Joe Kapp
Encyclopedia
Joseph Robert Kapp is a former professional American
and Canadian football
quarterback
. He is also a former college football
head coach
of the University of California
, and a former general manager of the CFL's
BC Lions
. Kapp played primarily with the NFL's
Minnesota Vikings
and the CFL's
BC Lions
during the 1960-70s. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
, the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the BC Lions Wall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame
, and the University of California Athletic Hall of Fame. Kapp's #22 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the Lions. In November, 2006, Kapp was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
. Sports Illustrated
once called him "The Toughest Chicano." Kapp is the only player to quarterback in the Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the Grey Cup
.
.
for the University of California
, where he led the team to a Pacific Coast
Championship in 1958
and the January 1, 1959 Rose Bowl
, losing to Iowa. This was the University of California, Berkeley's most recent appearance. Kapp was named an All-American in that same year. He was also awarded the 1958 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy
as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. A two-sport athlete and fraternity member of Kappa Alpha Order
in college, he also played varsity basketball
for the Golden Bears
, and was on the 1956-57 and 1957-58 teams that won the Pacific Coast Championship. He earned a bachelor's
degree in physical education
from California
in 1959.
in the 18th round of the 1959 NFL Draft
by the Washington Redskins
, who owned his rights to play professional football in the United States
. After the draft, Washington did not contact him, so his only choice was to accept the offer from Jim Finks
, the general manager of the CFL's
Calgary Stampeders
.
Kapp joined the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL
for his rookie season in 1959
. The following year, Kapp led Calgary to their first playoff appearance in years. The season was a difficult one, because he injured his knee against the Toronto Argonauts
early in the season, but did not miss any games, because he played heavily taped.
In 1961
, the BC Lions
, then the CFL's newest franchise, traded four starting players to the Calgary Stampeders for Joe Kapp. The move paid off for the Lions when Kapp led the team to a Grey Cup
appearance in 1963
. While the following season, Kapp led the Lions to their first Grey Cup victory in 1964. However, the Lions proved unable to defend their championship in 1965.
By that time, Joe Kapp had proven he was an elite quarterback
, and also developed the reputation of being a tough player and a great leader. While most quarterbacks dislike being hit, Kapp was the opposite. He loved to hit and when he took off on a run he’d try to run over defenders.
Before the 1967 season
, Joe Kapp made the decision to return to the U.S. to play pro football. The AFL's
Oakland Raiders
, San Diego Chargers
, and Houston Oilers were heavily pursuing him.
Kapp ended up signing with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
in a multi-player "trade" between the CFL and NFL teams, one of the very few transactions to ever occur between the two leagues.
The Minnesota Vikings in 1965 had drafted running back Jim Young
out of Queens University in Kingston, Ontario
. He had spent the 1965 and 1966 seasons with the Vikings, but wanted to return to Canada. The BC Lions were very interested in acquiring Young, but the Toronto Argonauts
had his CFL rights.
The Minnesota Vikings general manager was Jim Finks
, who had brought Kapp to Canada in 1959, and their head coach was Bud Grant
who had faced Kapp while coaching the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. Both Finks and Grant thought Joe Kapp would be the best replacement for Fran Tarkenton
who had been traded to the New York Giants
. To make this transaction possible, the BC Lions traded all-star defensive lineman Dick Fouts
, and future CFL Hall of Fame
running back
Bill Symons
to the Toronto Argonauts
for the CFL rights to future CFL Hall of Fame wide receiver
Jim Young
. They then managed getting Kapp waived out of the CFL.
The Minnesota Vikings
managed getting Jim Young
waived out of the NFL, which allowed the BC Lions to sign him. The expansion New Orleans Saints
wanted Young and it took some work from Finks to keep them from claiming Young.
Kapp, waived from the CFL, was free to sign with the Minnesota, who had previously claimed his NFL playing rights from Washington.
, Kapp led the Minnesota Vikings
to their first ever playoff appearance, losing to the Baltimore Colts
, 24-14. The Colts were upset a few weeks later by the New York Jets
in Super Bowl III
.
In a September 1969
game against the Colts, Kapp threw for 7 touchdown passes, which still stands as the all-time record with 4 other players (Sid Luckman
, Adrian Burk
, George Blanda
and Y.A. Tittle). Burk was one of the officials that worked the Kapp 7 td game. Kapp led the Vikings to a 12-2 record, and a berth in Super Bowl IV
after defeating the Cleveland Browns
27-7 in the last NFL
Championship game ever played. However, he was unable to lead the team to victory in the Super Bowl
, as the Vikings lost 23-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs
. In 1970
, the NFL and AFL
consummated a merger that had been agreed to in 1966, and the NFL Championship game was no more after 50 years of NFL competition. On July 20, 1970
, Sports Illustrated
dubbed Kapp "The Toughest Chicano
" on the cover of its weekly magazine. He received the team MVP, but refused the team MVP award, saying, "There's no one most valuable Viking."
Prior to the 1969 season, the Minnesota Vikings had exercised the option clause of his contract
, so Kapp had played the entire season without a new contract. It was unusual and unprecedented for teams to use the team’s option and not to offer a new contract prior to a season.
This dispute made him a free agent
for the 1970
season, by the NFL's own rules.
Despite being a Super Bowl
quarterback, no teams in the NFL made contact with Kapp until September of the 1970 season, when the Boston Patriots signed him to a four-year contract, making him the highest paid player in the league. Pete Rozelle
stepped in and forced the Boston Patriots to give up two number one draft picks as compensation to the Minnesota Vikings
.
The Boston Patriots of 1970 were a poor-performing team and the late-arriving Kapp played poorly himself that season, leading the team to the league's worst record at 2-12. When the year ended Pete Rozelle demanded that Kapp sign a Standard Player Contract. After conferring with his lawyer and the NFL Players Association, Kapp refused to sign a new contract.
With the top pick in the 1971 NFL Draft
, the Patriots selected a quarterback, Jim Plunkett
of Stanford
.
Kapp reported to the newly-renamed New England Patriots
' training camp
in 1971
and was turned away. The headlines in the Boston papers read “KAPP QUITS!”. After this incident Kapp never played again, his 12 year career as a professional football player was over.
Kapp started an anti-trust lawsuit
vs. the NFL claiming the standard NFL contract was unconstitutional and a restraint of trade. He won the Summary Judgment
after four years. The court had ruled that Joe Kapp’s trade was indeed restrained. It was two years later (April 1, 1976) in the trial for damages, that the jury decided that Kapp was not damaged.
Although Kapp was not awarded any damages, in 1977 the rules at issue in the Kapp case were later revised, a new system was instituted, and a multi-million dollar settlement was made between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
, Emergency!
, Police Woman
and Medical Center
. Movies included Two-Minute Warning
, Breakheart Pass
, The Frisco Kid
, Mackenna's Gold
, The Longest Yard, and Semi-Tough
. Joe Kapp also appeared in Festival Express (1970 concert) during the Grateful Dead's performance of "New Speedway Boogie". Kapp can be seen in football pads watching the show during a crowd shot.
, the University of California, Berkeley
. He had never coached before. In his first year as head coach, he was voted the Pac-10 Coach of the Year.
In December 1981, Kapp made a promise to the football team that he would not consume any of his favorite alcoholic beverage, tequila
, until the Golden Bears reached the Rose Bowl. As of March 2011, the Golden Bears have yet to return to the Rose Bowl and Kapp has resorted to drinking rum
instead.
Kapp had several philosophies while coaching at Cal. He called his special teams the "special forces." He told his players to play "One hundred precent for 60 minutes." He also wanted the players to have fun. On Sundays, he would have his players play a game of "garbazz," described as a mix of basketball and football where the only objective is to pass the ball downfield. There are no football rules such as offsides or forward passes.
Kapp was the coach during The Play
, the famous five-lateral kickoff return by the Cal team to score the winning touchdown on the final play of the 1982 Big Game
against arch rival Stanford
.
During the 1986 college football season, the Bears lost to Boston College
, defeated Washington State
, then lost to San Jose State. Following an embarrassing 50-18 loss at Washington
on October 4, Kapp expressed frustration unzipping his pants in front of the Seattle media. He was notified that he would be released after the 1986 Big Game
, played in Berkeley. The Bears responded to the student section's pre-game chants of "Win one for the zipper" by beating the #16 ranked and Gator Bowl
-bound Cardinal
17-11. This gave Kapp a 3-2 record in the Big Game. He was carried out of the stadium amid chanting from the student section, "We Want Kapp!", echoing a cheer from his playing days with the Boston Patriots.
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL) hired Kapp as the team's new general manager in 1990
. Kapp's tenure was marked by his tendency to recruit ex-NFL players such as Mark Gastineau
whose best football days had already expired. Kapp was fired 11 games into the Lions' schedule, his most valuable legacy was the signing of quarterback Doug Flutie
, who would star in the CFL over the next decade.
, California
, and makes himself available as a guest speaker. He has a wife and four children. He was one of the owners of Kapp's Pizza Bar & Grill in Mountain View, California
, which contained memorabilia from his career. His son Will Kapp has followed in his footsteps as a fullback at Cal.
In November 2011, Kapp was involved in a fight with former CFL great Angelo Mosca
during a charity luncheon. The skirmish received extensive press coverage calling Kapp a "Youtube sensation", and highlighted a bitter rivalry between their old teams over 40 years ago.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He is also a former college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the University of California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
, and a former general manager of the CFL's
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. Kapp played primarily with the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the CFL's
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
during the 1960-70s. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
, the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the BC Lions Wall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, and the University of California Athletic Hall of Fame. Kapp's #22 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the Lions. In November, 2006, Kapp was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
once called him "The Toughest Chicano." Kapp is the only player to quarterback in the Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
.
High school career
Kapp played quarterback for William S. Hart High School, located in Newhall, CaliforniaNewhall, California
Newhall is the southernmost and oldest district of Santa Clarita, California. Prior to the 1987 consolidation of Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, and other geographically proximate settlements into the conglomerate city of Santa Clarita, it was an independent but unincorporated town...
.
College career
Kapp played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
, where he led the team to a Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
Championship in 1958
1958 in sports
1958 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – December 28 the Baltimore Colts won 23-17 over the New York Giants in overtime. The game is later called the "Greatest game ever played"....
and the January 1, 1959 Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, losing to Iowa. This was the University of California, Berkeley's most recent appearance. Kapp was named an All-American in that same year. He was also awarded the 1958 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy
W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy
The W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy was awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation from 1951 to 1978 to the outstanding college football player on the Pacific Coast. The recipient was determined based on votes cast by West Coast football writers and later broadcasters as well. Award recipients include...
as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. A two-sport athlete and fraternity member of Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
in college, he also played varsity basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
for the Golden Bears
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, and was on the 1956-57 and 1957-58 teams that won the Pacific Coast Championship. He earned a bachelor's
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
from California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1959.
Canadian Football League
Kapp was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the 18th round of the 1959 NFL Draft
1959 NFL Draft
The 1959 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1958 and January 21, 1959 .-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, who owned his rights to play professional football in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After the draft, Washington did not contact him, so his only choice was to accept the offer from Jim Finks
Jim Finks
James Edward Finks was an American sports executive, primarily for American Professional Football.-Biography:...
, the general manager of the CFL's
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
.
Kapp joined the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for his rookie season in 1959
1959 CFL season
The 1959 CFL season was the sixth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it was the second season of the Canadian Football League.-Final regular season standings:...
. The following year, Kapp led Calgary to their first playoff appearance in years. The season was a difficult one, because he injured his knee against the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
early in the season, but did not miss any games, because he played heavily taped.
In 1961
1961 CFL season
The 1961 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 8th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 4th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1961:...
, the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
, then the CFL's newest franchise, traded four starting players to the Calgary Stampeders for Joe Kapp. The move paid off for the Lions when Kapp led the team to a Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
appearance in 1963
1963 CFL season
The 1963 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 10th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 6th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1963:...
. While the following season, Kapp led the Lions to their first Grey Cup victory in 1964. However, the Lions proved unable to defend their championship in 1965.
By that time, Joe Kapp had proven he was an elite quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and also developed the reputation of being a tough player and a great leader. While most quarterbacks dislike being hit, Kapp was the opposite. He loved to hit and when he took off on a run he’d try to run over defenders.
Before the 1967 season
1967 CFL season
The 1967 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 14th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 10th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 1967:...
, Joe Kapp made the decision to return to the U.S. to play pro football. The AFL's
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Houston Oilers were heavily pursuing him.
Kapp ended up signing with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in a multi-player "trade" between the CFL and NFL teams, one of the very few transactions to ever occur between the two leagues.
The Minnesota Vikings in 1965 had drafted running back Jim Young
Jim Young
James Norman "Dirty Thirty" Young is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for one season , and the CFL's BC Lions for twelve seasons...
out of Queens University in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. He had spent the 1965 and 1966 seasons with the Vikings, but wanted to return to Canada. The BC Lions were very interested in acquiring Young, but the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
had his CFL rights.
The Minnesota Vikings general manager was Jim Finks
Jim Finks
James Edward Finks was an American sports executive, primarily for American Professional Football.-Biography:...
, who had brought Kapp to Canada in 1959, and their head coach was Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
who had faced Kapp while coaching the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. Both Finks and Grant thought Joe Kapp would be the best replacement for Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
who had been traded to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. To make this transaction possible, the BC Lions traded all-star defensive lineman Dick Fouts
Dick Fouts
Richard Lee Fouts is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts and the BC Lions. After playing college football at the University of Missouri, where he was an All-American, Fouts spent his entire 13 year CFL career as an defensive lineman...
, and future CFL Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Bill Symons
Bill Symons
Bill Symons, born in Nucla, Colorado, is a former professional Canadian football running back with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.- College football career :Symons played for the University of Colorado Buffaloes between 1962 and 1964...
to the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
for the CFL rights to future CFL Hall of Fame wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Jim Young
Jim Young
James Norman "Dirty Thirty" Young is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for one season , and the CFL's BC Lions for twelve seasons...
. They then managed getting Kapp waived out of the CFL.
The Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
managed getting Jim Young
Jim Young
James Norman "Dirty Thirty" Young is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for one season , and the CFL's BC Lions for twelve seasons...
waived out of the NFL, which allowed the BC Lions to sign him. The expansion New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
wanted Young and it took some work from Finks to keep them from claiming Young.
Kapp, waived from the CFL, was free to sign with the Minnesota, who had previously claimed his NFL playing rights from Washington.
National Football League
In 19681968 NFL season
The 1968 NFL season was the 49th regular season of the National Football League. As per the agreement made during the 1967 realignment, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants switched divisions; the Saints joined the Century Division while the Giants became part of the Capitol Division.The...
, Kapp led the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
to their first ever playoff appearance, losing to the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
, 24-14. The Colts were upset a few weeks later by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
.
In a September 1969
1969 NFL season
The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. To honor the NFL's 50th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season.As per the...
game against the Colts, Kapp threw for 7 touchdown passes, which still stands as the all-time record with 4 other players (Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
, Adrian Burk
Adrian Burk
Adrian Matthew Burk was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Baylor University and was drafted in the first round of the 1950 NFL Draft...
, George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
and Y.A. Tittle). Burk was one of the officials that worked the Kapp 7 td game. Kapp led the Vikings to a 12-2 record, and a berth in Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
after defeating the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
27-7 in the last NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Championship game ever played. However, he was unable to lead the team to victory in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, as the Vikings lost 23-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. In 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
, the NFL and AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
consummated a merger that had been agreed to in 1966, and the NFL Championship game was no more after 50 years of NFL competition. On July 20, 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
dubbed Kapp "The Toughest Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
" on the cover of its weekly magazine. He received the team MVP, but refused the team MVP award, saying, "There's no one most valuable Viking."
Prior to the 1969 season, the Minnesota Vikings had exercised the option clause of his contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
, so Kapp had played the entire season without a new contract. It was unusual and unprecedented for teams to use the team’s option and not to offer a new contract prior to a season.
This dispute made him a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
for the 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
season, by the NFL's own rules.
Despite being a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
quarterback, no teams in the NFL made contact with Kapp until September of the 1970 season, when the Boston Patriots signed him to a four-year contract, making him the highest paid player in the league. Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
stepped in and forced the Boston Patriots to give up two number one draft picks as compensation to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
The Boston Patriots of 1970 were a poor-performing team and the late-arriving Kapp played poorly himself that season, leading the team to the league's worst record at 2-12. When the year ended Pete Rozelle demanded that Kapp sign a Standard Player Contract. After conferring with his lawyer and the NFL Players Association, Kapp refused to sign a new contract.
With the top pick in the 1971 NFL Draft
1971 NFL Draft
The 1971 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1971.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, the Patriots selected a quarterback, Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
of Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
.
Kapp reported to the newly-renamed New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
' training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
in 1971
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
and was turned away. The headlines in the Boston papers read “KAPP QUITS!”. After this incident Kapp never played again, his 12 year career as a professional football player was over.
Kapp started an anti-trust lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
vs. the NFL claiming the standard NFL contract was unconstitutional and a restraint of trade. He won the Summary Judgment
Summary judgment
In law, a summary judgment is a determination made by a court without a full trial. Such a judgment may be issued as to the merits of an entire case, or of specific issues in that case....
after four years. The court had ruled that Joe Kapp’s trade was indeed restrained. It was two years later (April 1, 1976) in the trial for damages, that the jury decided that Kapp was not damaged.
Although Kapp was not awarded any damages, in 1977 the rules at issue in the Kapp case were later revised, a new system was instituted, and a multi-million dollar settlement was made between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
Acting career
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Kapp appeared in several television programs as well as theatrical film titles. In most cases, the character roles were minor. Programs included Adam-12Adam-12
Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
, Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
, Police Woman
Police Woman (TV series)
Police Woman is an American television police drama starring Angie Dickinson that ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974, to March 29, 1978.-Synopsis:...
and Medical Center
Medical Center (TV series)
Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976.-Synopsis:The show starred James Daly as Dr. Paul Lochner and Chad Everett as Dr. Joe Gannon, surgeons working in an otherwise unnamed university hospital in Los Angeles. The show focused both on the lives of the doctors...
. Movies included Two-Minute Warning
Two-Minute Warning
Two-Minute Warning is a 1976 suspense and action film directed by Larry Peerce and starring Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Jack Klugman, Gena Rowlands, and David Janssen. It was based on the novel of the same name written by George La Fountaine, Sr...
, Breakheart Pass
Breakheart Pass (1975 film)
Breakheart Pass is an American 1975 western adventure film that stars Charles Bronson, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, and Jill Ireland. The movie was based on the novel by Alistair MacLean of the same title, and was filmed in north central Idaho.-Plot:...
, The Frisco Kid
The Frisco Kid
The Frisco Kid is a 1979 movie directed by Robert Aldrich. The movie is a Western comedy featuring Gene Wilder as Avram Belinski, a Polish rabbi who is traveling to San Francisco, and Harrison Ford as a bank robber who befriends him.-Plot:...
, Mackenna's Gold
Mackenna's Gold
Mackenna's Gold is a 1969 western film directed by J. Lee Thompson, starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, and Julie Newmar...
, The Longest Yard, and Semi-Tough
Semi-Tough
Semi-Tough is a 1977 film directed by Michael Ritchie and starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Lotte Lenya, Bert Convy, and Brian Dennehy. The plot involves a love triangle between the characters portrayed by Reynolds, Kristofferson and Clayburgh...
. Joe Kapp also appeared in Festival Express (1970 concert) during the Grateful Dead's performance of "New Speedway Boogie". Kapp can be seen in football pads watching the show during a crowd shot.
California head coach
In 1982, Kapp was hired as the head football coach at his alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the University of California, Berkeley
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. He had never coached before. In his first year as head coach, he was voted the Pac-10 Coach of the Year.
In December 1981, Kapp made a promise to the football team that he would not consume any of his favorite alcoholic beverage, tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
, until the Golden Bears reached the Rose Bowl. As of March 2011, the Golden Bears have yet to return to the Rose Bowl and Kapp has resorted to drinking rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
instead.
Kapp had several philosophies while coaching at Cal. He called his special teams the "special forces." He told his players to play "One hundred precent for 60 minutes." He also wanted the players to have fun. On Sundays, he would have his players play a game of "garbazz," described as a mix of basketball and football where the only objective is to pass the ball downfield. There are no football rules such as offsides or forward passes.
Kapp was the coach during The Play
The Play
The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
, the famous five-lateral kickoff return by the Cal team to score the winning touchdown on the final play of the 1982 Big Game
Big Game (football)
The Big Game is an American college football rivalry game played by the California Golden Bears football team of the University of California, Berkeley and the Stanford Cardinal football team of Stanford University. It is typically played in late November or early December...
against arch rival Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
.
During the 1986 college football season, the Bears lost to Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
, defeated Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
, then lost to San Jose State. Following an embarrassing 50-18 loss at Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
on October 4, Kapp expressed frustration unzipping his pants in front of the Seattle media. He was notified that he would be released after the 1986 Big Game
Big Game (football)
The Big Game is an American college football rivalry game played by the California Golden Bears football team of the University of California, Berkeley and the Stanford Cardinal football team of Stanford University. It is typically played in late November or early December...
, played in Berkeley. The Bears responded to the student section's pre-game chants of "Win one for the zipper" by beating the #16 ranked and Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
-bound Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
17-11. This gave Kapp a 3-2 record in the Big Game. He was carried out of the stadium amid chanting from the student section, "We Want Kapp!", echoing a cheer from his playing days with the Boston Patriots.
General manager of the BC Lions
In an effort to recapture their past glory, the BC LionsBC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) hired Kapp as the team's new general manager in 1990
1990 CFL season
The 1990 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 37th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 33rd Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1990:J...
. Kapp's tenure was marked by his tendency to recruit ex-NFL players such as Mark Gastineau
Mark Gastineau
Marcus Dell Gastineau is a former American football player who was a leading defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100½ quarterback sacks in only his first 100 starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most feared pass rushers of his generation...
whose best football days had already expired. Kapp was fired 11 games into the Lions' schedule, his most valuable legacy was the signing of quarterback Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, who would star in the CFL over the next decade.
Personal life
Kapp lives in the town of Los GatosLos Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and makes himself available as a guest speaker. He has a wife and four children. He was one of the owners of Kapp's Pizza Bar & Grill in Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
, which contained memorabilia from his career. His son Will Kapp has followed in his footsteps as a fullback at Cal.
In November 2011, Kapp was involved in a fight with former CFL great Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca is a former Canadian Football League player and professional wrestler. He is also known by the wrestling nicknames King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules...
during a charity luncheon. The skirmish received extensive press coverage calling Kapp a "Youtube sensation", and highlighted a bitter rivalry between their old teams over 40 years ago.
External links
- Official website
- Interview With Coach Joe Kapp, May 3, 1994. Accessed October 15, 2007.
- Gallery of Joe Kapp football cards