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New England Patriots

Billy Sullivan Jr., a Boston businessman with a strong sports background, secured an AFL franchise on November 22, 1959. In keeping with New England history, the nickname Patriots was selected by a panel of Boston sportswriters after a contest to name the team. The Boston team was involved in two significant "firsts" in 1960. On July 30, the Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills in the first AFL pre-season game. Then, on September 9, they lost to the Denver Broncos, 13-10, in the first-ever AFL regular-season game.

During the Patriots' first decade, finding a suitable playing home in the Boston area was almost as urgent as putting a competitive team on the field. The Patriots played at Boston University Field in 1960 and 1961 and at Harvard in 1962 and again in 1970. From 1963 to 1969, the Patriots played at Fenway Park, home to baseball's Red Sox. In 1971, the team changed its name from the Boston Patriots to the New England Patriots and finally found a permanent home in Foxboro, Mass.

In spite of their stadium problems, the Patriots were frequent contenders during their AFL days. Mike Holovak, who replaced Lou Saban midway into the 1961 season, is the winningest coach in team history, with a 53-47-9 record. His best season was 1963, when the Patriots defeated Buffalo, 26-8, in a one-game playoff for the AFL East crown. New England lost the championship game to San Diego, 51-10.

Holovak didn't have many star players around whom to build a team. Nevertheless, Gino Cappelletti, the team's placekicker and ace wide receiver, became the AFL's all-time leading scorer with 1,100 points, 252 coming on touchdown catches and the remainder on kicking. Running Back Jim Nance won AFL rushing championships in 1966, when he rushed for an AFL record 1,458 yards, and 1967, when he rushed for 1,216 yards.

After the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Patriots suffered through a string of losing seasons. But in the late 1970's, they became serious contenders once again. The 1976 Patriots finished 11-3 and lost a close game in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual-Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders. They won the AFC Eastern championship in 1978 and finished a close second in 1979.

In 1984, Raymond Berry took over as coach and led the Patriots to a 51-41-0 record over the next five and a half years. Berry's 1985 team had an 11-5 record, earned a wild-card playoff berth. New England won three playoff games on the road and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in team history. New England lost Super Bowl XX, 46-10, to the Chicago Bears. The game marked the end of guard John Hannah's career. In 1991, Hannah became the first Patriot to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

In recent years, New England ownership has changed often, from Sullivan to Victor K. Kiam II in 1988, to James B. Orthwein in 1992 and finally to Robert Kraft in 1994. With highly-regarded coach Bill Parcells in charge, the Patriots won the AFC Championship in 1996 and earned a trip to their second Super Bowl. With new coach Pete Carroll and stars such as Drew Bledsoe and Curtis Martin, the Patriots figure to be a contender for years to come.

New England Patriots Facts

• · Franchise Granted November 22, 1959 as the Boston Patriots
• · First Season 1960
• · Name changed to New England Patriots 1971
• · StadiumFoxboro Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts (60,292)
• · President/CEO Robert Kraft
• · AFC Championships 1985, 1996
• · AFL Eastern Division Championship 1963
• · AFC Eastern Division Championships 1978, 1986, 1996
• · AFL Record 64 - 69 - 9
• · Retired Uniform Numbers
  #14 Steve Grogan, #20 Gino Cappelletti, #40 Mike Haynes, #57 Steve Nelson, #73 John Hannah, #79 Jim Hunt, #89 Bob Dee

• · First Regular-Season Game A 13-10 loss to the Denver Broncos, 9/9/60.
• · First Regular-Season Win A 28-24 victory over the New York Titans, 9/16/60.
• · First Regular-Season Points A 35-yard field goal by Gino Cappelletti vs. the Denver Broncos, 9/9/60.
• · First Regular-Season Touchdown A 10-yard pass from Butch Songin to Jim Colclough vs. the Denver Broncos, 9/9/60.
• · First Winning Season 1961 (9-4-1).
• · First Playoff Appearance A 26-8 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFL's Eastern Division Championship game, 12/28/63.
• · First Super Bowl Appearance A 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX, 1/26/86.
• · First All-League Selections LB Tom Addison and DB Russ O'Hanley, 1960.
• · First Patriot Elected to the Hall of Fame G John Hannah, 1991.
• · First to Rush 100 Yards in a Game Ron Burton, 127 yards vs. the Denver Broncos, 10/23/60.
• · First 1,000-Yard Rusher Jim Nance, 1,458 yards (1966).
• · First to Pass 400 Yards in a Game Babe Parilli, 400 yards vs. the Oakland Raiders, 10/16/64.
• · Most Yards Rushing, Career Sam Cunningham, 5,453 yards (1973-79, 81-82).
• · Most Yards Passing, Career Steve Grogan, 26,886 yards (1975-90).
• · Most Receptions, Career Stanley Morgan, 534 receptions (1977-89).
• · All-Time Leading Scorer Gino Cappelletti, 1,130 points (1960-70).
• · Fewest Yards Rushing Allowed in a Game In a 41-0 win over the San Diego Chargers on 12/17/61, the Patriots allowed just two yards rushing.
• · Most Lopsided Win A 56-3 victory over the New York Jets, 9/9/79.
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