Abner Haynes
The electrifying AFL pioneer whose breakaway runs and returns helped define the Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs' early identity.
1937–2024 (age 87)·American football player·Birthday: September 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Abner Haynes didn't just play in the upstart American Football League; he helped make it must-see football. As a star halfback and return man for the Dallas Texans (later the Kansas City Chiefs), Haynes possessed game-breaking speed and a flair for the dramatic. In 1960, the league's inaugural season, he was its brightest star, winning the first-ever AFL MVP award by leading the league in rushing, touchdowns, and all-purpose yards. His versatility was his trademark—he could score from anywhere on the field. Haynes was central to the Texans' 1962 AFL championship victory, a marathon double-overtime thriller against the Houston Oilers. He brought a thrilling, open-field style to the game, cementing his place as one of the foundational players who gave the AFL its distinct and exciting character.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Abner was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Abner Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Abner's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2024Died at 87
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
Key Achievements
- Named the American Football League's first Most Valuable Player in its inaugural 1960 season.
- Led the AFL in rushing touchdowns three times (1960, 1961, 1962).
- Was a key player for the Dallas Texans in their 1962 AFL Championship victory over the Houston Oilers.
- Selected as an AFL All-Star four times and was a member of the AFL All-Time Team.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by both the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and the AFL's Dallas Texans in 1960, choosing the AFL.
He and his North Texas State teammate, quarterback Jack Spikes, were known as the 'Gold Dust Twins' with the Texans.
He scored the first regular-season touchdown in Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs franchise history.
He later served as the director of athletics for his alma mater, North Texas State University (now UNT).
“We played with a chip on our shoulder, and it worked.”
