AFL

West 21

East 14

January 13, 1963

The 1963 AFL All-Star Game returned to Balboa Stadium in San Diego. The coaches were Hank Stram of the Texans for the West and Pop Ivy of the Oilers for the East. The game was attended by 27,641 fans which served as a testimony to the improvement of the league in three years of existence.

Rookie Curtis McClinton of the Texans busted a 64 yard touchdown run on the West’s third play from scrimmage to put his team up 7-0. In the second period, McClinton again got loose, this time for 21 yards. It set up Dallas’ Len Dawson’s 11 yard touchdown pass to Dave Kocourek of the Chargers. The halftime score was 14-0. The two potential scoring drives the East had in the first half were thwarted by outstanding defense. Austin Gonsoulin of Denver intercepted a pass by Houston’s George Blanda and San Diego’s Earl Faison recovered a fumble by Buffalo’s Jack Kemp.

After the intermission, the East drove to the West’s nine yard line, but Dave Grayson of the Texans intercepted a Blanda pass and returned it to midfield. But, later in the quarter, Blanda led the East on a 68 yard march that ended in an 8 yard touchdown pass the the Oiler teammate, Charley Hennigan. Still in the third, the East tied the score at 14 all when Larry Grantham of the New York Titans intercepted a Dawson pass and returned it 29 yards to the end zone. In the final quarter, replacement quarterback Frank Tripucka of the Broncos led the West on an 89 yard touchdown drive for the winning score. He hit Denver teammate, Lionel Taylor, on passes of 7, 49 and 20 yards. The last pass good for a touchdown. The final score was 21-14.