Danik Thomas
Jul 26, 20226 min
My dad's name is Jim. I attended quite a few Chargers games with him when I was a boy, starting in 1973. Dad was already a longtime fan by then. When he and my mother started dating, they attended games at Balboa Stadium which now forms part of the San Diego High sports field.
In honor of Dad’s 80th birthday, I asked him about his journey as a Chargers fan.
Danik: What were your first experiences with football, what were the first games you went to?
Jim: I’d say they were my own games. Back when I was in fourth grade, we would represent our school in Rotan Texas. In those days everyone would learn how to play at their elementary school ( we didn’t have Pop Warner or anything like that).
Football is a way of life in Texas. We’d watch Midland High School football on Friday nights.
You know that film Friday night Lights? I’d say it represents what it was like living there [in Texas], only difference is that it was the late 40’s and early 50’s.
The whole family would drive down to see my cousin play at TCU. He was a real good offensive lineman.
D: What were some of your favorite football players?
J: I didn’t really have many [favorite players] back then, other than “Slinging Sammy Baugh” --he was from the same town as me. He’d play Quarterback, Defensive Back, and Punter. I bet you he played more positions than that.
He played for the Redskins and also had an acting career.
D: What was your impression of the inaugural season the AFL, and the players from the first LA Chargers team?
J: It was so exciting, because at that time there were no pro football teams in California. Those games were fun to watch. They did some things that later forced the NFL to change the way they were doing things.
I loved watching Ron Mix: helluva lineman. Your mom and I got to meet him [at Stubhub].
Paul Lowe was a damn good running back. Jack Kemp was at Quarterback. The Chargers made it to the Championship that year, only to come up short against the Houston Oilers.
D: How did you feel when you heard that the Chargers were moving to San Diego and would play at Balboa Stadium?
J: I was pretty excited--we only had limited sports in the area [before that]. I was just starting to date your mom at the time, and we decided we were going to do a double date with her brother and his date. I was the one with the car. We’d park near the high school and buy tickets for 5 dollars.
They were some good games to watch. Sid Gillman was into throwing it downfield a lot and it felt like any play could be a big breakout play.
D: Did they do any build up of Balboa stadium?
J: They added a second level... [did] you know they had Auto races in there too?
D: Wow, pretty cool for a high school venue. Do you remember some of those players in those early games?
J: Well, (OT) Ron Mix for sure, but watching Bambi (Lance Alworth) was pretty special. That kid could reach up and pluck that ball and keep going--my favorite receiver, all-time.
Keith Lincoln was a fantastic running back. We had Jack Kemp [later a US Congressman] who led us to a championship game in ’61.
In ’63 the Chargers brought in Tobin Rote to help at Quarterback, as John Hadl was learning his part. They’d switch in and out. That ’63 team could’ve beat anyone in the NFL I do believe.
Watching that ass whooping [in the] AFL championship (the Chargers beat the Boston Patriots 51-10) was really something, and they were in it almost every year after, I think they were in the championship games the next few years.
D: When did you decide to get season tickets for the Chargers?
J: We got them in 1973 when [the Chargers] brought Johnny Unitas in. I was disappointed that he wasn’t nearly the guy he used to be. I think they only won 2 games that year.
It was at the first (opening) game that I got to watch OJ Simpson run up and down the field against us.
D: So we probably got to see Dan Fouts’ first games there?
J: You did if you were watching the games and not running amok sliding down the escalator median with your brothers!
D: We did that a lot until they installed those “speed bumps.”
Can you tell me about that time when Fouts started out, and the struggles [the team had] until they brought in Don Coryell?
J: We would cringe in those dark days of Tommy Protho as head coach--although I’m told he was the guy responsible for us getting “Big Hands” Johnson, Louie Kelcher, and John Jefferson.
Fouts was struggling and showed moments of really poor decision-making, but you could see his abilities. With that team, when I say it was bad... man, it was bad.
D: How did you react when you learned [the Chargers] were getting Don Coryell as head coach?
J: We used to watch his games at SDSU. He was coaching the Aztecs prior to becoming head coach for the Saint Louis Cardinals, so when he was hired it was refreshing because it was a bit like what Sid Gillman was doing, and that is a lot of throwing the football. He made [the Chargers] exciting again.
The fact that Don Coryell is not in the Hall of Fame is unforgivable. I mean, Madden was a defensive coach at SDSU: he would’ve been the first guy to tell you. And don’t get Dan Fouts started on it!
D: As I was getting older, I became very much aware of “Air Coryell.” Who were your favorite players from those days?
J: Dan Fouts, obviously, Wes Chandler, and John Jefferson. Oh, Lionel James and “Hammering” Hank Bauer were my favorite guys.
Early on we had a defense too. It was the Bruise Brothers in Fred Dean, Gary Johnson, Louie Kelcher. Louie was my favorite guy, so physical when he was in shape.
I’ve got a question for you, What do you think was the worst first round draft pick the Chargers ever picked up?
D: Umm I think this is going to be a trick question, Ryan Leaf?
J: Nope, Ryan actually had the abilities, he just was his own worst enemy, mentally.
Leon Burns, he was a running back for Long Beach State, and he had a great day in a game against San Diego State. I think he made one touchdown for the Chargers.
Another of the worst players we had probably was a guy the Chargers owner Gene Klein picked up. Story is, he was on vacation in Europe, and saw this Austrian Soccer player, so he brought him over. He was terrible, he might make a field goal at 20 yards. You’d ask him “how’s it going?” He’d reply in that accent “I can’t kick.” Not what you want to hear from your kicker.*
*Note: (he may be talking about Ray Wersching who went 4 years with the Chargers, and went on to the 49ers. I don’t know where he got this weird story. Probably since Pardee and Benirschke were such solid kickers… I firmly stand with my belief that Ryan Leaf still wins this award as worst draft ever.)
D: How do you feel about how our team looks this year?
J: Oh, I can’t wait to see that boy Justin Herbert and them light it up again this year. That Browns game we went to with you was the best damn game I think I’ve ever seen live.
I’m excited for them now. We got Khalil Mack helping out Bosa, and the other pick ups to help against that awful sieve of a defense we had last year. With that new kid Zion, Austin Ekeler will be finding more holes to run through.
D: I gotta ask, I see you have a bias toward running backs in general, why did you choose to get an Antonio Gates Jersey and not a Tomlinson jersey?
J: Oh, Well they were out of Tomlinson jerseys at Wal Mart.
(Note to self, Get dad a Tomlinson jersey.)
Danik Thomas is an OG Rivers Lake Yachtsman and an accomplished editor in Hollywood.