Valley's Hiring of Davis Made the Raiders

The Oakland Raiders were a disaster in their first three seasons of existence from 1960-62 in the fledging days of the American Football League, with a 9-33 record, and there were constant reports that the franchise could move anywhere from Sacramento to Portland to Seattle to Salt Lake City.

In particular, the Raiders were routed twice a year by their Southern California rivals, the San Diego Chargers, losing the first six games of the series by scores of 52-28, 41-17, 44-0, 41-10, 42-33 and 31-21.

Wayne Valley, the driving force in the Raiders’ ownership group, knew he had to do something about it to keep the Raiders in Oakland, so he hired highly-respected 33-year-old assistant coach Al Davis of the Chargers as a coach and general manager of the Silver and Black.

This was probably the greatest move in the history of the Raiders franchise.

“We needed someone who wanted to win so badly he would do anything,” Valley said of hiring Davis. “Everywhere I went, people told me what a son of a bitch Al Davis was. So, I figured he must be doing something right. We needed someone who wanted to win so badly that he would do anything. So, I figured he must be doing something right.

“I knew that eventually it would come down to me and Davis for control of the Raiders. He wanted to be an owner. Davis is very image conscious. He felt being an owner was a step up. But I have been in business for a long time and he’s a football coach, so I figure I have the advantage.”

Valley figured it wrong, but that’s another story.

Said future Hall of Fame center Jim Otto: “(Davis) brought in some older athletes wo still had some football left in them and mixed them with younger guys. And through hard work, a lot of hard work, we started building a team.”

Added Davis: “We wanted to be the most feared team in the game. We wanted other teams to come into dark, gray Oakland, see those black jerseys on the other side of the field and feel something frightening.”

Davis led the Raiders to a 10-4 record in his first season, and that included victories of 34-33 over the hated Chargers at Balboa Stadium in San Diego when quarterback Cotton Davidson threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to fullback Glenn Shaw in the final minutes and a memorable 42-27 win at Frank Youell Field in Oakland that ranks among the greatest in Raiders history.

After three quarters, the Chargers held a 27-10 lead, and many of the 25,000 fans that filled little Frank Youell Field began to file out of the stadium.

However, Davidson threw touchdown passes of 10 and 41 yards to Art Powell before running nine yards for a score, while Mike Mercer kicked a 30-yard field goal, and Alan Miller ran two yards for a touchdown as the Raiders scored the last 31 points for a resounding 41-27 victory.

Fans who had been driving away and listening to the game on their radios turned around to come back, and Frank Youell Field nearly filled again at the finish.

“San Diego’s a great football team, but we’ve got a great bunch on our club and they just wanted that game so badly today they wouldn’t quit,” Davis said after beating his former team. “I kept telling my players, ‘No matter what the scoreboard says, keep your poise. Remember, you’re the Raiders of Oakland.’”

That might be the day the Raiders became the feared Silver and Black.

From 1963 to 1992, the Raiders posted a 285-146-11 record, the best mark in all major professional sports. Along the way, they captured Super Bowls XI, XV, and XVIII.

It’s about time for the Raiders to regain their place at the top of the class.

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