1961 Oakland Raiders Team Signed AUTO AFL Football Joe Foss Commissioner

The 1961 Oakland Raiders endured one of the toughest seasons in franchise history, finishing 2-12 and last in the AFL Western Division in their second year of existence. After opening with consecutive shutout losses, head coach Eddie Erdelatz was replaced by Marty Feldman. The Raiders played their home games at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park and struggled on both sides of the ball, scoring an AFL-low 237 points while allowing a league-worst 458.

Quarterback Tom Flores, later a Raiders coaching legend, started all 14 games and threw for 2,176 yards and 15 touchdowns. Oakland’s only victories came against Denver, 33-19, and Buffalo, 31-22. The Raiders finished the season with six consecutive losses and a minus-221 point differential, the worst in the AFL that year. The difficult 1961 campaign preceded a major turnaround that began with the arrival of Al Davis in 1963.

Offered is an Official Spalding AFL football with Joe Foss as commissioner signed by approximately thirty-five members of the squad.

Highlights include:

Jim Otto (Pro Football HOF)

Joe Foss (D. 2003) the FIRST AFL commissioner – Yes in addition to his facsimile signature, he hand-signed the ball.

Fred Williamson (The Hammer) 3 X AFL All-Star who later became a Hollywood movie star

Charlie Powell (D. 2014) was a gifted two-sport athlete who played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Rams. A defensive end, he joined the 49ers at age 19 and later played for Oakland during the Raiders’ early AFL years. Powell was also a successful heavyweight boxer, compiling a 25-11-3 professional record and facing champions Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson.

George Anderson (D. 2022) the first Raiders trainer

Tom Flores  (very faint) Pro Football HOF

Alan Miller, Charley Fuller (D. 2001), Nick Papac (D. 2009) backup QB, Alex Bravo (in his only year in professional football), Cliff Roberts, Riley Morris (D. 1997), Bob Dougherty (D. 2006), Wayne Hawkins 5 X AFL All-Star, 5 X second team All-AFL team, Jerry Burch, Bob Garner (D. 2009), Bob Coolbaugh (D. 1985 at age 45)(faint signature),  Al Bansavage (D.2003) (faint), Clem Daniels 1963 AFL MVP, 2 x 1^st team, 2 x 2^nd team, 4 x AFL All-Star, AFL rushing leader in 1963, and AFL All-Time Team, Doug Asad, Joe Cannavino, Ron Sabal (faint), Tom Louderback, Tom Kalmanir (coach)(D. 2004), Charlie Hardy (D. 2001) (faint) Willie Smith, Bob Voight, Wayne Crow, Jim Brewington (D. 2012) his only season in professional football, Herb Roedell (very faint) in his only year with the Raiders, John Harris,  and more.

An exceptionally rare football in its own right, made even more significant by the fact that it has been signed by members of the second-year 1961 Oakland Raiders team.