Texans Memories: Pre-season Game No. 2

The Kansas City Chiefs franchise is celebrating 50 seasons of football this year. Much of the early history of the club is unknown to Chiefs fans because the team was the Dallas Texans at the time. As this 50th season rolls on, we will open the door to the history of Lamar Hunt’s football baby.

On Saturday evening, August 6, 1960, the Dallas Texans won their second pre-season game of that inaugural year, beating the Houston Oilers 27 in front of 12,000 fans at Skelly Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It was an interesting evening before the game even started, when somebody broke into the Oilers locker room before the game and stole 11 game jerseys. Those players had to wear red practice tops loaned to them by the Texans. The Skelly Stadium PA system did not work until the second quarter.

The Texans were coming off a victory in their first exhibition game, when they topped the Oakland Raiders in San Francisco. Going into the game, the Oilers were getting a lot of the national publicity because they had George Blanda playing quarterback and signed the most recent Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon. It was Houston’s first game.

Dallas led the game 6-3 at half-time as the defenses ruled and field goals were all the scoring. Jack Spikes nailed 28 and 48-yard FGs for Dallas, while Blanda hit from 47 yards for Houston.

The Texans first TD was set up on a 51-yard swing pass on the first play of the second half from QB Cotton Davidson to RB Jim Swink. The touchdown came four plays later when RB Jack Spikes went over from two yards out. Davidson kicked the PAT and Dallas led 13-3.

Spikes got another Texans’ TD, on a possession set up by an interception of wobbly Blanda pass by DB Carroll Zaruba, who returned the ball 36 yards to the Oilers 22-yard line. RB Johnny Robinson ran for 13 yards and then Spikes scored four plays later from the 1-yard line.

The Texans third TD came on a two-play, 82-yard drive with Davidson hitting Swink for 25 yards and then Robinson for 57 yards and the score.

The Oilers did not score a touchdown until there were 15 seconds left in the game.

Swink (left) was the offensive star of the game for the Texans. In the first exhibition game, Swink ran 11 times for 62 yards. In the victory over Houston, Swink caught six passes for 103 yards, including that 51-yard play.

“When the music starts, Swink can dance with anyone,” said Hank Stram. “He has a great running sense, better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He’ll be hard to beat out.”

The Texans finished the game with 350 yards in total offense, compared to 266 for the Oilers. Dallas had four turnovers, while Houston had three. Davidson was 13 of 22 in throwing the ball.

The day after the victory, the Texans flew to Boston where they spent the week training before pre-season game No. 3 against the Patriots.