The early Houston Oilers had a number of high-caliber players on their offense.  George Blanda, Billy Cannon, Charlie Hennigan and Bill Groman come immediately to mind.  They also had a running back by the name of Charlie Tolar, who wrought havoc on AFL defenses with his short yet stout frame, and immeasurable toughness.

At 5’7″ and 195 lbs., you might think that Charlie Tolar was a nimble, Barry Sanders-style of back.  But while Tolar was quick, and undoubtedly athletic, he preferred a more direct approach to the goal line than the shifty Sanders.  “I wasn’t an elusive runner,” recalled Tolar in Houston Oilers; The Early Years, by Kevin Carroll.  “If I could make a few yards running over somebody, I did.”

Charlie Tolar was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.  While this ARTICLE has one error that will leap out to most AFL fans, it contains a nice write up of Tolar’s collegiate career, and early years in professional football.