May 7

In this episode of the Football History Headlines, we discuss a Raiders move in court as well as many more Hall of Fame Legendary stories.

Gridiron fans, gear up for another exciting day of football history! Dive into the archives and relive the moments that shaped the game we love. Today's headlines take us back in time, exploring everything from legendary quarterback duels that captivated a nation to groundbreaking rule changes that redefined the sport. So, whether you're a die-hard traditionalist or a stats guru, we have something for everyone. Let's lace up our virtual cleats and take a trip down memory lane!

Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the day comes from the San Francisco Examiner on May 8, 1982 said “Raiders look south for a fresh start”
May 7, 1982 - Californian federal jury rules NFL violates antitrust laws in preventing Oakland Raiders move to Los Angeles Coliseum. Yes the Al Davis who owned the Raiders wanted to move his franchise to Los Angeles but the League spearheaded by Commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to keep them in Oakland. The Federal jury was composed of 6 women unanimously voted in favor of Mr Davis clearing the hurdles for the team’s planned move to the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Raiders called Los Angeles their home from 1982 all the way through the 1994 season when they again returned to play in Oakland until 2019. 
If you want to be able to be able to read through some old articles like the San Francisco Examiner, you need to check out Newspapers.com. At Newspapers.com, you can get access to over 640 million pages’ worth of news from the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and more dating back from 1798 to yesterday.  Get a free one week subscription to Newspapers.com by visiting SportsHistoryNetwork.com/newspapers. And with a paid subscription, you’ll also be helping to support the production of this and other Sports History Network shows. 

Here are the bios on some birthday boys that are either in the College Football Hall of Fame or the Pro Football Hall of Fame that were born on this day. There is plenty more about them to read by either clicking their high-lighted name or at the top of this page clicking the "On This Day in Football History" and going to May 7 Football History.

May 7, 1881 - Alpena, Michigan - The big tackle from the Army teams of 1899 to 1902, Paul Bunker was born. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Paul Bunker into their legendary museum in 1969. 

May 7, 1896 - Hamilton, New York - Belford West the great Colgate University tackle of 1914 to 1916 & 1919, arrived to celebrate his birth. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Belford West into their legendary museum in 1954.

May 7, 1930 - Rochester, Pennsylvania - Babe Parilli the legendary University of Kentucky quarterback was born.  Babe Parilli was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982 after the National Football Foundation tabulated up their votes. Parilli was selected in the first round as the number 4.overall pick of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, and he played professional football for 18 seasons for a variety of teams.

May 7, 1933 - Quarterback Johnny Unitas grew up in a working-class section of Pittsburgh. Playing for the Louisville Cardinals in college, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him into the NFL and then cut him. He eventually joined the Baltimore Colts, became their starting QB and led them to greatness. Unitas was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

May 7, 1953  - Villa Park, California - Harvard University’s talented wide receiver from 1972 through the 1974 season, Pat McInally arrived into this life.  The National Football Foundation selected Pat McInally for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

The picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by photographer Carol Highsmith circa 2014 and is titled " The Doak Walker statue on the campus of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, where he is a legend ."