According to various sources, the Chargers owe their name not to any connection to electrical charges but to credit cards. The team鈥檚 first owner, Barron Hilton, reportedly was looking to generate interest in credit-card commerce in 1960 when 鈥渇lashing plastic鈥� was a relatively new option and his company鈥檚 Carte Blanche card business was struggling. Of course, a credit card isn鈥檛 an exciting image, so the Chargers opted for the team鈥檚 now-famous lightning bolt logo. During its first season, the team played in Los Angeles, and at a Santa Monica cocktail party at Hilton鈥檚 home, two players 鈥� Jack Kemp and Ron Mix 鈥� modeled the uniforms with the lightning bolt motif. The team moved to San Diego in 1961.
LENNY IGNELZI/AP
