NEW ORLEANS — That Sunday – the Kansas City Chiefs, the final champions of the American Football League – were 12-point underdogs to the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings.
Will Peneguy was a sportswriter for the Times-Picayune.
“What do remember most about that day? I know we have the iconic photo here. How damn cold it was,” says Peneguy.
It got chillier for the Vikings. The so called “Purple People Eaters” were carved up by the talented and thoroughly prepared Chiefs.
Chiefs Head Coach Hank Stram negated the Vikings vaunted pass rush with shotgun snaps and quick passes.
“He was the first coach who realized he was in the entertainment business,” says Peneguy.
The Chiefs used the passing of Len Dawson and the running of Mike Garrett to grab the lead, and then the Kansas City defense took over.
FINAL: Chiefs 23, Vikings 7.
Six years later stram was an underdog again — he was in New Orleans again trying to revive a floudering franchise.
The Super Bowl was played in New Orleans only five years after the American Football League All-Star game left New Orleans in January of 1965.
21 African American allstars experienced blatant racism. The game was moved to Houston.
“Some of the cab drivers wouldn’t drive them. We lost the game on Tuesday. It was played on Sunday,” says Peneguy.
Peneguy said Times-Picayune Sports Editor Bob Roesler and Tourism Executive Ed McNeill worked NFL owners and Commissioner Pete Rozelle hard to convince them that New Orleans was a changed city.
“I remember Bob calling me and I was shocked. He said we got the game. We have to go page 1 … so I called the city desk to tell them,” says Peneguy.
Two more Super Bowls would be played at Tulane Stadium, but they could not top the drama of that chilly January day.
