Raiders History 101, courtesy of Mallard Davis

great work Bret and awesome to hear the first hand accounts from Mallard.

I love the story of how Al came to own the team – what a life the man has had.

If you have any other old Raider memories Mallard keep em coming I love it!

Several members of the McGah family filed suit against Davis in October 2003.

My first trip to the Coliseum, aka The House of Pain was at age 11 in 1966 with a church group. This was the first time I had seen a 55,000 seat all concrete stadium. It seemed cold and sterile. There were about as many fans present as there were at the end of last year (see, things go in cycles). All I remember is the guy we were with shouting “it’s a flanker reverse, it’s a flanker reverse”. Evidently, this was Warren Wells on a reverse. I though what?, who?, do the Raiders have a player named Flanker? I know better now.

A Coliseum trivia bit: They had electric heaters below the second and third deck overhangs to keep fans warm when the Coliseum opened. I guess electric cost and maintenance caused the heaters to go away quickly!

Warren Wells, Clem Daniels, Hewitt Dixion, man they gave me my love for football. We would go around the neighborhood as kids calling ourselves the Oakland Raiders when we raided plum trees…lol My first trip to the Oakland Coliseum was a great experience, it was my first NFL football game and the Raiders I felt was the greatest team on earth…Man those were the days..I love my team…Go Raiders!!!!

GO RAIDERS!!!!!

Back in the late 70’s, My friends and I would sit in the wooden bleacher seat where mount Davis is now. Not because the seats were cheaper, because we would put ice and beer in back packs, and throw it over the cyclone fence that separated the outside from the bleacher seats. There was a lot less security back then. People would be drinking whiskey out of a bottle or puffing away on their favorite smoke and willing to share what they have, like one big happy family.

What Raiders CB had the nickname “Dr. Death”?

AND..for 10 extra points…

What dense Raiders lineman once asked Dr. Death for an aspirin because he thought he was a real doctor?

 There were 2 players nicknamed Dr.Death ( at the same time lol) …. CB Skip Thomas and SS George Atkinson (also known as Black Death)..They made up half of the “Soul Patrol” the Oakland secondary’s nickname. As for the aspirin..ya got me.

I believe it was Charles Philyaw. Read this info and you know I may be right:

http://miamimigraine.blogspot.com/2007/06/charles-philyaw.html

i was always curious about the history, i guess i should’ve taken it upon myself to look it up. but this was an amazing reading. i was hoping the 30 for 30 ice cube made was going to be like this but this was great and much better. thanks

While I was too young to follow a team on my own, I have some memories of some of those games in my childhood (born in ‘71) and my father was from Boston, and somehow a Rams fan (I guess originally the St. Louis Rams, still don’t get the connection, but to each his own, right?).

I think you’re both right in saying that while much of that info is on Wiki, most would never have looked for it, and for that, we owe you both. Great to know we have historians interested in the rich history in which this team can be proud. I know I am.

Keep up the great work, and thanks Bob and Bret for the trip down memory lane.

Growing up in Northern Oregon we were expected to root for the semi local Seattle Sea Chickens. I never could abide them though and after watching my first Superbowl with the Raiders against Eagles as a youngster I became a fan of the Raiders. We were pretty blessed back then, winning that game, and a few years later destroying the oh so annoying Redskins in my favorite Superbowl of all time. I can still picture that cutback run by Marcus like it happened yesterday. My love for the team never wavered since then, though we have had some players who made it tough to watch, (looking at you J Russell). This offseason has given me a great deal of hope that things are truly getting better, and maybe just maybe a playoff berth is not so far away.

Been a Raiders fan since the 1966 season. Found the history article to be extremely interesting. I grew up in Boston and have always followed the Silver and Black as best I could (thank God for satellite dishes and cable), always pretty much from a distance. It is really nice getting to feel the local aspect of the teams’ past, albeit vicariously, through one who was right there!!! Thanks … great article!!!

If you look a little closer at Y Chet Soda, he was the driving force behind the Raiders. We all tend to think it was Al Davis. He was part of the 2007 Lamar Hunt Award “2007 – Members of the Foolish Club” along with other original AFL team owners. The Y&H Soda Foundation has donated to charity causes in the Bay Area for years. In fact, years ago I worked on a Habitat for Humanity house funded by the Y&H Soda Foundation. So, Soda help found the Raiders and set up a charitable foundation and Al Davis is Al Davis.

Back then (1967 is when I first started watching) N.B.C. did all the AFC games. Kurt Gowdy and Al Derogotus (Dero) made the majority of the calls. It was no secret that Dero was a Raider fan and at times an apologist. It was awesome. The story goes that the next play after Ben davidson broke Namath’s nose(he was supposed to have pulled Namath’s helmet up so he’d have a clear shot at his nose) Namath instructed his linemen to let Davidson in unmolested and then placed a perfect spiral in Ben’s facemask. Even if it never happened that’s the Raider image we grew up with. How about Matt Millen at the kingdome ? He makes a BRUTAL hit on the goal line,levels the player gets up and starts to run to the bench and collapses. He knocked himself out momentarily ,got up and to the applause of the crowd, bowed to them. Bo Jackson running over “the Boz”?? Great history youngsters! That’s why it’s rough on us oldsters to watch the past 7 years. I said it before, watching the “immaculate reception” live was the worst football experience in my life. These stories get better over a few (or more) beers and shots y the way! R.F.F.R Thank’s Mallard and BA!

You think you know your team, but do you really know your team’s origins?! I learned a helluva lot from the original post and from the comments too. Never really looked into the very early days of the franchise. Always assumed that not much happened pre-Davies. Loved the part about Davies ousting Valley while he was at the Olympics – so Al ! "Faster, Higher, Stonger (Dirtier -the fourth Olympic ideal !) "

One of the best I’ve read here on Silver & Black Pride. Great job.

My Dad went on to tell me how I would sit there and scream go raiders!!, hell I still do that!!! lol, however, I actually remember the Raiders clearly and understood the game in 1966 when I was 8 years old. Then when Charlie Smith #23 became a Raider we were in Raider heaven, Charlie lived on our block back them before he moved up to Skyline in about 1970. After he retired he bought a liquor store on the corner of 108th and Bancroft in East Oakland in the old neighborhood that I lived in and he hired me to work for him when I was in High School. I would also work at his house on Skyline which had horses, man it was great, he would have BBQ’s and everyone would be there, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jack Tatum, Skip Thomas, Willie Brown, Marv Hubbard, and my favorite Raymond Chester because he would really sit with me and talk to me..I was playing cornerback at Berkeley High at the time and the tips I received and confidence they gave me, helped my game immensely…Charlie is who had me running the lake twice, one day I told him just finished my jog, ran the lake and he asked me how many times, I was like how many times!!! once..He laughed and told me you have to run it twice for a workout, I never ran the lake once after that….The Raiders are a team of real history and character, they are more than just a sports franchise, and no matter what you may say about Al, he loves the Raiders and you can believe he loses sleep watching a great team lose the way we have over the past few years. The Raiders are historic, you have few franchises you can say that about, Dallas, Pittsburg, teams that have come out of the 60’s until now that have consistently won, of course there are transition periods, but remember we were in the playoffs and the Super Bowl not that long ago, the Raiders will come back and will regain their winning ways…Al now is allowing other football mines to help with the decisions and look at the team now. Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller, and B. Grad at QB, moves on the O line, at Linebacker, our running game is tight with help in other areas, at tight end, and for those of you the question Jason, I have said this all along, he will excell if he trusts his arm. The Raiders have always brought a sense of pride and toughness to its fans and we are well on the way back to that, so stay the course my young Raider fans, you will also reap the rewards we old dogs have watching the Raiders have a bad day and still win…

I have told the story of the “Take Five Al Game”, but it bears repeating.

The NFL did not care when the Raiders moved BACK from L.A. to Oakland, but they and the fans did care when the rumor arose that the Raiders may move to L.A. In early 80’s there was a planned protest during a Monday night game. The fans would stay out five minutes of the game showing their solidarity. Of course the network just said it was a late arriving crowd (lies as usual). We stayed out the first five minutes and spent the whole game waving placards and Shouting “SAVE OUR RAIDERS”. Neither the fans nor the NFL could stop the move and ended in years of lawsuits.

About this time you were able to buy a “pitcher” of beer for $5.00. You got a 32 ounce beer with a pouring top and some plastic glasses. While waiting for the “Take Five Al” game to start we said, “screw it” and took the tops of the pitchers and had our giant sized beers while waiting for the game to start. I guess this was our protest fuel.

I was born in 55 but I wish I had access to Raider greats like you did. I met and talked with Phil Villapiano years ago and he autographed a picture of him and the “Tooz” in Johnny’s book “They call me the TOOZ”. Characters are what yesterday’s Raiders were. I THINK it was a Houston Oiler game that i watched Blanda throw a TD AND kick the extra point. Just awesome memories. Warren Wells , Marv Hubbard ,The Snake The mad Stork Ted Hendricks ,Lyle Alzado ,Ben Davidson , Otis Sistrunk, Howard Cosell and dandy Don Merideth on MNF “Turn out the lights, the party’s ooooooooooover”!! truely the good ol’ days of Raiderdom!

John Matuzak’s book and Kenny Stabler’s “The Snake’” books are great places to start. Teaser #1 “guys were reaching into the basket of greenies (yes, the SAME amphetamines the baseball cats used to use) eating them up and standing on the sidelines grinding their teeth waiting for the opening kickoff”. Teaser #2 "We all looked out the side of the bus and there was “Mr. Happy” sitting in a convertable stark naked as we passed him going down the Freeway". Of course you will have to read the aformentioned books to find out which quote came from which book. Ah AH AH Mallard, don’t tell!!!! You will understand why WE call ourselves RAIDER NATION, we have earned it. R.F.F.R. Brothers.

really great stuff, best post in recent memory.

Those kick ass and take names later teams are what keep us coming back for more no matter what today’s all about me players do. Hell, I saw a documentary a few years back on double ott Jim Otto. It takes him a half hour to GET OUT OF BED every morning, that’s how much he left on the field. TOUGH? How about Larry Wilson of the St Louis Cardinals playing in the defensive backfield with 2 broken hands in casts? Tip a few for the old school!

Thus, we old dogs have a harder time understanding some of the decisions Al has made over the years, but nothing can ever take away from the rich history the Raiders have in a Blue Collar town like Oakland, though we had the A’s and Warriors, who both played well in the 70’s as we all know…the Raiders were the City of Oaklands identity, tough, unconventional, excepted cast offs, and played with a fierce desire to destroy, let alone win. The game has changed so much today that it is hard to build that core and keep it, money prevails and teams must build a system and get key personnel that they can build around to keep winning…The Indianapolis Colts are an example of that, and so were the Raiders when Gruden was coach.. If they can sync and we can get our key players to perform we can win sooner that later…I will tell you, TO should be considered if the terms are right, he brings a work ethic that can’t be denied, also he will free up C-Chill, Murph, again DHB is a developmental player, he has yet to prove he can even play in this league. With that said, the Raiders are a team that TO can help and for you young Raider fans out there, us old dogs see it differently, we are used to wanting moves made that will benefit the W column and TO would help there.

Wyoraider, I have met Jim Otto on several occasions, he owned Burger Kings in Auburn, CA out of Sac and he is one of the toughest people you will ever meet, when you see him, you can tell he left it all on the field. Most Raiders did, it was the only way you could play on the team, all or nothing…How I miss that….

the game wasn’t over until the final whistle blew, and George Blanda, the General would go out on the field and work his magic, it is so funny to look back at that today, and though in his 40’s George really looked older. And I can only hope the Raiders can get the pieces in place to regain that toughness, and you are so right, many of the young guys don’t really understand why we are the way we are. We lived the days when teams were actually afraid to play in Oakland, because they knew they would get hit in the mouth….I am a Raider for life and I live in Indy now, go figure, I wear my Raider gear, Raider license plate…etc.. Go Raiders…

The vets taught toughness to those that followed, it was a real family there..And there was NO better example of toughness in the NFL than Jim Otto #00. The only Raider number never worn again!!!!

As a person (seeing the off field and some on antics) I don’t have much love for the guy; he brings a lot to the table in his skill sets and work ethic. Yes he would take away coverage from our other guys enhancing their production,and diminishing his own. The question is would his ego allow that to happen? If he were to understand and agree to his role on the Team I say let’s go for it (one year deal). A Raider for life myself I’m blogging from the oil and gas fields in Wyoming which, by the way, is a long way from Orinda where I grew up in the 60’s.

The winds of autumn blow worldwide! R.F.F.R. Oh , Mr. Hawaii it’s snowing here in WYO today . Wish I had a beech to go to!

Before i head off on my rant, i wanna say thank you to all the RAIDER NATION, the 1st NATION, the ONLY NATION…. thanks for the history lesson, filled in many missing pieces.. with that said, here i go: In my frustrating search for any offseason news, i came across an article by that ASSCLOWN CHADIHA, the ESPN writer… In it he states that Campbell is not leader enough for this team…. and i have flipped. I AM SICK OF ALL THESE RAIDER HATERS…. you douchebags swing from our nuts when we are up on top of the NFL… and like Benedict Arnold, run at the first sign of a bumpy road… I hate bandwagoneers… dirty little bastards that wont stand up for anything, but run to the newest winner, to hide in the folds of the skirts of the newest “IT” team… MOST OF THE MEDIA TAKES POTSHOTS AT THE RAIDERS, LIKE IT IS THE “THING” TO DO, never tryin to bring to light the efforts of the coaches and players to instill a winning attitude and a positive demeanor, just re-iterating the same bullshit about seven years bad luck and revolving coaches and Al Davis and every other OBVIOUS thing anybody with a semblance of intelligence could decipher… I cant believe half u asswipes get paid to write…. I’d find better journalism in a high school newspaper. Sorry for the foul language, but i am sure most of us are adults and are not offended by a few cusswords… i am sick of hearing that the raiders wont be .500, and back in double digit losses…. i hope our team shoves it down their throats… i have a good feeling this year, first time in about nine years, and cant wait to thrash the hell out of everyone and anyone…

We’re the Raiders….That is just the way it is and it has been that way since I remember them playing. The Raiders have always be a team that is surrounding by controversy, albeit true or not, lol…Who cares, at the end of the day, as long as the Raiders hit someone in the mouth we will be fine. Can we turn it around, I am NOT a rah rah fan, however, in light of our division, it is conceivable that the Raiders can make some real noise in the division…Mark my words, if they sync it will be ugly for teams in the AFC West. And by the way, when the Raiders stop being hated, then it’s time to worry….

Worst scenario 9-7 Best scenario 10-6. BOOK IT NATION. Mallard’s right, it wasn’t too awful long ago the chokers turned it around and we can too. We are talking 4 more wins people, and I think it’s going to happen! Did you think we were going to beat Philly at home, or shitsburgh on the road? Well it shows anything can happen on any given day in the NFL. BELIEVE Nation,and book it!!