1961 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Ellen
Ellen originated from a low-pressure area near Chuuk Lagoon where data supported a closed circulation; However, it had soon moved into a data void to the south of Guam early in December. The low developed into a tropical depression with well-defined spiral storm bands and a closed circulation early on December 5. The depression moved westward and passed to the north of Palau. It organized itself into a tropical storm on December 7 and underwent rapid intensification.


1961 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Ellen
By the December 8, the cyclone had become an intense typhoon with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a sea surface pressure of 970 hPa (29 inHg). An eyewall was observed during this time. By December 9, Ellen had reached a peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimal pressure of 946 hPa (27.9 inHg). During this time Ellen made its closest approach to land. Ellen began to weaken on December 10 as it curved to the northeast.


1961 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Ellen
By December 11, the typhoon reached secondary peak intensity, and small hail was observed within the eye during this time. On December 13, the circulation had become poorly defined and Ellen weakened back to a tropical storm. Ellen dissipated on December 14 while moving in a northeastern direction out into the open ocean.


1961 Pacific typhoon season, Systems, Typhoon Ellen
Ellen was the most destructive typhoon of 1961 for the Philippines. Impacts from Ellen were most severe on Catanduanes island when the center passed within ten miles from the northern point of the island. The eye during this time was about thirty-six miles across and had winds of 150  mph within the eyewall. Damages were placed at about $500,000 at the Coast Guard Loran Station while damage elsewhere is estimated at about ₱2 million. Several people were reported either missing or dead. A Panamanian freighter carrying logs to Hong Kong sank in the South China Sea, near the Spratly Islands, due to squally weather on December 9. Thirty-three of the crew members were lost to the turbulent sea.


1961 Paddington-Waverley state by-election
A by-election was held in the New South Wales state electoral district of Paddington-Waverley on 25 February 1961. The by-election was triggered by the death  of William Ferguson (Labor).


1961 Paisley by-election
The Paisley by-election, 1961 was a parliamentary by-election held on 20 April 1961 for the British House of Commons constituency of Paisley in Scotland.


1961 Paisley by-election
The election was caused by the appointment of the sitting Labour member Douglas Harold Johnston as a Senator of the College of Justice, a judicial post. The candidates were John Robertson for the Labour Party, John Bannerman for the Liberals and G R Rickman for the Conservatives. Robertson held the seat for Labour with a reduced majority of 1,658 from the Liberal candidate.


1961 Palanca Awards
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature winners in 1961 (rank, title of winning entry, name of author).


1961 Pan Arab Games
The 3rd Pan Arab Games were held in Casablanca, Morocco between 24 August and 8 September 1961. 1127 athletes from 9 countries participated in events in 11 sports.


1961 Papua New Guinean general election
General elections were held in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea on 18 March 1961. Indigenous members were elected for the first time, although on an indirect basis. The territory's first political party, the United Progress Party, won three seats.


1961 Papua New Guinean general election, Background
In September 1960 the Australian government announced that the Legislative Council would be expanded. Having previously been a 29-member body with 17 officials (civil servants), nine appointed members and three elected members, the new council was to have 37 members, of which 15 were officials, 10 were appointees (of which at least five would be indigenous members) and twelve were elected. The twelve elected members would consist of six Europeans elected directly from single-member constituencies, and six indigenous members indirectly elected from the same constituencies.


1961 Papua New Guinean general election, Background
The indirect elections for the indigenous members saw 220 representatives nominated by 39 Native Local Government Council and 144 representatives nominated by 33 special electoral groups, covering areas where no Native Local Government Council existed. The 364 representatives subsequently elected the six indigenous members of the Legislative Council.


1961 Papua New Guinean general election, Campaign
A total of 108 candidates contested the six indigenous seats, whilst only nine ran in the six European seats, leaving three candidates elected unopposed.


1961 Papua New Guinean general election, Aftermath
Following the elections, the Administrator appointed the Administrator's Council, the territory's cabinet.


1961 Paraguayan Primera División season
The 1961 season of the Paraguayan Primera División, the top category of Paraguayan football, was played by 11 teams. The national champions were Cerro Porteño.


1961 Paris–Nice
The 1961 Paris–Nice was the 19th edition of the Paris–Nice cycle race and was held from 10 March to 16 March 1961. The race started in Paris and finished in Nice. The race was won by Jacques Anquetil of the Helyett team.


1961 Paris–Roubaix
The 1961 Paris–Roubaix was the 59th edition of the Paris–Roubaix cycle race and was held on 9 April 1961. The race started in Compiègne and finished in Roubaix. The race was won by Rik Van Looy of the Faema team.


1961 Paris–Tours
The 1961 Paris–Tours was the 55th edition of the Paris–Tours cycle race and was held on 8 October 1961. The race started in Paris and finished in Tours. The race was won by Joseph Wouters of the Solo team.


1961 Pau Grand Prix
The 21st Pau Grand Prix was a non-Championship motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 3 April 1961 at Pau Circuit, the street circuit in Pau. The race was run over 100 laps of the circuit, and was won by Jim Clark in a Lotus 18. This was Clark's first Formula One victory.


1961 Pau Grand Prix
The cars entered by Scuderia Centro Sud were fitted with engines that were bigger than the 1.5 litres allowed by the regulations. Lorenzo Bandini had a 2.5-litre engine, and Mário Cabral a 2-litre.


1961 Penn Quakers football team
The 1961 Penn Quakers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pennsylvania during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. Penn finished seventh in the Ivy League.


1961 Penn Quakers football team
In their second year under head coach John Stiegman, the Quakers compiled a 2–7 record and were outscored 194 to 42. Mike Natale was the team captain.


1961 Penn Quakers football team
Penn's 1–6 conference record was the second-worst in the Ivy League standings. The Quakers were outscored 167 to 22 by Ivy opponents.


1961 Penn Quakers football team
Penn played its home games at Franklin Field adjacent to the university's campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


1961 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 1961 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. The team was coached by Rip Engle and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.


1961 Pepperdine Waves football team
The 1961 Pepperdine Waves football team represented George Pepperdine College as an independent during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by second-year head coach Pence Dacus. The Waves played home games at Sentinel Field on the campus of Inglewood High School in Inglewood, California. Pepperdine finished the season with a record of 1–9 for the second year in a row.


1961 Pepperdine Waves football team
On December 20, 1961, Pepperdine announced that it was dropping its football team due to financial considerations. In its short 16 years of existence, the Waves football team compiled an overall 64–79–2 record, for a .448 winning percentage.


1961 Pepperdine Waves football team, Team players in the NFL
No Pepperdine players were selected in the 1962 NFL Draft.


1961 Peruvian Primera División
The 1961 season of the Primera División Peruana, the top category of Peruvian football, was played by 10 teams. The national champions were Sporting Cristal.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1961 Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 29th season in the National Football League.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season
Since 1951, the Eagles have held their training camp at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season, NFL Draft
The 1961 NFL Draft and the 1961 AFL Draft were separate drafts, and players could end up being drafted by both leagues.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season, NFL Draft
The NFL Draft of 20 rounds with 14 teams picking were separate drafts for college players and took place on December 27–28, 1960, immediately after their win in the NFL Championship Game on December 26. The Eagles would picked last by going 10–2 in the 1960 season. As was the rule then, teams picked by previous season record, with that Cleveland Browns pick ahead of NFL runner-up Green Bay Packers. This draft was also the first regular draft for the Dallas Cowboys as they had participated only in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft that year.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season, NFL Draft
The Cowboys held the worst record in the NFL the previous season, but selected second in this draft because of the entry of the Minnesota Vikings into the league. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Vikings' expansion franchise, and the Vikings were also awarded the first selection position in this draft.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season, NFL Draft
The AFL draft was held on 2 dates 2 weeks apart at the end of the 1960 college season but before the bowl games. The first was a six-round draft held by phone. The second was held December 5 and 6, 1960 for rounds 7 through 30. The Denver Broncos selected New Mexico State's Bob Gaiters as the overall first draft pick.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Off-season, NFL Draft
The Philadelphia Eagles lost their first-round pick to the AFL for the second year. About half of the Eagles' 19 picks either signed with the AFL or remained in college to play their last year of eligibility.


1961 Philadelphia Eagles season, Regular season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season
The 1961 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 69th in franchise history. The Phillies finished the season in last place in the National League at 47–107, 46 games behind the NL Champion Cincinnati Reds. The team also lost 23 games in a row, the most in the majors since 1900.


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 Philadelphia Phillies season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 Philadelphia municipal election
Philadelphia's municipal election of November 7, 1961, involved the election of the district attorney, city controller, and several judgeships. Democrats swept all of the city races but saw their vote totals much reduced from those of four years earlier, owing to a growing graft scandal in city government. District Attorney James C. Crumlish, Jr. and City Controller Alexander Hemphill, both incumbents, were returned to office. Several ballot questions were also approved, including one permitting limited sales of alcohol on Sundays.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Background
In 1957 and 1959, Philadelphia Democrats had achieved citywide victories over the Republicans, capping a string of electoral wins that had begun in 1951. Their 1959 victory, especially, indicated a complete domination of the city's politics as Mayor Richardson Dilworth carried 58 of 59 wards in his reelection bid; he and other Democrats running for citywide seats took nearly two-thirds of the vote. It was followed up by a resounding success in the presidential election of 1960, when Democratic Senator John F. Kennedy carried the state thanks to a 330,000-vote majority in Philadelphia. The coalition of independent reformers and organization Democrats looked to further increase their success in 1961, with Democratic City Committee chairman William J. Green, Jr., predicting a margin of 100,000 votes in the off-year election.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Background
As the election neared, however, some cracks began to show in the Democrats' dominance. Dilworth held a neighborhood meeting to announce a plan to charge for parking in South Philadelphia, and was pelted with rocks and garbage in a near-riot. Even more embarrassing to a party that had been elected on a platform of reform was an investigation that year into political corruption and bribery in City Hall. Republicans demanded that a grand jury be convened to investigate further, but Judge Raymond Pace Alexander (who had served as a Democratic city councilman from 1952 to 1959) rejected their petition. While Green asked voters for "indorsement for continuance in office on solid accomplishments," Republican City Committee chairman Wilbur H. Hamilton drew attention to the scandals and called the erstwhile reform movement a "broken idol" that "promised much and delivered little."


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, District Attorney
Philadelphia elects a district attorney independently of the mayor, in a system that predates the charter change. Since 1957, district attorney elections have followed mayoral and city council elections by two years. In that year, Philadelphians reelected Victor H. Blanc as District Attorney of Philadelphia by a thirteen-percentage-point margin. Three years later, Governor David L. Lawrence appointed Blanc to the court of common pleas. Blanc's first assistant, Paul M. Chalfin, served as acting district attorney while the common pleas judges decided on a replacement who would serve until the 1961 election. The fight for the interim post became a battle between political factions with Green's preferred candidate, James C. Crumlish, Jr., getting the judges' approval in March 1961. Crumlish ran for a full four-year term that fall.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, District Attorney
Republicans nominated Theodore B. Smith, Jr., a former assistant district attorney who had been in private practice since 1958, without primary opposition. Smith and the Republicans accused Crumlish of being a tool of the Democratic party machine and said that he covered up corruption in the graft investigation. Democrats were confident of an easy victory for Crumlish, but he won by just 47,000 votes. The margin was far less than expected and the worst showing for Democrats in a district attorney contest since 1947. Crumlish trailed all citywide Democratic candidates, which The Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Joseph C. Goulden attributed to the growing perception of corruption in the party, and in the district attorney's office in particular.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, City Controller
Philadelphia elects a City Controller to sit at the head of an independent auditing department. The Controller approves all payments made out of the city treasury and audits the executive departments. As an independently elected official, the Controller is not responsible to the mayor or the city council. The office was created under the 1919 City Charter and later given expanded powers as one of the good-government reforms intended to reduce the corruption that had previously plagued city government and led to the reform coalition of 1951.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, City Controller
Democrat Alexander Hemphill had been elected to the office in 1957 and ran for reelection. He was a lawyer with a long history of involvement in Democratic politics who had worked with reformers in the campaigns that ultimately defeated the Republican organization in 1951. Hemphill was the organization's nominee in 1957, but often clashed with Dilworth and others. His investigation had brought to light the initial evidence leading to the graft charges against members of his own party.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, City Controller
Hemphill's opponent was Joseph C. Bruno, a West Philadelphia lawyer, who fended off a surprisingly strong primary protest vote for Joseph A. Schafer, an accountant from Northeast Philadelphia. Despite Hemphill's investigation into the alleged misconduct, the Democratic Party's scandals reduced his totals as well, though still giving him a 55,000-vote victory over Bruno. Hemphill continued in office until 1967, when he resigned to run for mayor.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Judges and magistrates
Although Pennsylvania's judges are elected in partisan elections, there had been a tradition of not challenging the re-election of incumbents. To that end, judicial candidates were typically endorsed by both major parties but in 1953 Democrats broke the informal pact and endorsed just three of the sitting judges, resulting in an unusually intense contest. By 1957, the old order was mostly re-established as all but one of the sitting judges were endorsed for re-election by both parties and returned to office without opposition.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Judges and magistrates
In 1961, four common pleas court judges and two orphans' court judges were on the ballot, and all were cross-endorsed in accordance with the sitting-judge principle. All were reelected to ten-year terms, including Victor H. Blanc, the former district attorney.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Judges and magistrates
There were also seven seats open for magistrate, a local court, the duties of which have since been superseded by the Philadelphia Municipal Court. In the magistrate races, a limited voting law meant that each political party could nominate four candidates, and voters could only vote for four, with the result being that the majority party could only take four of the seven seats, leaving three for the minority party. The Democrats took the maximum number of four magistracies, with all four of their incumbents being reelected, led by Harry C. Schwartz. The remaining three seats went to Republicans, with one spot going to the only GOP incumbent on the ballot, Thomas A. Connor. The other two Republicans elected were 42nd Ward leader John P. Walsh and former police captain Luke A. McBride, who edged out court stenographer George J. Woods.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Ballot questions
At the May primary, two referendums were proposed; the first would permit Sunday alcohol sales in hotels that had liquor licenses, the second would borrow $10 million for school construction. Both passed, gathering 67.6% and 75.9% of the vote, respectively. In November, five more questions were on the ballot, all asking the voters' permission to borrow money for various infrastructure improvements. All five, approving a total of $65 million in loans, passed by a two-to-one margin.


1961 Philadelphia municipal election, Aftermath
The 1961 election confirmed the Democrats in power, but their reduced margins and increased association with machine politics signaled the beginning of the end for the party's coalition with independent good government reformers. Dilworth, in particular, saw the election as a warning sign, telling the party that they must "watch your Ps and Qs" to avoid further setbacks. Even so, Green's control over federal patronage through the Kennedy administration and Dilworth's resignation in 1962 to run for governor left the Democratic Party fully in the hands of the ward leaders.


1961 Philippine House of Representatives elections
The elections for the House of Representatives of the Philippines were held on November 14, 1961. Held on the same day as the presidential election, the party of the incumbent president, Carlos P. Garcia's Nacionalista Party, won majority of the seats in the House of Representatives. However, Diosdado Macapagal of the opposition Liberal Party won the presidential election, leading to majority of the elected Nacionalista congressmen to defect to the Liberal Party. This led to Cornelio Villareal being elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.


1961 Philippine House of Representatives elections
The elected representatives served in the 5th Congress from 1961 to 1965.


1961 Philippine Senate election
A senatorial election was held on November 14, 1961 in the Philippines. The two candidates of the Progressive Party, guest candidates of the Liberal Party, topped the election, while the Liberals themselves won four seats cutting the Nacionalista Party's majority to 13 seats in the 24-seat Philippine Senate.


1961 Philippine Senate election, Retiring incumbents, Incumbents running elsewhere
These ran in the middle of their Senate terms. For those losing in their respective elections, they can still return to the Senate to serve out their term, while the winners will vacate their Senate seats, then it would have been contested in a special election concurrently with the next general election.


1961 Philippine Senate election, Results
The Liberal Party won four seats contested in the election, while the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party won two each.


1961 Philippine Senate election, Results
Lorenzo Sumulong was the sole Nacionalista to successfully defend his seat. Liberal Francisco Soc Rodrigo, who originally was a Nacionalista, was the other senator to defend his seat.


1961 Philippine Senate election, Results
Two Liberals are neophyte senators: Gaudencio Antonino and Maria Kalaw Katigbak. Also entering the Senate for the first time are Progressives Manuel Manahan and Raul Manglapus. Camilo Osias, who last served in the Senate in 1953, won back a Senate seat as a Liberal.


1961 Philippine Senate election, Results
Incumbent Nacionalista senators Decoroso Rosales, Domocao Alonto, Pacita Madrigal-Warns, Pedro Sabido, and Quintin Paredes all lost.


1961 Philippine general election
Presidential, legislative and local elections were held on November 14, 1961 in the Philippines. Incumbent President Carlos P. Garcia lost his opportunity for a second full term as President of the Philippines to Vice President President Diosdado Macapagal. His running mate, Senator Sergio Osmeña, Jr. lost to Senator Emmanuel Pelaez. Six candidates ran for president, four of whom were "nuisance" candidates. This was the only election in Philippine electoral history in which a vice-president defeated the incumbent president.


1961 Philippine presidential election
The 1961 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on November 14, 1961. Incumbent President Carlos P. Garcia lost his opportunity for a second full term as President of the Philippines to Vice President President Diosdado Macapagal. His running mate, Senator Gil J. Puyat, lost to Senator Emmanuel Pelaez. Six candidates ran for president, four of whom were "nuisance" candidates. This was the only election in Philippine electoral history in which a vice-president defeated the incumbent president.


1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team
The 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team was an American football team that represented Pittsburg State University during the 1961 NAIA football season. In their 13th season under head coach Carnie Smith, the team compiled an 11–0 record and shut out seven of eleven opponents. The team won the NAIA football national championship, the AP and UPI small college national championship, and the Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIC) championship.


1961 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 1961 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. The team compiled a 3–7 record under head coach John Michelosen. The team's statistical leaders included Jim Traficant with 437 passing yards and Rick Leeson with 452 rushing yards.


1961 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates fell from World Champions the previous season to sixth place in the National League, as they won 75 games and lost 79, 18 games behind NL Champion Cincinnati.


1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 29th in the National Football League.


1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1961 Pittsburgh mayoral election
The Mayoral election of 1961 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was held on Tuesday, November 7, 1961. The incumbent mayor, Joe Barr of the Democratic Party won his first full term as mayor, after achieving the position in a 1959 special election. Barr received more than twice as many votes as his Republican opponent, insurance agent William Crehan.


1961 Polish legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Poland on 16 April 1961. They were the third elections to the Sejm, the parliament of the People's Republic of Poland, and fourth in Communist Poland. They took place on 15 April.


1961 Polish legislative election, Background
The 1961 elections followed the liberalized rules prepared for those in 1957, but compared to the situation five years ago the Polish society was much more apathetic and disappointed with the government. The elections, as all the others under the communist regimes in Poland, were not free and the results of the 1961 elections are considered to be falsified, again a common occurrence of that time.


1961 Polish legislative election, Background
The electoral system was very similar to that in East Germany where ostensibly multiple parties were present but their involvement was tempered by mandatory membership of a "unity list" which was ever loyal to the communist hegemony. In practice, electors only had the choice to approve or disapprove the lists rather than genuinely get to pick their preferred candidate. There were independents; however, they would get elected only if the majority of voters in a multi-member electorate voted against the official list.


1961 Polish legislative election, Background
Additionally, those who were allowed to register and run as independents had to go through an approval process, which invariably rejected any who were too oppositional. (This last is likewise a feature of present-day Iranian electoral manipulation). Although there was no blatant falsification like ballot stuffing or overt intimidation of voters who turned out, historiographers of Polish history invariably consider these elections to have been fraudulent - due to the above peculiarities.


1961 Polish legislative election, Results
The official results were: attendance, 95%. Communist parties' list prepared by Front of National Unity received 89.5% votes. 460 members were elected, 256 from Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR), 117 from United People's Party (ZSL), 39 from Democratic Party (SD), 48 independents (majority, "Social independents" and several, "Catholic independents" from the Znak association). However, as the other parties and "independents" were subordinate to PZPR, its control of the Sejm was total.


1961 Portuguese legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Portugal on 12 November 1961. The ruling National Union won all 130 seats unopposed.


1961 Portuguese legislative election, Electoral system
The number of seats in the National Assembly was increased from 120 to 130 prior to the elections. The number of seats for Angola and Mozambique was increased from four each to seven each, whilst Portuguese India and Cape Verde each gained a seat, taking their totals to three and two respectively. Mainland Portugal also gained two seats.


1961 Portuguese legislative election, Electoral system
Following the granting of Portuguese citizenship to the indigenous inhabitants of Angola and Mozambique, they were entitled to vote for the first time as long as they were literate, held a job in a recognised profession, or were taxpayers.


1961 Portuguese legislative election, Campaign
A total of 25 opposition candidates registered to run in the elections on 12 lists. They officially withdrew their candidacies on 7 November, protesting against the government's failure to allow "free and clean elections". The Monarchist list was rejected in Lisbon after arriving to hand in their list a minute late.


1961 Preakness Stakes
The 1961 Preakness Stakes was the 86th running of the $200,000 Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race took place on May 20, 1961, and was televised in the United States on the CBS television network. Carry Back, who was jockeyed by John Sellers, won the race by three quarters of a length over runner-up Globemaster. Approximate post time was 5:47 p.m. Eastern Time. The race was run on a fast track in a final time of 1:57-3/5  The Maryland Jockey Club reported total attendance of 32,211, this is recorded as second highest on the list of American thoroughbred racing top attended events for North America in 1961.


1961 President Airlines Douglas DC-6 crash
The 1961 President Airlines Douglas DC-6 crash occurred on the night of September 10, 1961, when a President Airlines Douglas DC-6B named Theodore Roosevelt  outbound from Shannon, Ireland crashed into the nearby River Shannon shortly after takeoff, killing all 83 people on board. To date, the crash remains the deadliest one in Irish territory.


1961 President Airlines Douglas DC-6 crash, Aircraft and occupants
The aircraft involved in the accident was a Douglas DC-6B registered N90773. It first flew in 1953 and was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines. The aircraft's occupants on the accident flight consisted of 77 passengers and six crew members.


1961 President Airlines Douglas DC-6 crash, Accident
The aircraft was on a non-scheduled international passenger flight from Düsseldorf, Germany to Chicago with stopovers in Shannon and Gander, Newfoundland for refueling. Shortly after takeoff from Shannon Airport's runway 24, the pilots were cleared for a right-hand turn, but they instead turned left and kept turning until the aircraft had reached a bank angle of about 90 degrees or more. Unable to recover, the aircraft plummeted into the River Shannon 5,000 ft. from the end of the runway. There were no survivors among the 83 passengers and crew. Subsequent investigations indicate that the crash probably resulted from a malfunctioning attitude indicator, a fault in the starboard ailerons, or both. Poor weather conditions and crew fatigue were also cited as possible contributing factors.


1961 Primera División de Chile
The 1961 Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, was the 29th season of top-flight football in Chile. Universidad Católica won their third title following a 3–2 win against Universidad de Chile in the championship play-off on 5 January 1962, also qualifying for the 1962 Copa de Campeones.


1961 Princeton Tigers football team
The 1961 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. Princeton tied for third in the Ivy League.


1961 Princeton Tigers football team
In their fifth year under head coach Dick Colman, the Tigers compiled a 5–4 record and outscored opponents 173 to 128. Edwin A. Weihenmayer was the team captain.


1961 Princeton Tigers football team
Princeton's 5–2 conference record tied for third-best in the Ivy League standings. The Tigers outscored Ivy opponents 160 to 97.


1961 Princeton Tigers football team
Princeton played its home games at Palmer Stadium on the university campus in Princeton, New Jersey.


1961 Pro Bowl
The 1961 Pro Bowl was the NFL's eleventh annual all-star game which featured the outstanding performers from the 1960 season. The game was played on January 15, 1961, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California in front of 62,971 fans. The final score was West 35, East 31.


1961 Pro Bowl
The coaches were Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers and Buck Shaw of the Philadelphia Eagles. This game marked the end of the great career of Norm Van Brocklin. The Eagles' quarterback was playing in his final game after 12 seasons, having been named the coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings. Van Brocklin was angry that the Eagles had not named him head coach, which he said they had promised following the retirement of Buck Shaw.


1961 Pro Bowl
Jim Taylor scored a record three touchdowns, and Van Brocklin established Pro Bowl records for passing with 288 yards and three touchdowns. Yet fan favorite Johnny Unitas was voted the game’s outstanding back for the second season in a row and the Giants' Sam Huff took the lineman honors.


1961 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election
A Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election was held on October 25, 1961 to replace retiring Progressive Conservative leader and incumbent premier Leslie Frost. The party selected John Robarts on the sixth ballot.


1961 Provincial Speedway League
The 1961 Provincial Speedway League was the second season of the Provincial League.


1961 Provincial Speedway League, Summary
Eleven speedway teams took part. Liverpool, Yarmouth and Bristol had all folded at the end of the previous season and Bradford were unable to take their place in the league after the construction of their new track was delayed. Exeter, Plymouth, Wolverhampton, Middlesbrough and Newcastle all re-opened their tracks and joined the league for the start of the season. Plymouth took on Bristol's riders and Bulldog nickname. Poole were champions, finishing seven points ahead of runners up Plymouth.


1961 Provincial Speedway League, Final table
M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points


1961 Provincial Speedway League, Provincial League Knockout Cup
The 1961 Provincial League Knockout Cup was the second edition of the Knockout Cup for the Provincial League teams. Cradley Heathens were the winners.


1961 Puerto Rican financial referendum
A referendum on financial issues was held in Puerto Rico on 10 December 1961. The referendum was approved by 82.8% of voters.


1961 Puerto Rican financial referendum
In 1961 the United States Congress adopted a joint resolution amending article three of the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act, providing that said resolution take effect upon approval by a majority of the Puerto Rican electorate in a referendum amending the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico accordingly approved a joint resolution in September 29, 1961 providing for the holding of said referendum, which in turn passed by majority of the popular vote on December 10, 1961.


1961 Puerto Rican financial referendum
This referendum added some provisions to the Constitution of Puerto Rico and substituted the wording in the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act that limited Puerto Rico’s debt-incurring powers. This amendment added the full faith and credit pledge wording to the public debt provisions in the Constitution of Puerto Rico, which were not in its original language of 1952.


1961 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 1961 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University during the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season.


1961 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
The 1961 Railway Cup Hurling Championship was the 35th series of the inter-provincial hurling Railway Cup. Three matches were played between 19 February 1961 and 17 March 1961 to decide the title. It was contested by Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.


1961 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
On 17 March 1961, Munster won the Railway Cup after a 4-12 to 3-09 defeat of Leinster in the final at Croke Park, Dublin. It was their fifth  Railway Cup title in succession.


1961 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
Munster's Jimmy Doyle was the Railway Cup top scorer with 2-10.


1961 Rand Grand Prix
The 4th Rand Grand Prix was a motor race, run to South African Formula One-style rules, held on 9 December 1961 at Kyalami, South Africa. The race was run over 75 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Jim Clark, who led from start to finish in his Lotus 21.


1961 Rand Grand Prix
There were no great differences between the local rules to which this race was run and the international Formula One rules, but for example sports car bodies were permitted, such as those driven by Jennings and Bosman.


1961 Rebel 300
The 1961 Rebel 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on May 6, 1961, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Two hundred and nineteen laps were run on an oval track spanning 1.375 miles (2.213 km).


1961 Rebel 300
Just months prior to the race, the Friendship Nine picketed McCrory's on Main Street in Rock Hill to protest the segregated lunch counters at the business. They walked in, took seats at the counter and ordered hamburgers, soft drinks and coffee. The students were refused service and ordered to leave. When they didn't, they were arrested. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s avoided NASCAR until Wendell Scott reached NASCAR success at the 1964 Jacksonville 200.


1961 Rebel 300, Race report
There was only one caution as Fred Lorenzen defeated Curtis Turner by six car lengths after many intentional hits and brake checks along the way; transforming Lorenzen into one of the legends of the NASCAR Cup Series. Thirty-two thousand people attended this two-and-a-half-hour-long race. Speeds were 119.520 miles per hour (192.349 km/h) for the average speed and 128.965 miles per hour (207.549 km/h) for the pole speed. The winner received the top prize of $8,420 ($72,920 when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher (32nd) received $200 ($1,732 when adjusted for inflation). Ford had the winning vehicle while Chevrolet's fastest entry was third place.


1961 Rebel 300, Race report
There were two entries by a 1959 Thunderbird and Pontiac would have its best finish of fourth place. The Dodge driven by Bobby Waddell would finish in 29th and be the only entry for that manufacturer. Most of the DNFs were caused by crashes (the rest were caused by engines, handling, and oil pressure). Richard Petty would be noted for finishing in last place. This would be one of fifteen times in his 35-year-long NASCAR Cup Series career that he would finish a race in the last place position. However, his final last-place finish would be at the 1989 Holly Farms 400 race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.


1961 Rebel 300, Race report
Winnings totaled $30,625 ($265,223 when adjusted for inflation) collectively spread throughout the qualifying drivers. Notable crew chiefs for this race were Shorty Johns, Roy Burdick, Mario Rossi, Smokey Yunick and Ray Fox.


1961 Rebel 300, Race report
The transition to purpose-built racecars began in the early 1960s and occurred gradually over that decade. Changes made to the sport by the late 1960s brought an end to the "strictly stock" vehicles of the 1950s; most of the cars were trailered to events or hauled away  by trucks.


1961 Rebel 300, Finishing order
Note: * denotes that the driver failed to finish the race.


1961 Republic of the Congo presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo for the first time on 26 March 1961. The only candidate was the incumbent, Fulbert Youlou of the Democratic Union for the Defense of African Interests, who was re-elected unopposed. Voter turnout was 90.3%.


1961 Rhode Island Rams football team
The 1961 Rhode Island Rams football team was an American football team that represented the University of Rhode Island as a member of the Yankee Conference during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season. In its first season under head coach John Chironna, the team compiled a 2–6–1 record (1–4 against conference opponents), finished in fifth place out of six teams in the Yankee Conference, and was outscored by a total of 163 to 69. The team played its home games at Meade Stadium in Kingston, Rhode Island.


1961 Rice Owls football team
The 1961 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. The Owls were led by 22nd-year head coach Jess Neely and played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. They competed as members of the Southwest Conference, finishing in third. Rice finished the regular season with a record of 7–3 and was ranked 17th in the final AP Poll, conducted before bowl season.


1961 Rice Owls football team
As of 2018, this is the last time that Rice was featured in an AP Poll in any week, as Rice began to fade from the national spotlight in the 1960s. The Owls were invited to the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl, played at their home Rice Stadium, where they were defeated by Kansas. Rice would not make another bowl game again until the 2006 New Orleans Bowl.


1961 Richmond Spiders football team
The 1961 Richmond Spiders football team was an American football team that represented the University of Richmond as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. In their tenth season under head coach Ed Merrick, Richmond compiled a 5–5 record.


1961 Road America 500
The September 9, 1961, race at Road America 500 was the twelfth racing event of the eleventh season of the Sports Car Club of America's 1961 Championship Racing Series. SCCA National Road America Results [AP+BP+CP]


1961 Romanian State Council president election
An equivalent of presidential election was held in the Romanian People's Republic on 21 March 1961.


1961 Romanian State Council president election
The name of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly (Romania's Communist parliament) is changed into State Council of Romania and Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej features the president of the new institution, thus becoming the first president of the State Council, de facto head of state. This change was enforced as the Law #1/1961 and voted by the Great National Assembly.


1961 Romanian legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Romania on 5 March 1961. Voters were presented with a single list from the People's Democratic Front, which was dominated by the Romanian Workers Party. The Front won all 465 seats in the Great National Assembly.


1961 Romanian legislative election, Electoral system
Candidates were elected in single member constituencies, and had to receive over 50% of the vote. If no candidate passed this threshold, or if voter turnout in the constituency was less than 50%, re-runs were held until the requirements were met. Candidates could be nominated by the People's Democratic Front or mass organisations, although the latter were monitored by the Front. Voters had the option of voting against the Front candidates.


1961 Rose Bowl
The 1961 Rose Bowl was the 47th Rose Bowl game, played on January 2, 1961, in Pasadena, California. The #6 Washington Huskies defeated the top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers, 17–7. Washington quarterback Bob Schloredt returned from a mid-season injury was named the Player Of The Game for the second straight year. As New Year's Day fell on a Sunday, the major bowl games were played on Monday.


1961 Rose Bowl
This was the first season of the new agreement with the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) to send their champion. Its predecessor, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), had dissolved after the 1958 season. The Big Ten was no longer in a formal agreement with the Rose Bowl following the demise of the PCC: Big Ten champion Minnesota received and accepted an "at-large" invitation.


1961 Rose Bowl
The Great Rose Bowl Hoax occurred during halftime. As seen by an estimated 30 million television viewers, students from nearby Caltech altered the plans for the Washington card stunts, which spelled "CALTECH" instead of "HUSKIES" and showed the Caltech Beaver mascot instead of the Washington Husky.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams
The Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), from which the "West" representative was historically selected, dissolved in early 1959 following a pay-for-play scandal. A new conference, the AAWU, commonly referred to as the "Big Five", formed in 1959 with the four California schools (Cal, Stanford, USC, and UCLA) and Washington. For scheduling, former PCC members Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington State dropped UCLA and USC, with the exception of Oregon State at USC. Idaho, who was not part of the scandal but had become uncompetitive, was dropped from the schedules of all the AAWU members. The PCC agreement with the Rose bowl was dissolved for the 1959 season, but former member Washington was invited to the game and demolished Wisconsin.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams
For the 1960 season, the AAWU contracted a new agreement which went into effect with this game. The Big Ten agreement also was dissolved, but the Big Ten had authorized its members to accept Rose Bowl invitations at their discretion. A new agreement with the Big Ten would not be reached until 1962, which became effective with the 1963 Rose Bowl.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams, 1960 Washington Huskies
The 1960 Huskies defeated the College of the Pacific 55–6 and former PCC member Idaho 23–0 to open the season. Washington lost 15–14 to Navy at Husky Stadium, ending a seven-game winning streak. The Midshipmen finished the regular season at 8–1, but lost to Missouri in the Orange Bowl. The Huskies won at Stanford and beat UCLA 10–8. The Huskies continued on with a full PCC schedule, playing Oregon State in Portland and hosting Oregon in Seattle, winning both non-league games by a single point.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams, 1960 Washington Huskies
The November 5 game against USC at the L.A. Coliseum was the deciding factor in the Rose Bowl race, with the Huskies blanking the Trojans 34–0. The Huskies beat the Cal Bears 27–7 at home to win the AAWU (or "Big Five") championship outright, undefeated in conference play. The final game of the regular season was the Apple Cup (not yet named), where the Huskies narrowly escaped with an 8–7 win in Spokane over cross-state (and non-conference) rival Washington State to finish the regular season at 9–1. Ranked sixth by the AP writers poll, the defending Rose Bowl champions were fifth in the UPI coaches poll. The final polls were released in late November, at the end of the regular season.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams, 1960 Minnesota Golden Gophers
The 1960 Gophers came to the Rose Bowl as the #1 team in the nation, and were favored by a touchdown over Washington. The Gophers were led by Sandy Stephens, the first African-American All-American starting quarterback at the school (but not in the history of the Rose Bowl, which would have been the 1922 Rose Bowl). The Gophers had an early 26–14 non-conference win at #12 Nebraska. They shut out both Indiana and Northwestern, then also blanked Michigan 10–0 at Michigan Stadium to win the Little Brown Jug. A win over non-conference Kansas State put Minnesota at #3.


1961 Rose Bowl, Teams, 1960 Minnesota Golden Gophers
The next game at #1 Iowa was one of the most notable games in the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry. Minnesota won 27–10 (and the pig) and were top-ranked, but then lost to Purdue the next week. A 26–14 win over Wisconsin on NCAA television put them back at #1 to finish the season. The Gophers were tied with Iowa in the Big Ten standings, each with a loss. The final AP poll of November 29 was one of the closest ever: Minnesota with 17½ first-place votes, Mississippi 16, and Iowa 12½.


1961 Rose Bowl, Game summary
The weather in Pasadena on January 2 was clear and sunny. Washington wore their dark home jerseys (actually deep blue), gold pants, and gold helmets. Minnesota wore white away jerseys with maroon with gold shoulder stripes, gold pants, and white helmets. The ceremonial pregame coin toss to determine first possession employed a souvenir gold dollar minted for Alaska's statehood in 1959.


1961 Rose Bowl, Game summary
The Huskies dominated the first half, scoring all 17 points. Minnesota led in all the final statistics, but the most telling one was its passing game: Gopher quarterback Sandy Stephens completed only two of ten passes for 21 yards and was intercepted three times. MVP Bob Schloredt completed only two of four passes for 16 yards (no interceptions), but was the game's leading rusher with 68 yards on five carries. The most enduring story of the game was the Caltech card stunt at halftime.


1961 Rose Bowl, Game summary, Halftime
The Minnesota marching band performed first, followed by UW band, when the card stunts began. The Washington card section was on the east side of the Rose Bowl stadium, facing the press box and television cameras. The NBC national television broadcast was trained on the band and card stunts. The 14th card stunt design displayed "CALTECH" instead of "HUSKIES" in big block letters on a white background. The announcers and the stadium fell silent for several moments before breaking into laughter.


1961 Rose Bowl, Aftermath
Washington quarterback Bob Schloredt was named Player of the Game for a second consecutive year, the first to repeat; he was the a co-Player of the Game the previous year. Three other players have subsequently repeated as Rose Bowl Players of the Game: Charles White (USC), Ron Dayne (Wisconsin), and Vince Young (Texas).


1961 Rose Bowl, Aftermath
Minnesota was still the AP and UPI national champion, as those final polls were released in late November and did not consider the bowl results. Iowa, Missouri, Ole Miss, and Washington have all been recognized as national champions for the 1960 season by various organizations.


1961 Rose Bowl, Aftermath
Final polls in January (after the bowls) did not occur until much later. The AP had a January poll after the 1965 season, but not the next two; it went permanently post-bowl for the 1968 season. The final UPI coaches poll did not move until the 1974 season (January 1975), following the bowl defeats of UPI champions Texas (1970) and Alabama (1973). In five of the next six seasons (1974–1979), the top-ranked team in the UPI poll at the end of the regular season lost its bowl game; the exception was Pittsburgh (1976).


1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
The 1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. In their second season under head coach John F. Bateman, the Scarlet Knights compiled a perfect 9–0 record, won the Middle Three Conference championship, outscored their opponents 246 to 102, and were ranked No. 15 in the final AP Poll. It was Rutgers first undefeated season, 92 years after inventing football in 1869.


1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
The team's statistical leaders included Bill Speranza with 318 passing yards, Steve Simms with 614 rushing yards, and Lee Curley with 274 receiving yards.


1961 Rwandan monarchy referendum
A referendum on the monarchy was held in Rwanda on 25 September 1961, concurrent with parliamentary elections. The referendum asked two questions: whether the monarchy should be retained after independence the following year, and whether the incumbent, Kigeli V, should remain King.


1961 Rwandan monarchy referendum
The result was a "no" to both questions from 80% of voters, with a 95% turnout. King Kigeli claimed the vote had been rigged.


1961 Rwandan parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Rwanda on 25 September 1961 alongside a referendum on the country's monarchy. The result was a victory for MDR-Parmehutu, which won 35 of the 44 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Voter turnout was 95.6%.


1961 Rwandan parliamentary election
They were the last multiparty elections held in Rwanda until 2003.


1961 Ryder Cup
The 14th Ryder Cup Matches were held 13–14 October 1961 at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England. The United States team won the competition by a score of 141⁄2 to 91⁄2 points.


1961 Ryder Cup
At the 1959 Ryder Cup there had been informal discussions between the US and British PGAs about changing the format of the contest. In April 1960 the British PGA made a formal proposal. The suggestion was that, for 1961, matches would be reduced to 18 holes and that there would be two sets of matches each day; two sets of foursomes on the first day and two sets of singles on the second. The pairings for the foursomes and the order of play in the foursomes and singles could be changed for the second set of matches. They also proposed that, for 1963, the match should be extended to three days with two set of four-ball matches on the extra day. By August 1960 the US PGA had agreed to the proposal as it related to the 1961 event, the change being formalised later that year.


1961 Ryder Cup, Format
The Ryder Cup is a match play event, with each match worth one point. The format used in 1961 was the first change from that used since the inaugural event in 1927. Instead of 12 matches of 36 holes, there were 24 matches of 18 holes. The schedule of play in 1961 was as follows:


1961 Ryder Cup, Format
With a total of 24 points, 121⁄2 points were required to win the Cup. All matches were played to a maximum of 18 holes.


1961 Ryder Cup, Teams
The British team was determined using the 1961 Order of Merit with the 1961 Open Championship and News of the World Match Play winners receiving automatic places. The first qualifying event was the Schweppes PGA Close Championship in early April with the Carling-Caledonian Tournament in early August being the final one. With Arnold Palmer winning the Open, nine players qualified after the Carling-Caledonian Tournament: O'Connor, Hunt, Alliss, Bousfield, Coles, Rees, Panton, Moffitt and Haliburton. Weetman was in tenth place. Weetman gained his place when three of the four semi-finalists in the News of the World Match Play were already in the team and the fourth (Peter Thomson, an Australian) was ineligible. Rees was chosen as the captain.


1961 Ryder Cup, Teams
Arnold Palmer, age 32, competed in his first Ryder Cup. He recorded two wins in pairs and a win and a half in singles.


1961 Ryder Cup, Individual player records
Each entry refers to the Win–Loss–Half record of the player.


1961 SANFL Grand Final
The 1961 SANFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the West Adelaide Football Club and the Norwood Football Club. West Adelaide won by 36 points.


1961 SANFL Grand Final
This game was known as the "Turkish Bath Grand Final" due to the game being played in 35° C heat.


1961 SANFL season
The 1961 South Australian National Football League season was the 82nd season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia.


1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship
The 1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship season was the eleventh season of the Sports Car Club of America's National Sports Car Championship. It began February 5, 1961, and ended September 23, 1961, after thirteen races.


1961 SCCA National Sports Car Championship, Classes
The class structure was changed to allow certain cars to be moved out of their displacement class, based on past performance. The nominal class structure was as follows:


1961 Sacramento State Hornets football team
The 1961 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented Sacramento State College during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season.


1961 Sacramento State Hornets football team
Sacramento State competed in the Far Western Conference (FWC). The Hornets were led by first-year head coach Ray Clemons. They played home games at Charles C. Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. The team finished the season with a record of four wins and five losses (4–5, 2–3 FWC). For the season the team outscored its opponents 117–106.


1961 Sacramento State Hornets football team, Team players in the NFL
No Sacramento State players were selected in the 1962 NFL Draft.


1961 Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla general election
General elections were held in Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla on 16 November 1961. The result was a victory for the Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Labour Party, which won seven of the ten elected seats.


1961 Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla general election, Background
A new constitution came into force on 1 January 1960, providing for a 13-member Legislative Council with ten elected members, two nominated members and one ex officio member, the Crown Law Officer.


1961 Saint Lucian general election
General elections were held in Saint Lucia on 14 April 1961. The result was a victory for the Saint Lucia Labour Party, which won nine of the ten seats.


1961 Salvadoran Constitutional Assembly election
Constitutional Assembly elections were held in El Salvador on 17 December 1961. The result was a victory for the  National Conciliation Party, which won all 54 seats.


1961 San Diego Chargers season
The 1961 San Diego Chargers season was the team's second in the American Football League. It was the Chargers' first season in San Diego, where the team remained until 2017. The Chargers clinched the Western Division by mid-November, winning their first eleven games and moving within four more victories of a perfect season. However, they lost form in December, managing only one victory in their final four games. Like the previous season, the Chargers' season ended with a loss to the Houston Oilers in the AFL championship game, this time 10–3 at Balboa Stadium in San Diego.


1961 San Diego Chargers season
San Diego's defense had a historic campaign, setting AFL/NFL records for most total takeaways (66), and most interceptions (49), both of which still stand.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, Relocation
The Chargers struggled to attract fans in Los Angeles throughout their opening season. For their first exhibition game, the attendance was 27,778, well short of the anticipated 45,000. Five days later, owner Barron Hilton professed disappointment at a crowd of under 12,000, though he hoped for an increase once the regular season began, especially if Los Angeles fielded a winning team. In the event, the Chargers pulled under 18,000 for their regular season opener, peaked with 21,805 against the eventual AFL champion Oilers, and mustered fewer than 10,000 against Denver on December 11, the day they clinched their division.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, Relocation
Over their seven regular season home games, the Chargers averaged 15,768. By contrast, the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL pulled in over 77,000 fans for a game late in a mediocre 4–7–1 campaign. The 1960 AFL Championship Game was moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum to Houston's Jeppesen Stadium with Sid Gillman's consent, amid fears that broadcasters might be put off by rows of empty seats in the showpiece game. Gillman later quipped, "It would have been the first championship game ever played for the personal amusement of bellhops and players' wives." Funding the team proved a major financial drain for Hilton, with losses estimated at $900,000 from their founding through to the end of the 1960 season.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, Relocation
With the Chargers failing to make an impact in Los Angeles, San Diego was rumoured as a likely alternative location for the team as early as December of 1960, with the AFL Title game still to be played. Balboa Stadium was proposed as a venue; Hilton expressed concerns over the size of the stadium after surveying it early in January, but was impressed by the enthusiasm of city administration. Jack Murphy, a journalist with the San Diego Union, was instrumental in building local enthusiasm for the Chargers; by late January, advanced ticket sales stood at approximately 24,000. Hilton met with San Diego City Council on January 25, agreeing a contract that would see renovations to Balboa Stadium. The San Diego Chargers were officially born on February 10, when the AFL owners voted unanimously to allow the move.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, AFL draft
The AFL conducted their draft for the 1961 season in the winter of 1960, with the first six rounds conducted on November 21-22, and the remaining twenty-four on December 5-6. In contrast to the largely randomised AFL draft of 1960, the 1961 edition employed a 30-round structure, with the Chargers choosing seventh in each round. Having received the Texans' sixth-round pick in a trade, they had 31 picks in total.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, AFL draft
Despite having to compete with NFL clubs to secure the services of many of their draft class, the Chargers acquired several players who would start with them for years. Their first-round pick, Earl Faison, was keen to play in California, hoping for both better weather and a better racial climate than he had experienced at Indiana. He would go to the AFL All-Star game in each of his five full seasons in San Diego, and be voted a first-team All-Pro in four of them.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, AFL draft
San Diego also signed their second-round pick, running back Keith Lincoln, after a winning a three-way race for his signature with the Chicago Bears and a Canadian team. Lincoln was persuaded by a higher salary, the presence of Sid Gillman and, having played college football at Washington State, the opportunity to stay on the west coast. He would go on to play six seasons in San Diego, with four All-Star games, two first-team All-Pro selections, and an MVP performance in the 1963 AFL Championship Game.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, AFL draft
Other successes came from further down the draft. Ernie Ladd, selected in the fifteen round, joined Faison on the defensive line. In five seasons with the Chargers, he appeared in four All-Star games, and was a three-time first-team All- Pro. In the next round, they chose defensive back Bud Whitehead, who would spend his entire eight-year career in San Diego. Linebacker Chuck Allen was selected by the Rams in the NFL draft. He chose to play in the AFL, feeling he would see more playing time in the newer league. Over the next nine seasons, he played in over 100 games for the Chargers, and featured in two All-Star games.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, AFL draft
San Diego also suffered numerous defeats in the bidding war with NFL clubs, including a notable pair of UCLA alumni who signed with the 49ers: Billy Kilmer, who went on to start at quarterback for Washington in Super Bowl VII, and Jimmy Johnson, who stayed in San Francisco for his entire sixteen-year career, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1994.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, Departures
Several of the 1960 Chargers squad did not join the team in their new city. Veteran kicker Ben Agajanian didn't want to move away from his business interests in Los Angeles, though he did help coach Keith Lincoln as a kicker. Guard Fred Cole had started every game the previous year, but retired to become an engineer. Gillman traded several players, including starting defensive tackle Volney Peters, in exchange for picks in the 1962 AFL Draft. San Diego eventually made eleven selections in the first seven rounds of that draft.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Offseason, Arrivals
While most of the Chargers' new recruits came to them through the draft, they did acquire a defensive tackle with two years' experience. Hank Schmidt had been cut by the NFL's 49ers in training camp - he was contacted by Jack Kemp, who knew Schmidt from his own time in San Francisco, and signed with the Chargers. Another signing was Bo Roberson, an Olympic long jumper fresh from taking silver in the 1960 games. A receiver later in his career, Roberson was used primarily as a running back in San Diego.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Preseason
The Chargers' first exhibition game in San Diego drew a crowd of a little over 12,000, close to the reduced capacity of Balboa Stadium, which was in the process of begin renovated. They defeated the Oilers 27–14, in a rematch of the first AFL title game. Paul Lowe and Dave Kocourek scored touchdowns of over 70 yards, and Bo Roberson added a third.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Preseason
The teams met again twelve days later in Honolulu: San Diego jumped out to a 39–0 halftime lead, gave up four touchdowns in ten minutes, then clinched the win with their seventh rushing touchdown; Roberson scored three of them. Next, the Chargers returned home for a 35–7 victory over the Raiders. Lowe scored on a 72-yard punt return, rookie Keith Lincoln took a short pass from Jack Kemp 63 yards for another touchdown, and Earl Faison got on the scoresheet with a safety. A week later, Lowe again ran a punt back 72 yards for a touchdown; Lowe, Kemp and Roberson added further touchdowns as San Diego led 28–0 at halftime, eventually winning 31–10 to complete an unbeaten preseason.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
San Diego proved a more welcoming city for the Chargers, with an average home attendance of 27,859 during the regular season, over 12,000 more than it had been in Los Angeles. Barron Hilton still reported a loss on the year, albeit a greatly reduced one of between $250,000 and $300,000.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
On the field, the Chargers retained many of their offensive stars from the previous season. Jack Kemp was again ranked second in the league for passing yardage (2,686), but his completion percentage fell below 50%, and he threw only 15 touchdowns against 22 interceptions. Only 4 of these interceptions came in the first seven games of the season, against 18 in the next seven; he threw a further 4 picks in the AFL title game.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
While Paul Lowe didn't quite match his impact of the previous season, he still ranked 4th in the league for rushing yards (767), and joint first for rushing touchdowns (nine). Flanker Dave Kocourek became the club's first 1,000 yard receiver with 55 catches for 1,055 yards, while Don Norton added 47 catches and 816 yards.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
On defense, the 1961 Chargers set a modern-era pro football record with 66 takeaways, the most in AFL or NFL history. The Chargers also recorded the most interceptions returned for a touchdown in both league histories with nine, with the team recording a total of 49 interceptions for 929 yards, also records. Charlie McNeil led the team with nine interceptions, which stood as a club record until Antonio Cromartie broke it 46 years later. Bob Zeman had eight interceptions and Dick Harris had seven, returning three for touchdowns (still a club record).


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
By contrast, only one Charger managed more than six interceptions in a season throughout the entire 1970s (Bryant Salter, 1972). Defensive end Ron Nery was unofficially credited with 8 quarterback sacks, again leading the team. Beyond Nery, the defensive line saw an overhaul, with rookies Earl Faison, Bill Hudson and Ernie Ladd starting every game. Middle linebacker Chuck Allen and cornerback Claude Gibson, also new draftees, saw significant action. A further rookie, George Blair, doubled up as defensive back and kicker. His field goal conversion percentage was below 50% (he made 13 of 27), but still third best in the league, as was Paul Maguire's average yards per punt.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Overview
Linebacker Bob Laraba had five interceptions and scored three touchdowns, including one on offense. He died in a car accident shortly after the season ended, at the age of just 28.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: at Dallas Texans
Six takeaways and a pair of long runs were key as San Diego defeated their closest divisional rivals from the previous season. Following an exchange of punts, Paul Lowe benefited from a key Ron Mix block as he broke away for an 87-yard touchdown. It set a club record for longest run that has since been tied, but not surpassed. New kicker George Blair missed the extra point, but kicked a pair of field goals in the first half, while Chuck Allen, Earl Faison and Charlie McNeil each intercepted Dallas quarterback Cotton Davidson.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: at Dallas Texans
The Texans managed to pull three points back early in the 4th quarter; they then recovered a Kemp fumble in Charger territory, but Claude Gibson ended the threat with an interception. On the next Texans possession, Emil Karas recovered a fumble at the Dallas 14. Linebacker and occasional quarterback Bob Laraba then lined up under center, running it himself on four of the next six plays, and scoring from the one yard line. Bo Roberson broke away for a 53-yard touchdown run late in the game, and the lone Dallas touchdown came too late to make a difference.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1: at Dallas Texans
Lowe had no further breakaways after his touchdown run, but still finished with 100 yards from 13 carries.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders
The Chargers' first game in their new city proved a success, as they dominated their Californian rivals throughout. Oakland had lost their opener 55–0, and fared only slightly better here; on the third play of the game, Dick Harris picked off a Tom Flores pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders' best chance to score came on their next drive, when they reached the Charger 26 but missed a field goal. San Diego drove 80 yards the other way, Paul Lowe swept around left end for a 2-yard score, and the rout was on.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders
Bo Roberson and Charlie Flowers rushed for two touchdowns each, giving San Diego a total of five for the game, a franchise record since tied but not surpassed. Five different players had interceptions, and the Chargers forced six turnovers to none, while outgaining the Raiders 386–106. Oakland only crossed midfield twice in 12 total possessions.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: vs. Houston Oilers
Charlie McNeil had a record-breaking performance as the Charger won a rematch of the 1960 AFL Championship Game. Houston were threatening to break a 3–3 tie in the 2nd quarter when McNeil intercepted a George Blanda pass at his own 7 yard line, and returned it for 76 yards up the right sideline. Kemp then converted a 4th and inches with a sneak, before hitting Dave Kocourek for a 7-yard touchdown. Blanda's next pass was intercepted at the line of scrimmage by Earl Faison, and Lowe scored within three plays to double the lead. Next, McNeil took a third interception all the way back for a 76-yard touchdown, before Blanda was picked off for the fourth time, by Charlie McNeil, and Luther Hayes had a 37-yard scoring catch to make it 31–3 at the break.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3: vs. Houston Oilers
Houston tried backup QB Jacky Lee after halftime. He managed three touchdowns, but also threw two further interceptions and lost a fumble; the Chargers had little difficulty in keeping Houston at bay. One of the interceptions was by McNeil, who finished the game with 177 interception return yards, still an AFL/NFL record. San Diego had intercepted 15 passes from 6 different quarterbacks in the first three weeks. This continuing defensive success covered up an indifferent offensive display, which saw the Chargers gain 158 yards and earn just seven first downs.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: at Buffalo Bills
In contrast to the recent glut of takeaways, the Chargers only had two in this game, but both were significant. Only three plays into the game, Harris had his second interception return touchdown of the season, this one covering 56 yards and putting the Chargers ahead to stay. Later in the opening quarter, Kemp was sacked to bring up a 3rd and 14, but responded with a 16-yard scramble to keep the drive going. Lowe broke off a 30-yard touchdown run three plays later, and it was 13–0.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: at Buffalo Bills
Buffalo responded with field goal attempts on their next three drives, though only the first of these was successful. Kemp made a mistake on the stroke of halftime, throwing an interception on 1st and 10. The Bills scored a play later, and added a two point conversion: 13–11 was the halftime score.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4: at Buffalo Bills
San Diego controlled the clock in the third quarter, running 23 plays to the Bills' three, and scoring through Blair field goals on both their drives. After Buffalo missed a field goal, the Bills' offense had one more chance, starting at their own 8 yard line. They picked up three first downs, and reached a 3rd and 11 near midfield, before Faison recovered a fumble to end the threat. Lowe then picked up a first down, and San Diego ran out the clock. The running back carried 22 times on the day, for 128 yards and a touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at New England Patriots
Jack Kemp threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Chargers kept their unbeaten start going. He led the Chargers on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive on the game's opening drive, converting two third downs with passes and one with a scramble. Hayes finished the drive with a 12-yard scoring catch. Boston tied the scores, and were soon looking to pin San Diego deep in their own territory, punting from the Charger 45. The kick was blocked, picked up by Bob Zeman, and run back 35 yards for the touchdown that put San Diego ahead to stay.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at New England Patriots
A 35-yard catch by Don Norton later set up a Blair field goal, before the Patriots scored a special teams touchdown of their own, running the ball back to the end zone when Lowe fumbled a punt return. Kemp responded immediately with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Kocourek. On the next play, Harris claimed an interception; on the play after that, Kemp appeared to have thrown another touchdown, to Norton. The score was nullified by an illegal motion penalty, but the same pair combined for a 30-yard touchdown only three plays later, and it was 31–14 at the break. After Boston pulled seven points back in the 3rd quarter, Kemp put the game away in the 4th, finding Kocourek for what turned into a 65-yard catch and run, before rolling right and scoring himself on a 3rd and goal from the 4.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5: at New England Patriots
Kemp completed 12 passes from 24 attempts, for 315 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, with Kocourek gaining 160 yards and a touchdown from just 3 receptions. Zeman had an interception to go with his special teams touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Titans
In a game where both teams committed five turnovers, San Diego used big passing plays to win. Zeman made the first of four interceptions of Al Dorow in the first quarter, and Kemp completed passes of 31 and 32 yards to backs Flowers and Lowe, before sneaking in from a yard out for a 7–0 lead. Later, Lowe fumbled in Titan territory, and Dorow made amends by leading a 76-yard touchdown drive in which he completed six passes, the final one for a touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Titans
Completions of 26 and 28 yards by Kemp set up Blair for a 20-yard field goal to restore the lead. Later in the 2nd quarter, Harris intercepted a long throw by Dorow and returned the ball to the Charger 22. On the ensuing drive, Kemp found Norton for 52 yards up the left sideline, before again sneaking in for a one-yard touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Titans
The Titans turned a Kemp interception into a field goal late in the third quarter, and trailed by only seven points as the teams exchanged punts on the next four possessions. San Diego then put the game away with back-to-back big plays: Kemp found Norton along the left sideline again, this time for 33 yards, and Lowe followed his blockers around right end for 25 yards and a touchdown. Claude Gibson then ran in a two-point conversion, the first ever scored by the Chargers.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6: at New York Titans
Kemp became the first AFL passer to post two consecutive 300-yard games - he was 15 of 38 for 302 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Norton had 5 receptions for 121 yards.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: at Oakland Raiders
San Diego overcame an early deficit to thrash the Raiders a second time. Lowe fumbled an early punt, and Tom Flores capitalised with a touchdown pass four plays later. Oakland then appeared to have forced a punt, but were penalised for roughing the kicker, giving the Chargers a fresh set of downs. Lowe made amends three plays later, shaking off two would-be tacklers on a 35-yard touchdown run. After the Raiders went three-and-out, Lowe immediately scored again, leaving the defense behind with a burst of speed for a 46-yard touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: at Oakland Raiders
Raider turnovers led to further touchdowns for Norton, Flowers and Kemp, and it was already 34–7 by halftime. Backup quarterback Hunter Ennis came on in the second half and led a 19-play, 86-yard drive in which the Chargers converted five 3rd downs and one 4th down, Ennis himself running in the game's final touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7: at Oakland Raiders
As they had in the first game against the Raiders, San Diego rushed for five touchdowns. Lowe carried 11 times for 106 yards and two scores. The Charger defense turned in a dominant performance, with six takeaways, including four interceptions - Gibson had two of them. San Diego allowed only 58 yards of total offense and 2 rushing yards, both still club records. After four regular season games against Oakland in two seasons, the Chargers had won each time, by a combined 178–55.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos
Seven takeaways by the Charger defense were more than enough to overcome five turnovers from the offense, as San Diego shut out the Broncos. Denver weren't short of scoring opportunities, especially in the first half, when six of their seven possessions featured snaps in Charger territory. These drives ended in two missed field goals, two turnovers on downs and, most damagingly, two interceptions that were run back for touchdowns on consecutive drives, with Bob Laraba and Chuck Allen returning their interceptions 57 and 58 yards respectively. Kemp had a particularly rough day with four interceptions, but did manage a 33-yard touchdown to Norton in the 3rd quarter as San Diego pulled away. Keith Lincoln scored his first touchdown as a professional on a 34-yard pass from Enis to complete the scoring.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos
Allen added a pair of fumble recoveries to his interception return touchdown. Norton caught 5 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. Paid attendance crossed 30,000 for the first time in a Chargers home game.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9: vs. New York Titans
Amidst the now-familiar glut of turnovers, San Diego won another blowout, though they had to overcome a bad start to do it. Kemp threw interceptions on consecutive attempts in the first half, while New York had two long touchdown drives, converting a 4th down in each. Down 13–0, the Chargers responded with a 9-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, a Kemp keeper getting them back in the game 56 seconds before halftime.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9: vs. New York Titans
It was the first of seven unanswered touchdowns for San Diego. Gibson's 40-yard punt return set up another one-yard Kemp run, then Zemen's interception was followed immediately by Lowe's 67-yard breakaway for another score. Norton added a 13-yard touchdown on the next Charger drive, before Charlie McNeil completed a 28-point 3rd quarter with an interception of Al Dorow and 41-yard touchdown return. With New York continuing to give the ball away in the 4th quarter, Enis came in and rushed for one score before finding Hayes for another.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9: vs. New York Titans
Lowe had 9 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown. Allen continued his good form, snagging two of the Chargers' five picks, but broke his ankle while returning the second of these and missed the rest of the season. With their nearest rivals, the Dallas Texans, standing at 3–5, San Diego needed only one win from five to repeat as division champions.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10: at Denver Broncos
The Chargers clinched the AFL West by edging the Broncos in a Denver snowstorm. The Broncos outgained San Diego 157–32 in the first half, scoring on 4th and goal from inside the one, and getting a further two points when Laraba put a long snap over punter Maguire's head for a safety. Kemp threw an end zone interception to end the Chargers' best chance before the break.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10: at Denver Broncos
Two big plays turned the game in the 3rd quarter. On 3rd and 15 from the Charger 9, Lincoln took a Kemp pass 91 yards to set a new Charger record for longest touchdown from scrimmage - this record would stand for 33 years. Bronco's QB Frank Tripucka threw his third interception three plays later - Dick Harris was the beneficiary, returning the ball 30 yards for his third such touchdown of the season. Following these touchdowns, one extra point attempt was foiled by a bad snap, and the other was missed by Laraba, leaving the score at 12–9. Tripucka managed a long touchdown pass of his own early in the 4th quarter, an 87-yarder to restore Denver's lead. Kemp dropped back to pass on every play of the Chargers' response, getting sacked once but completing 5 of 7 for 74 yards and a touchdown to Bob Scarpitto.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10: at Denver Broncos
A Zeman interception stopped the next Denver drive; the Broncos were then pinned on their own 1, and forced to punt from there after three incompletions. A 20-yard punt return by Gibson set the Chargers up at the Denver 15, but Kocourek's touchdown catch was ruled out by penalty before Kemp threw an interception on 4th down. Starting at their own five with 2:04 on the clock and two timeouts, the Broncos made slow progress, converting a 4th down to stay alive but only getting as far as their 47 yard line, from where Tripucka threw incomplete as time expired.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10: at Denver Broncos
Denver finished with a 358–209 yardage advantage. They had two 100-yard receivers (Al Frazier and Lionel Taylor) but Tripucka was intercepted by five different Chargers. Lincoln rushed 4 times for 36 yards, and caught 3 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11: vs. Dallas Texans
Jack Kemp completed several long passes as the Chargers won their 15th consecutive regular season game, still a club record. After Blair missed from 39 yards on the game's opening possession, Norton's 34 yard catch set up for another chance, which he converted. One play after the Texans went three-and-out, Kocourek took a screen pass 61 yards for a touchdown, benefitting from Sherman Plunkett's key downfield block. Later in the quarter, Laraba picked off a Cotton Davidson pass and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown and 17–0 lead. It was San Diego's fourth consecutive game with at least one interception return touchdown.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11: vs. Dallas Texans
Davidson scored on a keeper on the first drive of the second half. Kemp found Norton for 42 yards in response, but fumbled on the next play, and Dallas recovered. The Chargers had turnovers on their next two drives as well, but the defense kept Dallas from converting the errors into points. A Zeman interception early in the 4th quarter was followed three plays later by Scarpitto's 53-yard touchdown catch, and the Chargers weren't troubled again.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11: vs. Dallas Texans
Kemp was 15 of 27 for 357 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Kocourek caught 7 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, while Norton had 6 catches for 120 yards. The crowd was the largest in San Diego sports history up to that point.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13: at Houston Oilers
San Diego came out of their bye week looking to complete an unbeaten season, but the Oilers were on a winning streak of their own (six in a row), and needed the win to stay a game clear in the AFL East; inspired by George Blanda, Houston won easily.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13: at Houston Oilers
Bill Hudson got San Diego off to a good start - he recovered a fumble at the Oiler 12, and Norton scored two plays later. The Charger offense sputtered from there, only crossing midfield twice in their next ten possessions, while Blanda took charge. The Oilers' kicker/quarterback threw two touchdowns in the 1st quarter and two more in the 3rd. In between, he made a pair of field goals, including a 55-yarder - this would stand as the longest in the ten-season run of the AFL. By the time Kemp and Norton combined for another score, the game had long since gone.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13: at Houston Oilers
Norton caught 6 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns, but was overshadowed by Oiler receiver Charley Hennigan, whose 10 catches for 214 yards and three scores made him the first player to post a 200-yard game against the Chargers. Blanda was 20 of 33 for 351 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. The solitary interception marked the only time all season the Chargers failed to claim two or more.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills
The Chargers' 10th and 11th return touchdowns of the season saw them win despite gaining only seven first downs. Buffalo's defense accounted for the game's first touchdown, a Kemp fumble being returned 24 yards for an early 10–0 lead. San Diego struck back at the start of the 2nd quarter when Keith Lincoln raced 57 yards down the right sideline for the first punt return touchdown in franchise history. Shortly before halftime, Earl Faison deflected a pass for Bill Hudson to intercept and return 5 yards for a touchdown, putting the Chargers ahead to stay. In the second half, Lowe's short run and Kocourek's long reception completed the scoring. Buffalo reached the Charger one yard line twice in the final quarter, but turned the ball over on downs each time.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills
Kocourek finished with 175 yards and a touchdown from just 3 catches.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 15: vs. New England Patriots
Most of San Diego's starters played a major part in this game, but they were nonetheless routed at home by a Boston side who had started the day still competing for a place in the AFL title game (in the event, Houston's win in Oakland kept them out). The Chargers crossed midfield only three times in fifteen possessions, with their best penetration being the Boston 31; they already trailed 24-0 at that point, and it was terminated when Kemp threw one of his four interceptions. Don Webb scored with both an interception return and a blocked punt return, and the Patriots exceeded the margin of their previous road win over the Chargers.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 15: vs. New England Patriots
Hayes caught 3 passes for 100 yards, while Harris and Zeman added to San Diego's record-setting interceptions haul, but the Chargers would take little momentum into their second AFL Championship Game.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Playoffs, Game summaries, AFL Championship Game: Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Oilers
Houston repeated as AFL Champions, edging a defensive battle that saw a combined 13 turnovers. Jack Kemp threw four interceptions, including the clincher after reaching the Houston 37 yard line in the final minutes. A George Blair field goal represented the Chargers' only points.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Playoffs, Game summaries, AFL Championship Game: Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Oilers
The game was marred by a scuffle at the final whistle, with Bob Zeman knocking field judge Johnny Morrow to the ground as Gillman remonstrated with the official about his conduct of the game.


1961 San Diego Chargers season, Team awards
Between the final regular season game and the AFL championship game, the Chargers held their first annual awards banquet.


1961 San Diego State Aztecs football team
The 1961 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented San Diego State College during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season.


1961 San Diego State Aztecs football team
San Diego State competed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The team was led by head coach Don Coryell, in his first year, and played home games at Aztec Bowl. They finished the season with seven wins, two losses and one tie (7–2–1, 2–2–1 CCAA). This was a big turnaround from the previous year when they had won only a single game.


1961 San Diego State Aztecs football team, Team players in the NFL/AFL
No San Diego State players were selected in the 1962 NFL Draft or 1962 AFL Draft.


1961 San Francisco 49ers season
The 1961 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League and their 16th overall. The 49ers won seven games and lost six, with one game ending in a tie. As a result, the team finished in fifth-place in the NFL Western Conference. The 49ers had three first-round picks in the NFL Draft.


1961 San Francisco 49ers season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1961 San Francisco Giants season
The 1961 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 79th year in Major League Baseball, their 4th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their second at Candlestick Park. The team finished in third place in the National League with an 85–69 record, eight games behind the NL Champion Cincinnati Reds. The Giants were managed by Alvin Dark. As of 2021, this remains the only Giants season in franchise history in which two players (Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mays) each hit 40 or more home runs.


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Regular season
Willie Mays had both a three home run game (on June 29) and a four home run game (on April 30) during the 1961 season. Mays became the ninth player, and first Giant, in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game.


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1961 San Francisco Giants season, Farm system
Rio Grande Valley club moved to Victoria, June 10, 1961; Pocatello affiliation shared with Kansas City Athletics


1961 San Francisco State Gators football team
The 1961 San Francisco State Gators football team represented San Francisco State College during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season.


1961 San Francisco State Gators football team
San Francisco State competed in the Far Western Conference (FWC). The Gators were led by first-year head coach Vic Rowen. They played home games at Cox Stadium in San Francisco, California. The team finished the season as co-champion of the FWC, with a record of eight wins and two losses (8–2, 4–1 FWC). For the season the team outscored its opponents 261–102.


1961 San Francisco State Gators football team, Team players in the NFL / AFL
No San Francisco State players were selected in the 1962 NFL Draft.


1961 San Francisco State Gators football team, Team players in the NFL / AFL
The following finished their college career in 1961, were not drafted, but played in the AFL.


1961 San Jose State Spartans football team
The 1961 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State College during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season.


1961 San Jose State Spartans football team
San Jose State played as an Independent in 1961. Led by fifth-year head coach Bob Titchenal, they played home games at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California. The Spartans finished  with a record of six wins and four losses (6–4), and were outscored  183 to 185.


1961 San Jose State Spartans football team, Team players in the NFL/AFL
The following San Jose State players were selected in the 1962 NFL Draft.


1961 San Jose State Spartans football team, Team players in the NFL/AFL
The following San Jose State players were selected in the 1962 AFL Draft.


1961 San Jose State Spartans football team, Team players in the NFL/AFL
The following finished their San Jose State career in 1961, were not drafted, but played in the AFL.


1961 Santos FC season
The 1961 season was Santos Futebol Clube's forty-ninth in existence and the club's first consecutive season in the top flight of Brazilian football.


1961 Santos FC season, Background
After finishing the 1959 Campeonato Paulista as runners-up, Santos failed to qualify for the 1960 Taça Brasil. The club would win the state league in 1960, which granted his qualification to the 1961's national championship.


1961 Santos FC season, Players, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1961 Sardinian regional election
The Sardinian regional election of 1961 took place on 18 June 1961.


1961 Sardinian regional election
After the election Efisio Corrias, the incumbent Christian Democratic President, formed a new government that included the Sardinian Action Party, a social-liberal regionalist party. In 1963 the government was enlarged to the Italian Democratic Socialist Party.


1961 Scotch Cup
The 1961 Scotch Cup was the third edition of the men's World Curling Championship. It was held across four venues: Ayr, Kirkcaldy, Perth and Edinburgh, Scotland. The tournament began with games in Ayr on 21 March. The second and third days were on 22 and 23 March in Kirkcaldy, and the fourth day was in Perth on 24 March.


1961 Scotch Cup
The tournament was expanded to a three team competition with the United States debuting in the tournament. After the three teams ended up tied with a 2-2 win-loss record, a playoff was played with the semi-final played on 25 March in Perth and the final played in Edinburgh on 30 March. In the final, Canada won the Scotch Cup for the third time with a 12-7 win over Scotland in the final.


1961 Scotch Cup, Teams
Skip : Hec Gervais Third: Ray Werner Second: Vic Raymer Lead: Wally Ursuliak


1961 Scotch Cup, Teams
Skip : Willie McIntosh Third: Andrew McLaren Second: Jim Miller Lead: Bob Stirrat


1961 Scotch Cup, Teams
Skip : Dr. Frank Crealock Third: Ken Sherwood Second: John Jamieson Lead: Bud McCartney


1961 Scottish League Cup Final
The 1961 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 28 October 1961 and replayed on 18 December 1961. Both matches were played at Hampden Park in Glasgow and it was the final of the 16th Scottish League Cup competition. The final was contested by Rangers and Heart of Midlothian. The first match ended in a 1–1 draw, necessitating the replay. Rangers won the replay match 3–1, thanks to goals by Ralph Brand, Ian McMillan and Jimmy Millar.


1961 Segunda División Peruana
The 1961 Segunda División Peruana, the second division of Peruvian football (soccer), was played by 10 teams. The tournament winner, KDT Nacional was promoted to the Primera División Peruana 1962.


1961 Segunda División de Chile
The 1961 Segunda División de Chile was the 10th season of the Segunda División de Chile.


1961 Senior League World Series
The 1961 Senior League World Series (then known as the "Senior Division Tournament") took place from August 22–25 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States at Bowman Field. Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania defeated Sylva, North Carolina in the championship game.


1961 Sheffield City Council election
The 1961 Sheffield City Council election was held on 11 May 1961, with a third up for election plus a double vacancy in Owlerton. The results were largely a reversal of the previous election; a higher turnout  - 35%, up significantly from the previous year's low of 25% - brought a much stronger Labour result with the seats they'd lost the preceding year held comfortably. All seats were contested and successfully defended this year, seeing no change in the make-up of the council.