The year 1961 was quite a year.
U.S. Cuban exiles and the CIA mounted an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro known as the Bay of Pigs. East German authorities closed the border between east and west Berlin, and construction of the Berlin Wall began. U.S. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps.
And in Marblehead, the Boston Patriots paid the town a visit to play a football game as a fundraiser for Marblehead youth football.
That’s right, the Patriots actually played a football game right here in Marblehead!
When the Patriots visited in 1961, they were then known as the Boston Patriots. Founded in 1959, the team was a charter member of the American Football League before joining the NFL in 1970 through the AFL-NFL merger.
The Patriots played their games at various stadiums throughout Boston until the franchise moved to Foxborough in 1971. As part of the move, the team changed their name to the New England Patriots. The primary logo used in the Sullivan era from 1961 to 1992 was known as “Pat the Patriot.”
In the summer of 1961, the Patriots played a number of intrasquad games around New England to help raise money for local charities and organizations.
On Aug. 14, the Boston Patriots visited Marblehead to play an intrasquad game to raise money for Marblehead youth football. If you’re not familiar with the term, “intrasquad” means that the original team splits into two teams, and they play against each other.
In the case of the Boston Patriots’ Marblehead visit, the two split squads were dubbed the “Stars” and “Stripes.” The game was held at 8 p.m. on a field that was located behind the old Marblehead High School on Pleasant Street. Portable lights were brought in to light up the field.
Close to three dozen players showed up to play against each other that night. These are some of the players that came to play. If you are old enough, you might recognize them.
The Stars
Gino Raymond Michael Cappelletti — He played college football at University of Minnesota and was an All-Star in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots, winning the 1964 AFL Most Valuable Player Award. He served as the Patriots’ radio color commentator until 2012. His nicknames included “The Duke” and “Mr. Patrio.”
He was initially a kicker and defensive back. He switched to offense and teamed up with quarterback Babe Parilli to form a tandem nicknamed “Grand Opera Twins,” due to their Italian surnames.
Vito “Babe“ Parilli — He was a quarterback and coach who played professionally for 18 seasons — five in the National Football League, three in the Canadian Football League and 10 in the American Football League.
Parilli achieved his greatest professional success in the AFL as the starting quarterback of the Boston Patriots from 1961 to 1967. He earned three All-Star Game selections while leading the Patriots to their only AFL postseason and championship game appearance in 1963.
Edward F. “Butch” Songin — He was a quarterback for the Boston College Eagles and for the AFL’s Patriots and the New York Titans.
After signing with the Patriots of the then-new AFL, Songin played in the first-ever AFL game against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 9, 1960.
Ronald E. Burton — Burton was the Boston Patriots‘ first-ever AFL draft choice in 1960. He was the first Patriot to rush for over 100 yards, 127 against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 23, 1960, as well as numerous other firsts for the Patriots. His 91-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal in 1962 remains a Patriot record.
His sons are Paul Burton, a reporter for WBZ-TV, and Steve Burton, who is the sports director for WBZ-TV in Boston. His granddaughter, Veronica, plays basketball for the Dallas Wings of the Women’s National Basketball Association.
The Stripes
Charles Long — He was an offensive tackle and guard. He played college football for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 1961, he joined the Boston Patriots, playing for nine seasons and being named an AFL All-Star selection twice. He is a member of the Patriots’ All-1960s Team.
Thomas Stephens — He played tight end for five seasons for the Patriots.
Raymond James Ratkowski –— He was a halfback who played in college at the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted in the 17th round of the 1961 NFL draft and played for the Patriots during the 1961 AFL season.
Ratkowski later served in the Marine Corps and worked for the FBI.
Lawrence Conway Eisenhauer — A defensive end and a college standout at Boston College, he was one of several Boston-area athletes to join the Patriots. He was nicknamed “Wildman” by his Patriot teammates because of his unpredictable antics, such as running out onto Kansas City‘s snow-covered Municipal Stadium field clad in only his helmet and athletic supporter, hitting his head on metal locker doors or ramming his forearms through locker room walls to motivate himself. Eisenhauer was an AFL All-Star in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1966, and is a member of the Patriots All-1960s Team.
The final score
After a couple hours of play in front of a crowd of 4,238 spectators, the Stars defeated the Stripes, 31-6.
