and witness the 1st exhibition game and season opener that year (both won by the Pats). 1971 was also the year that the "Boston" Patriots became the "New England" Patriots...

The Patriots have come a long way from this day in 1959 when Billy Sullivan and others brought a new baby into the world and those of us that are part of Patriot's Nation are grateful for the gift. Now let's get healthy and turn this season around and make it 4 Super Bowl wins in 5 years...