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Honors
QB - Dick Wiese (All Star 1965) - PFL Rookie of the Year
SE Jim Hollingsworth (All Star 1965)
OG Chuck Withers (All Star 1965)
LB Mike Uhtoff (All Star 1965)
S Bud Dowling (All Star 1965)
Charlie Ganter (QB) 1964 All Star
Bill Turner 1963 Team Most Inspirational
Tom Buckner 1963 Team
MVP
Bob Sweet organized the Portland Thunderbirds in
July 1962 (formerly the Portland Pioneers).
Don Mann scored TD's in each of the opening 3 games of the 1963 season.
Dick Wiese threw for 3 TD's in the 1965 opener
blowing out Tacoma 41-7.
A week later, coach Tom Hughes grants the release
of place kicker Tom Roach. Hughes already had Steve Clark and was
sticking with Clark as his kicker. Roach would catch on with the
Eugene Bombers and go on to be one of the best kickers in the
Continental Football League in '68 and '69.
Frank Leahy Jr., son of the former Notre Dame coach, would take the head
job in 1965 and guide the team to a strong start.
Jim Hollingsworth, 6'4" 235-pound end, was signed by the Boston Patriots
in January 1966 after an All-Star 1965 season. Prior to his 1965
season, Hollingsworth had garnered interest from the San Francisco 49ers
before being released on July 26. Hollingsworth was the most
dangerous receiver of his era, setting a then record 861-yards receiving
and over 27-yards per reception during the 1965 season.
Aug 6, 1966: A working agreement was signed
between the Portland Thunderbirds of the Pacific Football League and the
Denver Broncos of the American Football League. Frank Leahy Jr.,
general manager of the Thunderbirds, said the Broncos would send out
young players for seasoning. Leahy said he expected other Pacific
League teams to have similar agreements with other pro clubs.
An August 30, 1966 it was announced that Leahy
resigned as chairman of the corporation attempting to launch the United
States Football League (USFL). Leahy remained GM of the Pacific
Football League.
FB Raye Renfro signed in 1966.
Against Edmonds in week 2, Scott Miller hauled in 7
passes for 183 yards, including a 67-yard TD.
The Thunderbirds were a casualty of expansion, when in 1967 the
Continental League took the Eugene Bombers and the Seattle Ramblers
ended operations giving way to the Seattle Rangers. The
announcement came in August of 1967.
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