• According to George Ross of the Tribune, the ruling board of the privately-owned Ladd Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, host of the Jets/Raiders exhibition game on the 23rd, had been planning to “quietly integrate” the facility by providing “special sideline sections” for the seating of Black spectators, but reversed the decision when they heard of the protests of some of the Raiders players.
• The players in question were Art Powell, Bo Roberson, Clem Daniels, and Fred Williamson.
• This from Ladd Stadium manager Ray Schuessler: “We don't want four boys from Oakland telling us how to run our stadium.”
• Schuessler added that “it isn't the seating that's the problem, (it's that there) are no restrooms for Negroes in the stadium.”
• Two other Black members of the Raiders, tackle Proverb Jacobs and halfback Gene White added their voices to the protest, saying they would not play in the game, either.
• Raiders head coach Al Davis supported his players, saying, “These are my football players and they are also my friends. I have told them it is their decision. It is their life and it is a much bigger thing than a football game.”
• AFL assistant commissioner Milt Woodard said the team was contractually obligated to play the game despite the protest.
• The team waived the following players: halfback Cotton Clark, defensive end Darnell Haney, defensive lineman Joe Novsek, and fullback Willie Simpson.
• They placed linebacker Bill Leeka on the reserve list.
• They also signed a pair of free agents: former Rams, Vikings, and 49ers linebacker Clancy Osborne and former Vikings placekicker Mike Mercer.
Al Davis | Head coach | |
Tom Dahms | Defensive line | |
John Rauch | Offensive backs | |
Ollie Spencer | Offensive line | |
Charlie Sumner | Defensive backs |
Name | Pos | Ht | Wt | School | |
Dalva Allen | DE | 6'4“ | 240 | Houston | |
Dan Birdwell | C | 6'3” | 235 | Houston | |
Sonny Bishop | G | 6'2“ | 240 | Fresno State | |
Charles Brown | T | 6'4” | 240 | Houston | |
Dave Costa | T | 6'2“ | 245 | Utah | |
Dobie Craig | WR | 6'3” | 190 | Howard Payne | |
Clem Daniels | HB | 6'1“ | 215 | North Texas State | |
Cotton Davidson | QB | 6'1” | 180 | Baylor | |
Bob Dougherty | LB | 6'1“ | 235 | Kentucky | |
Tom Flores | QB | 6'1” | 190 | Pacific | |
Bob Garner | WR | 5'10“ | 180 | Fresno State | |
Claude Gibson | DB | 6'1” | 190 | North Carolina State | |
Wayne Hawkins | G | 5'11“ | 235 | Pacific | |
Ken Herock | LB | 6'2” | 230 | West Virginia | |
Proverb Jacobs | DT | 6'4“ | 260 | California | |
Jon Jelacic | DE | 6'3” | 245 | Minnesota | |
Dick Klein | DT | 6'4“ | 255 | Iowa | |
Joe Krakoski | DB | 6'2” | 195 | Illinois | |
Arch Matsos | LB | 6'2“ | 215 | Michigan | |
Chuck McMurtry | DT | 6'0” | 280 | Whittier | |
Mike Mercer | K | 6'0“ | 220 | Arizona State - Flagstaff | |
Alan Miller | FB | 6'0” | 195 | Boston College | |
Bob Mischak | TE | 6'0“ | 240 | Army | |
Tommy Morrow | CB | 5'11 | 180 | Mississippi Southern | |
Jim Norris | T | 6'4” | 240 | Houston | |
Clancy Osborne | LB | 6'3“ | 220 | Arizona State | |
Jim Otto | C | 6'2” | 225 | Miami (FL) | |
Durward Pennington | K | 6'2“ | 210 | Georgia | |
George Pierovich | FB | 6'1” | 225 | California | |
Art Powell | WR | 6'3“ | 210 | San Jose State | |
Warren Powers | DB | 6'1” | 190 | Nebraska | |
Charlie Rieves | LB | 5'11“ | 210 | Houston | |
Bo Roberson | HB | 6'1” | 200 | Cornell | |
Jackie Simpson | LB | 6'1“ | 225 | Mississippi | |
Mike Sommer | HB | 5'11” | 185 | George Washington | |
Ollie Spencer | T | 6'1“ | 240 | Kansas | |
Jack Stone | T | 6'2” | 245 | Oregon | |
John Stone | K | 5'9“ | 215 | South Dakota State | |
Jim Traficant | QB | 6'0” | 190 | Pittsburgh | |
Herm Urenda | WR | 5'10“ | 180 | Pacific | |
Gene White | HB | 6'1” | 195 | Florida A&M | |
Fred Williamson | CB | 6'3“ | 210 | Northwestern |