1960s Decade In Review: Top 25 Games of the Decade

1960s Decade In Review: Top 25 Games of the Decade

In the last decade, 722 games were played over 10 seasons. I have managed to put together a list of the best games of the decade. While these games are ranked, some are so close it is hard to say which one is the best, but I tried my best and there is only so much tinkering you can do with the list before it becomes too much. Overall, going through the games I was looking for 3 criteria: 1 - how close of a game it was, 2 - The stakes of the game, (ie playoffs), and 3 - The Story/emotion. 

#25 - 1965 Week 1: Montreal Rouge - 41, Boston Independents - 34 - OT - Mount Royal Stadium - June 25, 1965 - 7 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
7-7 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Chester Bennett
2nd Q
14-7 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
14-14 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> TE Tobias Lindholm
21-14 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
3rd Q
28-14 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
28-17 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
31-17 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
4th Q
34-17 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
34-24 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Evan Clanton
34-31 BOS - RTD RB Kendall Morgan
34-34 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
OT
41-34 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White

An absolute shootout started the 1965 season, during the first Friday Night Football game of the year.
Montreal had a 17-point lead heading into the 4th quarter, but Braddock would lead the Independents back to tie it and force over time.
A big play from WR Yahui Sun to set up the Mallard-White touchdown in OT would be the deciding score.

#24 - 1963 West Division Semi-Final: Louisville Thunder - 16, Ottawa Royals 21 - Thunder Stadium - September 22, 1963 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Mosty Cloudy
1st Q
0-7 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Mackenzie Jones
2nd Q
3-7 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
10-7 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
3rd Q
13-7 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
13-14 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Chester Bennett
4th Q
16-14 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
16-21 OTT - RTD QB Lee Rogers

This game is the only time a crossover team has won a playoff game, and it was easily the worst one by record as the Royals entered the playoffs with a 4-5-3 record to play the 7-5 and defending champion Thunder. 
To add to this, the Royals were without star QB Jean Matieau, so famed 1st overall pick bust, QB Lee Rogers would get his first NAAF playoff start.
Now, Louisville was also starting backup QB Stanislav Ovechkin who was the hot hand over QB Leonidas Dumont.
In order to get the win the Royals would take advantage of the Thunder’s mistakes and make some big plays including a bomb to WR Chester Bennett, who beat DB Oliver Langstrom.
Louisville would have the 16-14 lead late, but QB Lee Rogers would get a drive of redemption to take the Royals down to the goal line before getting into the endzone himself for the win. 

#23 - 1967 Week 6: Louisville Thunder - 41 - Indiana Victors - 34 - OT - Thunder Stadium - July 29, 1967 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
0-7 IND - PTD QB Tom Applewhite -> TE Emmanuel Hines
7-7 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
2nd Q
7-14 IND - PTD QB Tom Applewhite -> WR Silas Peyton
10-14 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
10-17 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
3rd Q
17-17 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Carter Henderson
17-24 IND - RTD RB Raymond Green
4th Q
24-24 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Lloyd Lane
24-27 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
27-27 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
Overtime
27-34 IND - RTD RB Raymond Green
34-34 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Lloyd Lane
41-34 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Lloyd Lane

Rivalry week always brings out some classic games, but one of the best from the Victors-Thunder rivalry happened in 1967.
Both teams had strong offences this season and it showed with both teams putting up 27 points in regulation, but even more so in the extra frame with the teams combining for 21 more points. 
However, the highlight was WR Lloyd Lane, who’s 3 touchdowns helped get the win for the Thunder. 

#22 - 1964 Week 6: Toronto Steelheads - 34, Louisville Thunder - 33 - Anderson Stadium - July 19, 1964 - 2 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy- TV: Bob Litchfield and Eric O’Brian
1st Q
0-7 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
3-7 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
3-14 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
2nd Q
3-17 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
10-17 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
10-24 LOU - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Piers Key
13-24 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
3rd Q
13-27 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
20-27 TOR - KRTD WR Dwayne Alexander
20-30 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
4th Q
27-30 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
27-33 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
34-33 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> WR Samuel Petri

During Toronto’s first season in the NAAF, they would pull off a stellar 2nd half-comeback against the Thunder. 
The week 6 game saw the Thunder take a 13-27 lead in the 3rd quarter, only for the Steelheads, led by rookie RB Max Tracy and star QB Todd Baker to roar back and win the game on a late touchdown from WR Samuel Petri. 

#21 - 1969 Week 1: Minnesota Serpents - 33, Louisville Thunder - 29 - Midgard Stadium - June 20, 1969 - 8 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
3-0 MIN - FG K Ray Bough
2nd Q
6-0 MIN - FG K Ray Bough
6-7 LOU - RTD RB Théodore Lemieux
6-14 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
12-14 MIN - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Sebastian Dassler
3rd Q
19-14 MIN - RTD RB Hugo Hughes
19-21 LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Lloyd Lane
4th Q
26-21 MIN - RTD RB Hugo Hughes
26-27 LOU - RTD RB Théodore Lemieux
26-29 LOU - 2PT QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
33-29 MIN - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Evan Clanton

The Serpents' first game was certainly one to remember as QB Leonidas Dumont got his revenge on his hometown team. 
The game was a slow burn early, but after K Ray Bough got the first points in Serpents' history the floodgates opened and the points rolled it.
Louisville would have a late lead after a touchdown from RB Théodore Lemieux, but Dumont got the last laugh with a game-winning drive to win over the Minnesota market.

#20 - 1968 Week 2: Toronto Steelheads - 31, Buffalo Blue Wings - 30 - Anderson Stadium - June 30, 1968 - 4 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
0-3 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3-3 TOR - FG K Vic Greatwood
2nd Q
3-10 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> TE Paul Arturberry
6-10 TOR - FG K Vic Greatwood
6-13 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3rd Q
6-20 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Jimmy Jack
13-20 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
13-23 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
4th Q
20-23 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
23-23 TOR - FG K Vic Greatwood
23-30 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
29-30 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> WR Al Allmendinger
31-30 TOR - 2PT QB Todd Baker -> RB Max Tracy

In the second week of the 1968 season the Steelheads and Blue Wings had an exciting tilt with the Steelheads coming back from down 6-20, then 23-30.
RB Max Tracy was an important piece scoring a pair of touchdowns and then getting the game-winning 2-point attempt as the Steelheads gambled on beating the Blue Wings. The result certainly was important for Toronto who would go on to win the West Division.

#19 - 1969 Week 11: London Tigers - 35, Long Island Raiders - 37 - Western Fair Stadium - August 29, 1969 - 7 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Carter Henderson
7-3 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
7-10 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
2nd Q
14-10 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Cole Fletcher
14-17 LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Larry Mossholder
17-17 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
18-17 LDN - Single K Nimrod Handsworth
25-17 LDN - RTD RB Austin Andrews
25-23 LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Otto Washington
4th Q
25-30 LI - RTD RB Scott Norton
28-30 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
35-30 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Joshua Lafleur
35-37 LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Frank Drysdale

As the 1969 season came to a close, a battle between two long-time rivals created some drama despite both teams having less-than-stellar seasons.
QB Riley Kiernan might have been making his final start of the season, and his career and he would leave everything out on the field, leading the Tigers to a 35-point outing. 
He had one last chance to play hero and came through with a stellar and emotional drive to score the go-ahead touchdown.
Unfortunately, the Raiders were here to spoil the fun and WR Frank Drysdale would make a big play after catching a deep throw from QB Ivan Sanchez, where he juked S Randall Green out of his shoes and took home the long touchdown to win the game.
Kiernan still left the field to a standing ovation in London.

#18 - 1969 Week 13: Minnesota Serpents - 30, Buffalo Blue Wings - 33 - Midgard Stadium - September 14, 1969 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
7-0 MIN - RTD RB Hugo Hughes
7-3 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
2nd Q
7-10 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Tracy Driscoll
14-10 MIN - PTD QB Martin Keller -> WR Sebastian Dassler
14-13 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
14-16 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3rd Q
17-16 MIN - FG K Ray Bough
17-23 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
20-23 MIN - FG K Ray Bough
4th Q
27-23 MIN - RTD RB Hugo Hughes
27-30 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Julius Drake
30-30 MIN - FG K Ray Bough
30-33 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch

In just their first season the Serpents were in the running to fight for a West Division title, however, they needed to go through Buffalo who was also eying the title.
The first-ever meeting between the two teams would be a battle as no team got up by more than 1 score throughout the game. 
Buffalo had the late lead, but they almost blew it when RB Tyler Kuhn almost took back the kick for a TD.
Luckily, K Ryan Perch made the tackle but came up hurt.
Minnesota would tie, but Buffalo had enough time to get down the field again.
The game was on the foot of the hobbling Perch, but the Aussie would power through and nail the game-winner to give Buffalo the West Division.

#17 - 1966 East Division Semi-Final: Montreal Rouge 24, Halifax Mariners - 20 - Mount Royal Stadium - September 18, 1966 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 MTL - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Taylor Karis
14-0 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
2nd Q
14-3 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
14-6 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
17-6 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
3rd Q
17-13 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Sam Nash
4th Q
17-20 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Shane Steadman
24-20 MTL - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Yahui Sun

The East Division Semi-Final was part 2 of a back-to-back set of games between the Rouge and Mariners who had played in the final game of the season.
Montreal entered the playoffs starting backup QB Mike Key and he would get the offence rolling early with a 14-0 lead.
Halifax would eventually work their way back into the game with QB Lyle Painter throwing a pair of touchdowns in the 2nd half to take the lead.
The defining moment of the game came late in the 4th when Halifax was held to a 3rd down by the Rouge and had to punt out of their own end. 
A mistake on the snap would slow down K Albert Wickerweaver’s punt and S Garet deVale would get there and block the punt which would set up WR Yahui Sun’s eventual game-winning touchdown.

#16 - 51st McCallister Cup: Buffalo Blue Wings - 16, Ottawa Royals - 15 - Victory Stadium - October 5, 1969 - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
3-0 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
2nd Q
6-0 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3rd Q
6-7 OTT - RTD RB Corbyn Knight
13-7 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
4th Q
13-14 OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> WR Piers Key
13-15 OTT - Single K Ira Foster
16-15 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch

There weren’t many fireworks in the most recent McCallister Cup, but the defence and the storyline give this showdown a lot of stock as a great game.
Buffalo entered the game with backup QB Travis Jackson making his first career start, while Ottawa made their first appearance in the big game since 1960. 
Both defences were the story of the game throughout the first half with only 6 points being scored.
The touchdowns would come in the second half with Ottawa grabbing a pair and Buffalo the other major. 
Ottawa would have a chance to take a 4-point lead in the 4th, but K Ira Foster would miss the 46-yard kick giving Buffalo a chance to still take the lead with a field goal. 
RB Jasper Dickerson would have a huge kick return before QB Travis Jackson would step up and make a couple of throws to set up the game-winning field goal.
Jackson became the first player to make his first career start in the big game and then win it.

#15 - 1966 Week 1: Halifax Mariners - 38, Indiana Victors - 33 - Atlantic Stadium - June 24, 1966 - 6 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy
1st Q
0-7 IND - RTD RB Raymond Green
7-7 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Shane Steadman
10-7 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
2nd Q
17-7 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> RB Ronald O’Sullivan
17-10 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
23-10 HFX - RTD RB Ronald O’Sullivan
3rd Q
23-13 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
26-13 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
26-20 IND - PTD QB Tom Applewhite -> WR Silas Peyton
29-20 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
4th Q
29-23 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
29-30 IND - PTD QB Tom Applewhite -> WR Ed Edwards
32-30 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
32-33 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
38-33 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Jav Kerrigan

The Mariners and Victors kicked off the 1966 season with a game full of fireworks as QB Lyle Painter, who had won MVP with Indiana in the previous season, got revenge on the team he left in the offseason.
Halifax would be the ones with the advantage early going up 23-10 at halftime, but the Victors were able to creep back into the contest in the second half.
Indiana would eventually take the lead late, but WR Jav Kerrigan would play hero, scoring a huge touchdown following a DB Cameron Taylor missed tackle, starting the “JAV! JAV! JAV!” chant in Halifax.

#14 - 1960 Week 12: Montreal Rouge - 34, Boston Independents - 31 - Mount Royal Stadium - September 11, 1960 - 4 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
7-3 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
7-10 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Clyde McIntosh
2nd Q
14-10 MTL - PTD QB Stanislav Ovechkin -> WR Derek Cross
21-10 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
3rd Q
21-17 BOS - RTD RB Kendall Morgan
24-17 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
24-24 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Ellis Lindholm
4th Q
31-24 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
31-31 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Paul Franklin
34-31 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger 

In the final week of the 1960 season, the Rouge and Independents would have quite the clash. 
Montreal, who was looking to clinch their first playoff appearance since 1954, had the lead by halftime up 21-10.
Unfortunately, they were going up against QB Nathaniel Braddock and Boston bounced right back to leave the game tied heading into the final frame.
Montreal managed to get another lead off of RB Scott Mallard-White’s 3rd touchdown to go along with his 187 rushing yards.
But once again Boston tied it right back up, leaving QB Stanislav Ovechkin to come up clutch for the Rouge.
Ovechkin would do just that leading the Rouge down to the redzone to set up K Arthur Kettinger for the game-winning and playoff-clinching kick.

#13 - 1965 Week 11: Toronto Steelheads - 35, Buffalo Blue Wings - 34 - Anderson Stadium - September 6, 1965 - 2 PM ET - Labour Day - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
3-0 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
3-7 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
10-7 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> TE Paul McDowell
2nd Q
10-14 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Zachariah Pembroke
13-14 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
20-14 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
20-21 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Daniel Irons
3rd Q
23-21 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
23-28 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Julius Drake
26-28 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
4th Q
26-31 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
32-31 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> WR Edmund Landry
32-34 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
35-34 TOR - FG K Bob Randall

This late-season battle between the Steelheads and Blue Wings had many important playoff implications, mainly that both teams had a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win, and potentially knock out the other in the tightly contested West Division. 
The game was close throughout with Buffalo having only a 1-point lead at halftime.
Toronto would keep pace and with a WR Edmund Landry touchdown in the 4th, they would take the lead.
Buffalo managed to get back the lead on the next drive, but Toronto had one last drive in them to get the game-winning kick that clinched a playoff spot for themselves, Indiana, and London and made the now 6-5 Blue Wings’ path to the postseason very hard.
Ultimately, Toronto would go on to win the West and Buffalo would miss the playoffs by a hair.

#12 - 1961 Week 6: London Tigers - 27, Buffalo Blue Wings - 28 - Western Fair Stadium - August 6, 1961 - 4 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
0-7 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR LeRoy Krueger
7-7 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Benedict Spencer
2nd Q
14-7 LDN - RTD RB Clifford Russell
17-7 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
20-7 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
20-14 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
4th Q
27-14 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Max Sutton
27-21 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR LeRoy Krueger
27-28 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Daniel Irons 

QB Charles Lemieux’s second career start was one to remember against the Blues Wings’ arch-rivals, the London Tigers.
The Blue Wings elected to see what their 2nd year QB had while the team sat at 1-5 taking on the 6-0 Tigers.
While Buffalo did score the first points of the game, but it London would eventually pull away to a 20-7 and 27-14 lead, but Lemieux showed the potential he had and managed a stunning comeback.
The QB would throw 3 touchdowns including 2 late in the 4th to pull off the shocking, 1-point win on the road in London and begin a new era in Buffalo.

#11 - 1966 Week 12: Montreal Rouge - 24, Halifax Mariners - 23 - Mount Royal Stadium - September 10, 1966 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy
1st Q
0-3 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
2nd Q
7-3 MTL - RTD RB Hugo Hughes
7-10 HFX - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Jav Kerrigan
14-10 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
3rd Q
14-13 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
17-13 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
4th Q
17-20 HFX - RTD RB Wally Morton
17-23 HFX - FG K Albert Wickerweaver
24-23 MTL - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Derek Cross

The Montreal Miracle.
The Rouge pretty much needed to find a way to beat the Halifax Mariners if they wanted to make it to the postseason, as the Gold Stars were going to be going up against the Raiders’ backups and would get in with a win and a Montreal loss.
The odds were against the Rouge, who were starting backup QB Mike Key due to QB Gene Bishop’s injury.
Montreal managed to come out of the first half with a 14-10 lead, but Halifax would climb back in the second half to eventually take a 17-23 lead in the 4th.
In the dying seconds of the game, QB Mike Key would take a shot at WR Derek Cross, and the deep threat WR would manage to get the ball and then escape to the endzone to give Montreal the stunning win and clinch them a playoff spot and a rematch with the Mariners the following week which was the #17 game on the list.