1963 Boston Patriots season

1963 Boston Patriots season
Head coach	Mike Holovak
Owner	Billy Sullivan
Home field	Fenway Park
Results
Record	7–6–1
Division place	1st AFL Eastern (playoff)
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoff (Bills, 26–8) Lost AFL Championship Game (Chargers, 51–10)
AFL All-Stars	LB Tom Addison DT Houston Antwine LB Nick Buoniconti WR/K Gino Cappelletti DE Bob Dee DE Larry Eisenhauer RB Larry Garron DB Ron Hall G Charlie Long G Billy Neighbors QB Babe Parilli
Uniform

The 1963 Boston Patriots season was the fourth season for the team in the American Football League.

In their first season at Fenway Park, switching from Nickerson Field, the Patriots hovered around the .500 mark all season, and were in position to win the Eastern Division title outright with a victory on their final game.^[1] The 35–3 road loss to the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs allowed the Buffalo Bills catch up and both finished at 7–6–1, which required a divisional playoff game, the AFL's first.^[2][3] Both teams had a bye the following week, postponed from the Sunday after the assassination of President Kennedy; the tiebreaker playoff was scheduled for Saturday, December 28, at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium. The teams split their two games during the regular season, with the home team winning, and the host Bills were slight favorites.^[3]

The visiting Patriots won the playoff game 26–8 on a snowy field, with quarterback Babe Parilli throwing two touchdown passes to fullback Larry Garron, and three field goals were added by end Gino Cappelletti.^[4][5] With the win, Boston became Eastern Division champions, while the Western champion San Diego Chargers (11–3) were idle. The AFL championship game was played the next week in southern California on January 5, where San Diego routed the Patriots 51–10 at Balboa Stadium.^[6][7][8][9]

AFL draft

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Stadium	Record	Attendance
1	September 8	New York Jets	W: 38–14	Alumni Stadium	1–0–0	24,120
2	September 14	at San Diego Chargers	L: 17–13	Balboa Stadium	1–1–0	26,097
3	September 22	at Oakland Raiders	W: 20–14	Frank Youell Field	2–1–0	17,131
4	September 29	at Denver Broncos	L: 14–10	Bears Stadium	2–2–0	18,636
5	October 5	at New York Jets	L: 31–24	Polo Grounds	2–3–0	16,769
6	October 11	Oakland Raiders	W: 20–14	Fenway Park	3–3–0	26,494
7	October 18	Denver Broncos	W: 40–21	Fenway Park	4–3–0	25,418
8	October 26	at Buffalo Bills	L: 28–21	War Memorial Stadium	4–4–0	29,243
9	November 1	Houston Oilers	W: 45–3	Fenway Park	5–4–0	31,185
10	November 10	San Diego Chargers	L: 7–6	Fenway Park	5–5–0	28,402
11	November 17	Kansas City Chiefs	T: 24–24	Fenway Park	5–5–1	17,200
	November 24	AFL games postponed to December 1 & 22
12	December 1	Buffalo Bills	W: 17–7	Fenway Park	6–5–1	16,981
13	December 7	at Houston Oilers	W: 46–28	Jeppesen Stadium	7–5–1	23,462
14	December 14	at Kansas City Chiefs	L: 35–3	Municipal Stadium	7–6–1	12,598
15	December 22	Bye week, (originally December 1)

Standings

AFL Eastern Division
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Boston Patriots	7	6	1	.538	4–2	327	257	L1
Buffalo Bills	7	6	1	.538	3–3	304	291	W2
Houston Oilers	6	8	0	.429	3–3	302	372	L4
New York Jets	5	8	1	.385	2–4	249	399	L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Division	December 28, 1963	at Buffalo Bills	W 26–8	War Memorial Stadium	33,044
Championship	January 5, 1964	at San Diego Chargers	L 51–10	Balboa Stadium	30,127

Staff

Boston Patriots 1963 staff
Front Office President – Billy Sullivan Head Coach Head Coach – Mike Holovak Offensive Coaches Offensive Line – Art Spinney			Defensive Coaches Defensive Line – Marion Campbell Defensive Backfield – Fred Bruney

Roster

Boston Patriots 1963 roster
Quarterbacks 15 Babe Parilli 14 Tom Yewcic P Running backs 30 Jim Crawford 31 Harry Crump FB 40 Larry Garron FB 32 Billy Lott FB 36 Tom Neumann Wide receivers 20 Gino Cappelletti K 81 Jim Colclough 84 Art Graham Tight ends 86 Tony Romeo 45 Thomas Stephens		Offensive Linemen 54 Walt Cudzik C 74 Jerry DeLucca T 70 Milt Graham T 71 Ray Lardani T 76 Charlie Long G/T 73 Billy Neighbors G 77 Don Oakes T 67 Dave Watson G 50 Bob Yates C Defensive Linemen 65 Houston Antwine DT 72 Larry Eisenhauer DE 89 Bob Dee DE 61 Bill Hudson DT 79 Jim Lee Hunt DT 75 Jess Richardson DT		Linebackers 53 Tom Addison OLB 85 Nick Buoniconti ILB 51 Don McKinnon LB 80 Jack Rudolph OLB Defensive backs 24 Dick Felt CB 23 Ron Hall S 25 Ross O'Hanley S 34 Chuck Shonta CB 21 Bob Suci CB

References

1. "Hopeful Packers, Patriots open pro grid weekend". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 14, 1963. p. 11.
2. "AFL has title tie, may get another". Milwaukee Journal. UPI. December 16, 1963. p. 17, part 2.
3. "Bills, Patriots play for title". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. December 28, 1963. p. 7.
4. "Boston beats Bills for division crown". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. December 29, 1963. p. 1, sports.
5. "Parilli passes Patriots past Buffalo, 26-8". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. December 29, 1963. p. 1, section 4.
6. "Chargers roll over Boston in AFL final". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 6, 1964. p. 27.
7. "Chargers rout Boston, 51-10; compared with NFL teams". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 6, 1964. p. 11, part 2.
8. "Are Chargers good enough for NFL opponents?". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. January 6, 1964. p. 3B.
9. "Charger win Lincolnesque; Palouse Moose gains 349". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. January 6, 1964. p. 12.