[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1286 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1286

   Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural season of the 
                       American Football League.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2010

 Mr. Perlmutter (for himself, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Hodes, Mr. 
Kennedy, Ms. Markey of Colorado, Mr. Markey of Massachusetts, Mr. Moore 
   of Kansas, and Mr. Rothman of New Jersey) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural season of the 
                       American Football League.

Whereas, on August 14, 1959, businessman Lamar Hunt and 11 colleagues proposed a 
        new major professional football league in the United States;
Whereas the American Football League was chartered to expand professional 
        football to athletically minded cities growing in population and 
        industry;
Whereas most professional football fans at the time believed the well-
        established National Football League was the premier football league;
Whereas the owners of the new league, including Bud Adams, Lamar Hunt, and Ralph 
        Wilson, jokingly referred to themselves as the ``Foolish Club'' for 
        taking such a financial risk;
Whereas securing major television coverage of the proposed league and the 
        financial viability of the American Football League were very much in 
        doubt;
Whereas the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos, 
        Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Titans, and Oakland 
        Raiders comprised the original 8 teams of the inaugural American 
        Football League;
Whereas few experts felt the American Football League had the talented players 
        or coaching staffs to provide a quality product marketable to the 
        American people;
Whereas the American Broadcasting Company agreed to a television contract with 
        the new League without knowing the potential reception of the league;
Whereas, on September 9, 1960, the Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots 
        in the first regular season AFL game;
Whereas steadily over the 1960s many talented players chose to play in the new 
        AFL rather than the NFL;
Whereas football legends Sid Gillman, Al Davis, Hank Stram, Joe Namath, Lionel 
        Taylor, George Blanda, Jack Kemp, and Gino Cappelletti coached or played 
        in the AFL;
Whereas, on June 8, 1966, the American Football League and the National Football 
        League announced a proposed merger;
Whereas, on January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City 
        Chiefs in the first Super Bowl, pitting the winner of the AFL against 
        the winner of the NFL;
Whereas, on August 5, 1967, the Denver Broncos became the first AFL team to 
        defeat an NFL team when they defeated the Detroit Lions;
Whereas, on January 12, 1969, the New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts, 
        becoming the first AFL team to win the Super Bowl;
Whereas, in 1970, the American Football League officially merged with the 
        National Football League;
Whereas American football has become the most watched sport in the Nation;
Whereas, since the merger, the former AFL teams have won a combined 12 Super 
        Bowl championships; and
Whereas 10 current National Football League teams (the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati 
        Bengals, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New York 
        Jets, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, and 
        Tennessee Titans) trace their roots to the American Football League: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the inaugural 
        season of the American Football League as a landmark moment in 
        the history of football;
            (2) reaffirms that professional football is a unifying 
        force in the United States;
            (3) encourages football fans to reflect on the 
        contributions of the American Football League to professional 
        football; and
            (4) supports the continued involvement of children and 
        adults in the sport of football.
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