12/09/2023
This Day in Jets History: 9/12/64 Not only did the Jets reshape their team on the field, but they also changed the field that the team played on, moving from the Polo Grounds to the Mets' brand new stadium, Shea Stadium. And so it was on 9/12/64 that the Jets would play host to the Denver Broncos in their first regular season game at Shea.
The Broncos received the opening kickoff, but on the game’s second play from scrimmage, QB Jacky Lee’s pass was intercepted at midfield by Bill Baird and returned to the Broncos 26 yard line. 3 plays later Dick Wood connected with Gene Heeter for a 16 yard TD pass and a quick 7-0 Jets lead.
Wood threw 2 more TD passes, and Matt Snell was effective in his debut, carrying 22 times for 82 yards and a TD as the Jets rolled to a 30-6 victory. Ralph Baker had an interception in his first game. The man who stole the show, however, was Jets linebacker Wahoo McDaniel. McDaniel led the Jets with 7 tackles, 2 passes defensed and a fumble recovery. After each tackle, the PA announcer would ask the crowd, “Tackle by who?” and the crowd, over 44,000 strong chanted in unison “Wahoo!!!”
Sonny Werblin, never one to miss a marketing opportunity immediately petitioned the league to change the nameplate on McDaniel's jersey to read simply "Wahoo." The Jets received approval and for the rest of his career with both the Jets and Dolphins, his jersey read Wahoo. Asked about the name switch, Wahoo didn’t mind, “The name McDaniel never made me 5 cents.”
Like Werblin, McDaniel, who was a professional wrestler in the offseason, understood the marketing potential of his name.
The crowd of over 44,000 was the largest AFL crowd for any game to date and more than doubled the largest crowd the Jets or Titans had ever played in front of at the Polo Grounds. After the game, Werblin just smiled and said, “I guess we have sold AFL football to New York.”
