Glory Days P ro football is a sport of speed and power It is also a sport of survival In its first 25 years the game survived the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II By 1946 pro football was ready to take off That season a new league started play The All-America Football Conference AAFC set itself up as a competitor to the older National Football League NFL The AAFC placed teams in cities where the NFL did not have one including San Francisco California The team was named the 49ers It was owned by two brothers Vic and Tony Morabito who ran a successful lumber company The 49ers got their name from the pioneers who traveled to California in 1849 after gold was discovered there The Morabitos signed a number of players who had been college stars in the San Francisco area including quarterback Frankie Albert 6
and receiver Alyn Beals The Morabitos hired Buck Shaw to coach the team He was from nearby Santa Clara College The AAFC lasted four years The 49ers finished second in their division each season to the Cleveland Browns Both teams were invited to join the NFL in 1950 Over the next few years San Francisco put great talent on the field including running backs Joe Perry John Henry Johnson and Hugh McElhenny receivers Billy Wilson and Gordy Soltau linemen Leo Nomellini and Bob St Clair and quarterback Y A Tittle After struggling in the 1960s the 49ers regrouped and twice played for the championship of the National Football Conference NFC in the early 1970s San Francisco had some good players including quarterback John Brodie receiver Gene Washington and running back Ken Willard Charlie Krueger Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wilcox led the defense However it was not until Bill Walsh became the coach and quarterback Joe Montana took control of the offense that the 49ers turned into a great all-around team In the 1981 season LEFT Buck Shaw ABOVE John Brodie hands off to Ken Willard on the cover of a 1971 football magazine 7
San Francisco won 13 games and defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl Montana guided the 49ers to victory over the Cincinnati Bengals for the first championship in team history San Francisco won the Super Bowl three more times during the 1980s The 49ers had several All Pro players including receivers Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark running back Roger Craig and defensive back Ronnie Lott They got help from other stars such as John Taylor Keith Fahnhorst Randy Cross Jesse Sapolu Keena Turner Charles Haley Tim McKyer Eric Wright and Fred Dean Montana was the key to San Francisco’s success He understood Walsh’s offense as well as the coach did Montana and Rice became one of the most dangerous passing duos in NFL history Whenever the 49ers needed a big play they came to the rescue Both stars would end up in the Hall of Fame LEFT Joe Montana led the 49ers to four Super Bowl championships ABOVE Jerry Rice gets the latest information on a sideline telephone 9
