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  Portland Thunderbirds (1962-1964; 1966) Lake Oswego T-Birds (1965)

 

Years of Operation: 1963-1966

 

Overall Record

 

First Game: Sep 23, 1962 vs Seattle Ramblers

 

First Win:

 

Final Game:

League Affiliation:  

North Pacific Amateur Football League (1962-64)

Pacific Football League (1965-66)

 

 

Team Headquarters:

 

Owner: Bob Sweet

 

General Manager: Harry Conley (1963); Frank Leahy Jr.

 

Coaches: Bob Sweet (1962); John Moynihan (1963); Frank Leahy Jr. (1965-66); Tom Hughes (1966); Bob Coles (Asst: 1962-1966)

 

Home Field(s): Clatskanie; Delta Park, Multnomah Stadium

Titles Won

None

  1962 Schedule/Results (3-2):  

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.

 

Sep 15 - Pacific University  21-0
Sep 23 - Seattle Ramblers 20-27
Sep 30 - Tacoma Tyees 14-0
Oct 21 - Tacoma Tyees 20-21
Oct 28 @ Seattle Ramblers 13-6
   
   
   
1963 Schedule/Results (3-6):  
Sep 7 - Seattle Ramblers 23-0
Sep 14 - Humboldt Foresters 19-12
Sep 22 - Tacoma Tyees 6-13
Sep 29 @ Edmonds Warriors 7-17
Oct 13 @ Seattle Ramblers 14-19
Oct 20 - Edmonds Warriors 27-7
Oct 27 @ Tacoma Tyees 21-28
Nov 3 @ Humboldt Foresters 15-30
Nov 10 - Tacoma Tyees 7-12
   
   
1964 Schedule/Results (8-3):  
Sep 6 - Fort Lewis Rangers 20-19
Sep 12 - Tacoma Tyees 12-20
Sep 27 - Bellingham Bell-Jets 37-13
Oct 3 @ Seattle Ramblers 19-6
Oct 11 - Edmonds Warriors 6-19
Oct 18 - Spokane Volunteers 40-6
Oct 25 -  
Nov 1 @ Spokane Volunteers 21-6
Nov 8 - Tacoma Tyees 34-19
Nov 15 @ Edmonds Warriors 0-26
Nov 21 - Seattle Ramblers * 26-13
  *JFK Memorial Library Benefit Game  
   
1965 Schedule/Results (8-3):  
Aug 29 Tacoma Tyees @ Astoria 16-6
Sep 5 - Vancouver BC Kats 39-0
Sep 11 - Tacoma Tyees 41-7
Sep 18 @ Eureka Humboldt Foresters 43-16
Sep 26 - Edmonds Warriors 20-28
Oct 3 - Vancouver BC Kats 57-0
Oct 10 - Tacoma Tyees 34-0
Oct 17 - Vancouver BC Kats Cancel
Oct 24 - Bellingham Bell-Jets 53-6
Nov 1 - Tacoma Tyees 34-19
Nov 7 - Edmonds Warriors 12-21
Nov 14 @ Edmonds Warriors 7-28
   
1966 Schedule/Results (4-8):  
Aug 27 - Tacoma Tyees @ Astoria      10-14
Sep 3 - Edmonds Warriors 14-20
Sep 11 - Tacoma Tyees 17-8
Sep 18 - Eugene Bombers 14-20
Sep 25 - Victoria Steelers 38-12
Oct 2 @ Edmonds Warriors 0-23
Oct 9 - Seattle Ramblers 0-27
Oct 16 - Edmonds Warriors 21-9
Oct 22 - Victoria Steelers 2-13
Oct 29 - Tacoma Tyees 27-6
Nov 6 - Seattle Ramblers 14-17
Nov 13 - Eugene Bombers 9-26
   
   
 

 

   
   
   
   

 

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