Lance Alworth

Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed "Bambi", is an American former professional football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL), and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. Often considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, he played for 11 seasons, from 1962 through 1972, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. He was the first player inducted whose playing career was principally in the AFL. Alworth is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. His teammates called him Bambi because he had a baby face and could run like a deer.

Early life

Born in Houston, Texas, to Dick and Beth Alworth, Lance Alworth was the second of two children. His sister Ann was fast enough in the 50- and 75-yard dashes in track to be invited to the Olympic Games trials, though she declined the invitation.

Alworth was a gifted athlete; the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported that he had struck a 400-foot home run while playing Little League Baseball as a twelve year old. He played football at Brookhaven High School. While in high school, Alworth earned 15 letters. Alworth opted to sign with the Chargers instead of the 49ers. The Chargers kept Alworth at flanker. His slender build, speed, grace, and leaping ability earned him the nickname "Bambi."

In his rookie season, Alworth had just 10 receptions in 4 games (though three were for touchdowns). His second year was a different story, as he set franchise records in receptions (61), yards (1,205), and touchdowns (11), earning the UPI's AFL Most Valuable Player award. He had 4 receptions for 77 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown, in San Diego's AFL championship win over the Boston Patriots. He was selected as an AFL Western Division All-Star for the first of seven consecutive seasons, as well as an AFL All-League flanker for the first of six seasons, selected by his peers from 1963 to 1966, and by newspaper wire services from 1967 to 1968.

thumb|upright|right|alt=Picture of Lance Alworth in Chargers uniform|Alworth 1970

Over the next six seasons (1964–1969), Alworth broke his own franchise receiving records several times, and also led the league in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and total touchdowns three times each. He shattered the record for most consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards (7, previously 3, now held by Jerry Rice and Mike Evans with 11), and was the first player with back-to-back seasons averaging 100+ receiving yards per game, both of which led the league. The 1966 season was particularly noteworthy, because he led the league in five categories. He still shares the record for the most regular-season games with 200+ yards receiving (5), and had a franchise-record streak of 96 consecutive games with a reception.

Alworth formed a formidable tandem with Chargers quarterback John Hadl, and is considered by many to be the best wide receiver in all professional football during the 1960s. He is a member of the AFL All-Time Team. He was the first of only a few American Football League stars to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which like other media of the 1960s, showed a distinct bias for the NFL. Sports Illustrated even went so far as to declare Alworth the "Top Pro Receiver" in December 1965,

In Super Bowl VI following the 1971 season, he scored the game's first touchdown, which was a 7-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach in the Cowboys' 24–3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Alworth would later call the two receptions he made in Super Bowl VI (one that converted a third and long and the other for the touchdown) the two most important catches of his career.

Alworth was frustrated with the run-first offense employed by the Cowboys; head coach Tom Landry used him primarily as a blocker. Alworth later commented, "The two years I spent in Dallas completely destroyed my enthusiasm." Though Landry expressed an interest in having him back for a third season,

NFL career statistics

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="2"| Legend

| style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|

| Won the AFL championship

| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|

| Won the Super Bowl

| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|

| Led the league

| style="width:3em;"| Bold

| Career high

Regular season

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="6"| Receiving

! colspan="5"| Rushing

! rowspan="2"|

! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!

! 1962 !! SD

| 4 || 4 || 10 || 226 || 22.6 || 56.5 || 67 || 3 || 1 || 17 || 17.0 || 17 || 0 || 0

! 1963 !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|SD

| 14 || 14 || 61 || 1,205 || 19.8 || 86.1 || 85 || 11 || 2 || 14 || 7.0 || 21 || 0 || 0

! 1964 !! SD

| 12 || 12 || 61 || 1,235 || 20.2 || 95.0 || 82 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 13 || 3 || 60 || 20.0 || 35 || 2 || 3

! 1965 !! SD

| 14 || 14 || 69 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 1,602 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 23.2 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 114.4 || 85 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 14 || 3 || –12 || –4.0 || –1 || 0 || 2

! 1966 !! SD

| 13 || 13 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 73 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 1,383 || 18.9 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 106.4 || 78 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 13 || 3 || 10 || 3.3 || 4 || 0 || 0

! 1967 !! SD

| 11 || 11 || 52 || 1,010 || 19.4 || 91.8 || 71 || 9 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 5 || 0 || 0

! 1968 !! SD

| 14 || 14 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 68 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 1,312 || 19.3 || 93.7 || 80 || 10 || 3 || 18 || 6.0 || 10 || 0 || 0

! 1969 !! SD

| 14 || 14 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 64 || 1,003 || 15.7 || 71.6 || 76 || 4 || 5 || 25 || 5.0 || 16 || 0 || 0

! 1970 !! SD

| 14 || 13 || 35 || 608 || 17.4 || 43.4 || 80 || 4 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 0

! 1971 !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|DAL

| 12 || 11 || 34 || 487 || 14.3 || 40.6 || 26 || 2 || 2 || –10 || –5.0 || –4 || 0 || 0

! 1972 !! DAL

| 14 || 7 || 15 || 195 || 13.0 || 13.9 || 30 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0 || 0

! colspan="2"| Career !! 137 !! 127 !! 542 !! 10,266 !! 18.9 !! 74.9 !! 85 !! 85 !! 24 !! 129 !! 5.4 !! 35 !! 2 !! 5

Postseason

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="6"| Receiving

! rowspan="2"|

! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!

! 1963 !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|SD

| 1 || 1 || 4 || 77 || 19.3 || 77.0 || 48 || 1 || 0

! 1965 !! SD

| 1 || 1 || 4 || 82 || 20.5 || 82.0 || 25 || 0 || 0

! 1971 !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|DAL

| 3 || 3 || 5 || 78 || 15.6 || 26.0 || 30 || 1 || 0

! 1972 !! DAL

| 2 || 2 || 3 || 55 || 18.3 || 27.5 || 28 || 1 || 0

! colspan="2"| Career !! 7 !! 7 !! 16 !! 292 !! 18.3 !! 41.7 !! 48 !! 3 !! 0

Legacy

Alworth finished his 11 AFL/NFL seasons with 543 receptions for 10,266 yards. He also rushed for 129 yards, returned 29 punts for 309 yards, gained 216 yards on 10 kickoff returns, and scored 87 touchdowns (85 receiving and 2 rushing).

In 1972, he was inducted to the San Diego Hall of Champions. In 1977, he was inducted in the Chargers Hall of Fame. In 1978, he became the first San Diego Charger and the first player who had played in the AFL to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He chose to be presented at the Canton, Ohio ceremony by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, his former position coach at San Diego, who had much to do with the success of the AFL.

Alworth's number 19 was retired by the Chargers in 2005. In 1970, he was selected as a member of the AFL All-Time Team, and in 1994, he was named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, the only player to be named to both teams.

In 1979, he was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. In 1988, he was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

In 1999, he was ranked number 31 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranking Charger and the highest-ranking player to have spent more than one season in the AFL.

In 2014, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.

NFL records

Most games with 200+ receiving yards: 5 (tied with Calvin Johnson)
Fastest to 5,000 career receiving yards (52 games, tied with Justin Jefferson)
Fastest to 6,000 career receiving yards (62 games)
Fastest to 7,000 career receiving yards (72 games, tied with Julio Jones)
Fastest to 8,000 career receiving yards (83 games)
Most receiving yards in first 50 games: 4,785
Most receiving yards in first 75 games: 7,532
Most touchdown receptions, 70+ yards, career: 12
Most consecutive seasons, 11+ TD receptions: 4 (1963–1966; tied with Marvin Harrison, 1999–2002; Art Powell, 1963–1966)
Most consecutive seasons, 12+ TD receptions: 3, (1964–1966; tied with Jerry Rice, 1989–1991 and 1993–1995; Marvin Harrison, 1999–2001 and 2004–2006; Terrell Owens, 2000–2002; Cris Carter, 1997–1999)
Most consecutive seasons, 13+ TD receptions: 3, (1964–1966; tied with Jerry Rice, 1989–1991 and 1993–1995; Terrell Owens, 2000–2002)

Chargers franchise records

Receiving yards, season: 1,602 (1965)
Receiving touchdowns, season: 14 (1965; tied with Tony Martin)
Yards per reception, season: 23.2 (1965)
Yards per reception, career (min. 50 receptions): 19.4
Yards per game, season: 114.4 (1965)
Yards per game, career: 86.3
Seasons with 1000+ receiving yards: 7 (1963–1969)
Consecutive seasons with 1000+ receiving yards: 7 (1963–1969)
Seasons with 10+ receiving TDs: 5
Consecutive games with a reception: 96 (September 7, 1962 – December 14, 1969)
Games with 100+ receiving yards, career: 41
Games with 100+ receiving yards, season: 9
Games with 200+ receiving yards: 5 (only 3 other such games in franchise history)
Games with 100+ receiving yards, and 1+ TDs: 36

Personal life

Alworth and his third wife, Laura, whom he married in 1997, live in San Diego. He has six children.

In the early 1980s, Alworth founded All-Aboard Mini Storage, with self-storage facilities throughout California. He sold the company to Extra Space Storage in 2013 for $196 million.

Alworth's first wife, the former Betty Jeanne Allen, later married Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker. Alworth's grandson, Brian Driscoll, was an offensive lineman at University of California, Berkeley from 2019-2023.