This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/21/2017
Even after leading Houston to the very first AFL Championship in 1960, George Blanda was still labeled an NFL reject--exactly the kind of motivation he needed to take his game to the next level. Houston’s ageless quarterback/placekicker responded by turning in his finest season as a pro in '61, leading the league with 3,300 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes to set a new NFL/AFL record. He was the obvious choice for AFL Most Valuable Player honors that season. In the 1961 AFL Championship game, Blanda threw a touchdown pass and kicked a field goal in Houston's 10-3 win over the San Diego Chargers for their second consecutive AFL title. Presented here is the ring given to league MVP George Blanda for his part in winning the 1961 AFL Championship.
The gorgeous 10-karat gold ring is crowned with a large princess cut diamond set in an Oilers blue stone surrounded by “HOUSTON OILERS”. The left shank has a ribbon on which “GEORGE BLANDA” has been engraved and a Houston Oilers figure is below with the number “60” on its jersey to denote the AFL's inaugural season. The right shank has Houston’s vintage Oil Well logo in gold with “AFL CHAMPIONS” and “1961” below. The inside the band is stamped "10K". The ring comes in size 12 and weighs 28 grams. It shows some light wear but remains in wonderful, all original condition. (Blanda was known to primarily wear his Hall of Fame ring--image attached.) Only the second AFL ring issued, it was presented to the man who brought back-to-back Championships to Houston.
LOA from the Blanda family.