• Raider partner and general manager Chet Soda denied a report saying that San Francisco business owner Frederick Sullivan had purchased half of his share of the team

• Sullivan reportedly made the assertion himself in a “private conversation” and added that three other partners—Don Blessing, Roger Lapham, and Wayne Valley—had similarly sold parts of their shares of the team

• While Soda denied the story, public relations director Jack Gallagher said that such sales were in accord with the ownership agreement as long as the pieces sold did not come with voting rights and the other owners did not have to be notified when such an arrangement was made

• According to the Chronicle, Valley had sold a piece to a business partner, Lapham had sold “an unspecified share to a person or persons unknown”, and Blessing had “sold much of his share to a syndicate of eight to 12 people”

• The Examiner suggested that Blessing had been “at the head of a syndicate” when he joined to ownership group

• Soda also said the team had decided not to pursue a temporary move to San Leandro any longer

• Scotty Stirling of the Tribune reported the bizarre story of a feud between Raiders head coach Eddie Erdelatz and Titans team president Harry Wismer

• According to the story, Wismer said he had invited Erdelatz to a party on the Wednesday evening before the game and when Erdelatz did not arrive, Wismer called him “uncooperative and a trouble maker”

• Wismer also asserted that the team had arrived late for the game and that Erdelatz wasn’t with them when they finally did arrive

• Erdelatz responded to the story about the party by saying he had had prior obligations and Stirling provided an eyewitness account saying the team most certainly was in the stadium on time and that Erdelatz was with them

• Stirling’s account was corroborated by other Bay Area newspapers

• Aside from all the drama, Erdelatz gave the team the day off after yesterday’s win

< Oct 28, 1960 Back to Calendar Oct 30, 1960 >