History of Lamar Hunt in Timeline

Lamar Hunt Sr. was an American businessman who significantly impacted the sports landscape in the United States. He was a key figure in the promotion of football, founding the American Football League (AFL) and later playing a vital role in the merger of the AFL and NFL, creating the Super Bowl. Hunt was also instrumental in popularizing soccer in the U.S., as one of the founders of the North American Soccer League (NASL) and owner of the Kansas City Wizards. Additionally, he supported tennis, helping to establish the World Championship Tennis circuit. Beyond sports, Hunt engaged in business ventures, including an attempt to corner the silver market.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

1913: Predecessor Stadium Built

In 1913, a predecessor stadium was built prior to the Historic Crew Stadium.

1914: U.S. Open Cup Founded

In 1914, the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing national soccer tournament in the United States, was founded. It now bears Lamar Hunt's name in honor of his pioneering role in soccer.

August 2, 1932: Lamar Hunt Sr. Born

On August 2, 1932, Lamar Hunt Sr. was born. He became a notable American businessman recognized for promoting football, soccer, and tennis in the United States.

Others born on this day/year

1951: Graduated from The Hill School

In 1951, Lamar Hunt graduated from The Hill School in Pennsylvania.

1952: Joined Kappa Sigma Fraternity

In 1952, while attending SMU, Lamar Hunt joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

1956: Graduated from Southern Methodist University

In 1956, Lamar Hunt graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas with a B.S. degree in geology.

1956: Married Rosemary Carr

In 1956, Lamar Hunt married Rosemary Carr. They met in Dallas as teenagers and attended Southern Methodist University together.

August 1959: American Football League Established

In August 1959, Lamar Hunt approached other businessmen who were unsuccessful in getting an NFL franchise and established the American Football League (AFL).

1959: Application for NFL Expansion Franchise Rejected

In 1959, Lamar Hunt's application for a National Football League (NFL) expansion franchise was turned down. The NFL executives were wary of "oversaturating" the market by expanding too quickly.

1960: Began Listing as Founder of the Chiefs

From 1960, Lamar Hunt insisted that he be listed in team media guides as the founder of the Chiefs rather than the owner and publicly listed his telephone number in the phone book for the rest of his life.

1960: Attempt to Purchase Chicago Cardinals Failed

In 1960, Lamar Hunt's attempt to purchase the NFL's Chicago Cardinals franchise, with the intention of moving them to Dallas, was turned down. The team subsequently moved to St. Louis, Missouri.

1960: Dallas Texans Began Play

In 1960, Lamar Hunt's team, the Dallas Texans, along with the AFL, began playing. Hunt hired Hank Stram as the team's first head coach.

1960: Dallas Cowboys Franchise Founded

In 1960, the NFL quickly placed a new franchise of their own in Dallas, the Dallas Cowboys, who also began play in response to the presence of the AFL franchise in Dallas.

1962: Consideration to Move the Dallas Texans

By the end of the 1962 season, Lamar Hunt concluded that Dallas was not big enough to support two teams and considered moving the Dallas Texans.

1962: Divorced Rosemary Carr

In 1962, Lamar Hunt divorced Rosemary Carr due in part to his travel schedule.

1962: Hunt's Interest in Soccer Began

In 1962, Lamar Hunt's interest in soccer began when he accompanied his future wife, Norma, to a Shamrock Rovers game in Dublin, Ireland.

1963: Dallas Texans Rebranded as Kansas City Chiefs

In 1963, after mayor H. Roe Bartle promised Lamar Hunt home attendance of 25,000 people per game, the Dallas Texans were rebranded as the Kansas City Chiefs and moved to Kansas City.

1964: Married Norma

In 1964, Lamar Hunt married his second wife, Norma, who was a schoolteacher and hostess for the Dallas Texans.

July 25, 1966: Hunt Coined the Term 'Super Bowl'

On July 25, 1966, in a letter to NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, Lamar Hunt jokingly referred to the championship game as the 'Super Bowl'.

1966: Hunt Viewed FIFA World Cup in England

In 1966, Lamar Hunt viewed the FIFA World Cup in England.

1966: Chiefs Won First AFL Championship and Reached Super Bowl I

In 1966, the Kansas City Chiefs won their first AFL Championship and reached the first-ever Super Bowl, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers.

1967: Norma Attended Every Super Bowl

From 1967, Norma Hunt attended every Super Bowl.

1967: Founded the Dallas Tornado

In 1967, Lamar Hunt founded the Dallas Tornado as members of the United Soccer Association.

1967: Hunt Helped Promote Professional Soccer

In 1967, Lamar Hunt helped promote professional soccer in the United States.

1968: Co-founded World Championship Tennis Circuit

In 1968, Lamar Hunt co-founded the World Championship Tennis circuit, which contributed to the birth of the Open Era of tennis.

1968: Merger to Form North American Soccer League

In 1968, the United Soccer Association merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League (NASL).

1969: Chiefs' Average Home Attendance Increased

By 1969, the Kansas City Chiefs' average home attendance had reached 51,000.

1969: 'Super Bowl' Becomes Official Name

In 1969, the name 'Super Bowl' became official, starting with the third annual game, which was won by the AFL's New York Jets over the NFL's Baltimore Colts.

1970: Chiefs Won AFL Championship and Super Bowl IV

In 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFL Championship and Super Bowl IV over the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings, which was the last Super Bowl played when the AFL was a separate league.

1971: Dallas Tornado Won NASL Championship

In 1971, the Dallas Tornado won the NASL championship. Lamar Hunt was an active advocate for the sport and the league.

1971: Nine Postseason Appearances After

Nine of the Chiefs' postseason appearances occurred after 1971 with Lamar Hunt as the founder.

1972: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

In 1972, Lamar Hunt was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizing his contribution to the sport.

1972: Kappa Sigma's Man of the Year

In 1972, Lamar Hunt was selected as Kappa Sigma's Man of the Year.

1973: Worlds of Fun Opened

In 1973, Lamar Hunt opened Worlds of Fun theme park in Kansas City.

1973: Dallas Tornado Runners-Up in NASL

In 1973, the Dallas Tornado, founded by Lamar Hunt, were runners-up in the NASL.

September 1979: Silver Market Ownership Led to Price Rise

By September 1979, Lamar Hunt and his brothers' ownership of one-third of the world silver market caused the price to rise from $11 an ounce.

January 1980: Silver Price Rose to $50 an Ounce

By January 1980, the silver market price rose to $50 an ounce as a result of the Hunt brothers' ownership.

March 27, 1980: Silver Thursday Price Collapse

On March 27, 1980, known as Silver Thursday, the silver market price collapsed after the Hunt brothers attempted to corner the market.

1981: Merged Dallas Tornado with Tampa Bay Rowdies

In 1981, after 15 seasons and losses in the millions, Lamar Hunt and his Dallas Tornado partner, Bill McNutt, decided to merge their team with the Tampa Bay Rowdies franchise.

1982: Oceans of Fun Opened

In 1982, Lamar Hunt opened Oceans of Fun theme park in Kansas City.

1982: Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame

In 1982, Lamar Hunt was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for his pioneering role in the sport in the United States.

1984: NASL Collapsed

In 1984, a year after Lamar Hunt sold his stake in the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the North American Soccer League (NASL) finally collapsed.

1984: AFC Championship Trophy Named After Hunt

In 1984, the AFC Championship Game trophy was named after Lamar Hunt.

September 1988: Hunt Brothers Filed for Bankruptcy

In September 1988, the Hunt brothers filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

1991: End of Chiefs Training Camp at William Jewell College

Until 1991, the Kansas City Chiefs held their NFL Training Camp at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, influenced by Lamar Hunt's business dealings in Clay County.

1993: Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame

In 1993, Lamar Hunt was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his contribution to the birth of professional Open Era tennis.

1993: Chiefs Lost AFC Championship Game

In 1993, the Chiefs reached the AFC Championship Game to compete for the trophy named after Lamar Hunt, but they lost.

1996: Founding Investor of Major League Soccer

In 1996, Lamar Hunt returned to soccer as one of the original founding investors of Major League Soccer (MLS), owning the Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards.

1999: Financed Construction of Historic Crew Stadium

In 1999, Lamar Hunt financed the construction of the venue now known as Historic Crew Stadium, one of the first soccer-specific stadiums in the USA.

1999: National Soccer Hall of Fame Medal of Honor

In 1999, the National Soccer Hall of Fame bestowed upon Lamar Hunt their Medal of Honor. This is an award given to only three recipients in history.

2003: Purchased the Dallas Burn

In 2003, Lamar Hunt purchased a third team, the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas), and announced partial financing for their soccer-specific stadium.

2005: Chiefs Postseason Appearances

From 1960 to 2005, the Chiefs reached the postseason fourteen times with Hunt as founder.

August 31, 2006: Sold Kansas City Wizards

On August 31, 2006, Lamar Hunt sold the Kansas City Wizards to an ownership group led by Neal Patterson and Cliff Illig.

December 13, 2006: Lamar Hunt Sr. Death

On December 13, 2006, Lamar Hunt Sr. passed away. He was known for his significant contributions to the promotion of football, soccer, and tennis in the United States.