Do any Broncos players know they are connected to an historic sports event Monday night?

On Sept. 9, 1960 — 59 years ago — the Broncos played — and won — the team’s first game.

History for the Broncos, history for the league. The game was the first ever in the newly formed American Football League.

The Broncos, coached by Frank Filchock, beat the New England Patriots 13-10 in dimly-lit Nickerson Field in Boston.

The game was highlighted by quarterback Frank Tripucka’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Al Carmichael (the first touchdown pass in AFL history) and Gene Mingo’s exciting 76-yard touchdown run on a punt return.

Below is a YouTube Clip of the first season that shows Tripucka’s pass and Mingo’s run.

Recalling the game year’s later, Mingo told Karen Given, Executive Producer of WBUR’s “Only a Game” that the zig zag run left him in no condition to kick the extra point. “Well, I didn’t realize how drained I was. I kicked a big divot in the ground,” he recalled.

That first game was carried on radio KHOW-630 AM — a logical choice since Bob Howsam, the Broncos’ first owner, also owned KHOW.

(Can anyone recall the KHOW announcers during that first game?)

TV coverage?

I can’t find any references.

Network coverage of night games didn’t begin until Sept. 21 1970 when the New York Jets, led by Joe Namath, beat the Cleveland Browns on the first ever Monday Night Football game.

Broncos’ fans had to wait until 1973 to see the Broncos on Monday Night Football when they played (who else) the Oakland Raiders. The game ended a 23-23 tie after a late game field goal by Jim Turner.

Monday night’s Broncos-Raiders game in Oakland can be viewed on two Denver outlets – ESPN and local Channel 20.

KUSA-Channel 9 operators set up an arrangement many years ago allowing viewers without cable-coverage to still watch the Broncos games on over the air television.

Back to 1960 — The Broncos split their next two road games, beating the Buffalo Bills but losing to New York Titans.

The team won its first home game on Oct 2., pounding the ever-present Raiders 31-14 before a sparse crowd of 18,372 at Bears Stadium.

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A lot has changed since 59 years ago and those funny-looking brown and white striped socks and a dimly-lit stadium.

Another First

Speaking of anniversaries, this is the 50th year that KOA-850 A.M will broadcast the Broncos game.

It will be quite a night for veteran broadcaster Susie Wargin, who will be the flagship station’s first ever female sideline reporter.

A fourth generation Coloradoan, she began her career after graduating from Colorado State University.

Saturday she shared her thoughts with me. “As a native and lifelong Denver Broncos fan, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be on the sidelines reporting during the games,” she said. Adding, “It is truly a dream come true both as a fan and a journalist to hold such a position.”