Oakland's Unexpected Hero

The Oakland Raiders standardized the term ‘excellence’ for the upstart American Football League. With that, several standouts emerged, notably at the most visible quarterback position, including Tom Flores, Daryl Lamonica (pictured), and Kenny Stabler. Yet, a forgotten—before and since—substitute castoff from the New York Jets had his day in 1965’s September sun and played a role in the Raiders’ uprising.

Even few old-school Oaklanders likely will recall the name Dick Wood, who had been dumped by his former team for two ballyhooed rookies, Joe Namath and John Huarte.

Now with the Silver and Black, Wood figured on bench-bound frustration as the regular season approached. "I was pretty discouraged after spending so much time on my back in exhibition games," he confessed after getting belted often behind a mostly reserve offensive line.

Meanwhile, his new team had suffered through many pains of their own. Though head coach Al Davis had directed a surprisingly splendid 10-4 first-year campaign in ’63 (after the squad had all of three wins the prior two seasons), the Raiders fell back the following year to their losing ways. Through 1964, the franchise record sat at 24-44-2.

Heading into the ’65 opener versus inevitably big-time rival Kansas City, Al Davis decided to start two new offensive tackles, including Harry Schuh, who would have the “privilege” of drawing all-pro defensive end Jerry Mays all afternoon. He barely survived the first quarter. Quarterback Tom Flores didn't, as pro bowl defenders such as Mays, Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell and EJ Holub knocked him woozy on the game’s third play and left him in a daze the next several drives.

Fortunate to be behind 7-0 and with a credit of negative 32 yards of offense, Coach Davis decided to make a change to Wood, the former New York Jet who figured not to see the field. Taking over on the 20 yard-line, he led Oakland to a first down, but the Raiders then faced a mountainous third down and 13 yards to go and had completed one pass on the day—for minus-two yards.

The benchwarmer saw Kansas City’s blitz coming, and slung a quick swing pass to fullback Roger Hagberg (another castoff) that resulted in a 17-yard first down pickup. Later in the drive, Wood hit yet another huge third down, this time to tight end Billy Cannon for 26 yards. The clincher came on a 14-yard post pattern to Art Powell in front of Chiefs’ defensive back Willie Mitchell.

Bolstered by rapidly improving protection from rookies Harry Schuh and Bob Svihus along with veteran pro bowler and future Hall of Fame center Jim Otto (pictured), Wood and the Raiders never looked back. He added another touchdown pass (again to Art Powell) and ran in a rollout to the left from the Kansas City four.

The final: Oakland 37-Kansas City 10. As the Chiefs’ head coach Hank Stram agreed, the Raiders’ Al Davis said, “They had us in a hole from the outset. That one play (the first third down toss) changed the game.”

Wood, who got the game ball for his performance, had completed 12 of 25 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and added a third via the ground. Not a bad day for someone who began and expected to end on the bench.

Dick Wood didn’t have a star-studded career with the Raiders—who released him the following year—or with anyone else, and was out of football after the 1966 season. But he was the biggest star one September day in Oakland, and helped propel the program toward Al Davis “Commitment to Excellence” with his heroics.