1972 Football Cards

Kansas City Chiefs

2011-05-27T20:57:00.027-04:00

I'm back, and with the 1972 Chiefs in tow.

The Chiefs had just come off a 1971 season where they finished at 10-3-1, good for 1st place in the AFC West. They lost in the 1st round to the Dolphins, the eventual AFC champions. 1972 saw the Chiefs slide to an 8-6 record, finishing 2nd to the Raiders.

Len Dawson is back for his 11th season as the starting QB. This is the last season he would start more than 8 games. Dawson retired after the 1975 season, and would join the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Ed Podolak was drafted in 1969, and spent his entire 9-year career with the Chiefs. He was a starting running back from 1970 to 1975.

Otis Taylor was the Chiefs' 4th-round pick in 1965. (The Eagles also drafted him in the 15th round.) Otis was the Chiefs' primary wide receiver from 1966 to 1974, and retired after playing only 1 game in 1975. In 1971 he led the NFL with 1110 receiving yards.

Jim Tyrer was a 3rd-round pick for the Chiefs (Dallas Texans) in 1961, and held down their starting left offensive tackle job from 1962 to 1973. A 9-time Pro Bowler, he finished his career in 1974 with the Redskins.

Jan Stenerud joined the Chiefs in 1967, 1 year too late to play in Super Bowl I. He kicked for the Chiefs for 13 seasons, followed by 4 with the Packers (1980-83), and 2 with the Vikings. He was inducted into the Hall or Fame in 1991.

Buck Buchanan was the 1st overall draft pick in the 1963 AFL draft. This 6'-7", 270 lb mountain was a starting defensive tackle for the Chiefs for his entire 11-year career (1963-75). As a rookie he played on the left side, before switching to right tackle the next season. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990, after being a finalist 4 other times.

Willie Lanier played his entire 11-year career as a starting linebacker for the Chiefs. After playing the right side as a rookie, he moved to middle linebacker for the duration of his career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

Like Lanier, Bobby Bell played his entire career as a starter for the Chiefs. Also like Lanier, Bell is a Hall of Famer, entering in 1983. Bobby was a 2nd-round pick in 1963, and spent his first 2 seasons at left defensive end, before moving to left linebacker.

Jim Marsalis was the Chiefs' #1 pick in 1969, and spent his first 4 seasons as their starting left cornerback. He also played for the Chiefs during 1973-75. After missing the 1976 season, he finished his career in 1977 with the Saints.

Emmitt Thomas is the 6th player in this review to have played his entire career for the Chiefs. He joined the team in 1966 and held down a starting cornerback job from 1968 until his retirement after the 1978 season, Thomas was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Jerrel Wilson was drafted by the Chiefs in 1963, and spent the next 16 seasons as their punter. He led the league in punting yards in 1964 (3326) and 1973 (3642), and punted a 72-yarder as a rookie. Jerrel also launched 70-yard punts 2 other times in his career. He finished his career with the Patriots in 1978.

Also check out the 1968 and 1971 Chiefs.

Next time: St. Louis Cardinals
.

Dallas Cowboys

2010-09-30T11:09:00.028-04:00

Here are the 1972 Dallas Cowboys. In 1970, with QB Craig Morton at the helm, the Cowboys finished 10-4, won the NFC but lost Super Bowl V to the Colts. In 1971, they switched to QB Roger Staubach, went 11-3 and won Super Bowl V1. In 1972, they would drop to 10-4 (2nd place behind the Redskins) and lost the NFC Championship game to Washington. What happened in one year? It may have been the fact that QB Roger Staubach only played in 4 games, starting none.

#200 Roger Staubach - Staubach was drafted by Dallas in 1964. After fulfilling his Navy obligations, he joined the team in 1969 and backed up Craig Morton for 2 seasons. In his first season as a starter (1971), the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. After missing most of 1972, he returned to start every game from 1973-1979, and played in 3 more Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XII. Staubach was a 6-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

#180 Duane Thomas - Duane Thomas was the Cowboys' #1 pick in the 1970 draft. A talented runner, he was also a problem for team management. After his rookie season, a contract dispute led the Cowboys to trade him to the Patriots, but after conflicting with his new coach, the league voided the trade and sent him back to Dallas. No matter, he rushed the Cowboys all the way to a Super Bowl victory. The next off-season, he was traded to the Chargers, who cut him during training camp. After missing the 1972 season, he played 2 final seasons with the Redskins.

#224 Calvin Hill - Calvin Hill was the Cowboys' #1 pick in the 1969 draft. He was their primary halfback from 1969-74 (except for 1971, being replaced by Duane Thomas). In 1975, he jumped to the World Football League, where he played for The Hawaiians. After one season, he returned to the NFL as a backup for the Redskins (1976-77) and Browns (1978-81). He is the father of NBA player Grant Hill.

#301 Walt Garrison - Garrison was the Cowboys' 5th-round pick in the 1966 draft. He played his entire career (1966-74) with Dallas, first as a kick returner, then taking over the starting fullback job from the retired Don Perkins in 1969. In the off-season, he was a rodeo cowboy.

#248 Lance Alworth - Alworth was one of the all-time great AFL receivers, playing flanker for the San Diego Chargers from 1962 to 1970. He led the AFL in touchdowns ('64, '65, '66), catches ('66, '68, '69), and receiving yards ('65, '66, '68). He came to the Cowboys in 1971, and was a starting wide receiver (not tight end, as the card indicates) for 2 seasons, before retiring. Lance was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978.

#105 Bob Hayes - Hayes was an Olympic sprinting champion in 1964, earning the name "World's Fastest Man". After being drafted by the Cowboys in 1964, he was their starting split end from 1965 to 1973. After one more season in Dallas, he finished his career in 1975 with the 49ers. He was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, seven years after his death.

#329 John Niland - John was the Cowboys' #1 pick (5th overall) in 1966. He was the team's starting left guard from 1966 to 1974, before finishing his career in 1975 as the Eagles' starting left guard. Niland was a 6-time Pro Bowler (1968-73).

#316 Rayfield Wright - Wright was drafted by Dallas in 1967, and played his entire career (1967-79) with the Cowboys. Originally a tight end, he switched to offensive tackle in 1968, and was the team's starting right tackle from 1970-76, and 1978. A 6-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

#27 Mike Clark - Clark kicked for the Eagles (1963) and Steelers (1964-67) before joining the Cowboys as their kicker from 1968 to 1971. Mike led the NFL in PAT in 1968 and 1971. He returned to the Cowboys briefly in 1973.

#145 Bob Lilly - Lilly was the Cowboys' #1 draft pick in 1961. Bob played his entire career (1961-74) for Dallas, starting at left defensive end (1961-63) and right defensive tackle (1964-74). An 11-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 1980.

#66 Herb Adderley - Herb was the Packers' #1 pick in the 1961 draft. He started at left cornerback through all the glory years (1961-69), appearing in 2 Super Bowls with the Packers. He finished his career as the Cowboys starting left cornerback from 1970-72, playing in 2 more Super Bowls. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Also check out the 1967 and 1971 Cowboys.

Next time: Kansas City Chiefs
.

Cleveland Browns

2010-04-24T21:04:00.020-04:00

Ok, we've all seen enough of Pete Liske to last a lifetime, so let's move on...

Here are the 1972 Cleveland Browns. In 1971, the Browns finished 1st in the AFC Central at 9-5-0, but lost to the Colts in the first round. In 1972, they upped their record to 10-4-0, but finished 2nd to the improving Steelers. As the wildcard team, the Browns lost to the Dolphins in the playoffs.

#211 Bill Nelsen - After 5 seasons with the Steelers, Nelsen came to the Browns in 1968 and was their starting QB for the next 4 seasons. He finished his career in 1972 as the backup to Mike Phipps.

#96 Mike Phipps - Mike was the Browns' #1 pick in the 1970 draft. He rode the bench for 2 seasons, then became the starting quarterback from 1972 to 1975. In 1976, he finally lost the starting job to 3rd-year man Brian Sipe. Phipps also played for the Bears from 1977 to 1981, and was their starting QB in 1979.

#70 Leroy Kelly - Kelly played his entire career (1964-73) with the Browns. Once out of Jim Brown's shadow, Leroy became a star. He led the league in TDs from 1966-68, and in rushing yards from 1967-68. A 6-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

#187 Bo Scott - Scott was drafted by the Browns in 1965, but played for the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders from 1965-68. He played for the Browns from 1969-74, and was their starting fullback from 1970-72.

#239 Fair Hooker - Hooker played for the Browns from 1969-74, and was a starter in all but his rookie season. His best year was 1971, when he had 45 catches for 649 yards.

#315 Milt Morin - Milt was the Browns' #1 pick in 1966, and played there for his entire career (1966-75). He was the starting tight end in every season except 1967 and 1975.

#19 Fred Hoaglin - Fred was drafted by the Browns in 1966, and played center and offensive tackle there from 1966-72. (He was the starting center from 1967-71.) From 1973-76 he played for the Colts, Oilers, and Seahawks.

#46 Joe "Turkey" Jones - Jones played for the Browns in 1970 and 1971. After missing the 1972 season, he logged another year with the Browns before moving to the Eagles for 1 1/2 seasons. In mid-1975, he returned to the Browns for a few more years. Joe wrapped up his career playing for the Redskins from 1979-80.

#292 Walter Johnson - Johnson was the Browns' #2 pick in 1965, and was the starting left defensive tackle from 1966 to 1976. He finished his career in 1977 with the Bengals. I'm surprised to not see the Eagles in his resume, because I have a recollection that he was with Philly in the mid-1970s (just before Dick Vermeil took over, I think.)

#162 Ernie Kellerman - Ernie was drafted by the Cowboys in 1965 but did not play that season. He started at safety for the Browns from 1966 to 1971, before moving to the Bengals ('72) and the Bills ('73).

Also check out the 1967 Browns.

Next time: Dallas Cowboys
.

Philadelphia Eagles

2010-03-08T22:55:00.029-05:00

Here are the 1972 Philadelphia Eagles. Although the orange and black borders don't really match their jersey colors (a green/yellow combo would have been better), they are the colors of the neighboring Philadelphia Flyers hockey organ-i-zation. Topps also made some curious choices with player selection: two offensive linemen and two safeties, but no running backs, defensive linemen, or linebackers?

The Eagles also didn't do much right in the early 1970s. For some specific examples, see Pete Liske and Leroy Keyes below.

#228 Pete Liske - After using QB Norm Snead from 1964 to 1970 with little success, the Eagles dumped him after the 1970 season, before another starting QB was acquired. Their brilliant plan was to acquire Greg Barton, the Lions' 3rd-string taxi-squad QB, whose entire NFL career consisted of 1 attempt in 1969. If you think that's laughable, get this: After the Eagles gave Detroit the agreed-upon compensation, Barton (a taxi-squadder, mind you) chose to play in Canada rather than accept a starting NFL QB opportunity with the Eagles!

The Eagles' Plan C turned out to be a hastily-arranged deal with the Broncos for Pete Liske, the former Penn State and CFL quarterback. Liske would last for a year and a half, before being replaced midway through the 1972 season by rookie John Reaves. In 1973, the Eagles finally put an end to their QB shenanigans by acquiring Roman Gabriel from the Rams.

#146 Harold Jackson - Jackson was one of the few bright spots on the Eagles' roster. A rookie with the Rams in 1968, Harold was a star for the Eagles from 1969-1972, leading the NFL in receiving yards in 1969 and 1972. Jackson returned to the Rams for the 1973-77 seasons. He also started for the Patriots from 1978-81, before finishing his career as a backup with the Vikings (1982) and Seahawks (1983).

#21 Steve Zabel - Zabel was the Eagles' #1 pick (6th overall) in the 1970 draft. After a rookie season at tight end, he switched to outside linebacker during 1971 and remained there for the rest of his career. After 5 seasons with the Eagles and 4 with the Patriots, Steve finished his career with the Colts in 1979. Nice stache!

#102 Mark Nordquist - Just like with Zabel's card, Topps has the wrong position on this card. Nordquist was primarily a guard, although he filled in at center from time-to-time due to injuries. This is an older picture, showing Mark in a late-1960's Eagles jersey. He played for the Eagles from 1968-74, and the Bears from 1975-76.

#73 Henry Allison - Allison was the Eagles' 2nd-round pick in the 1971 draft, and was generally a bust. He played all of 1971 and part of 1972 with the Eagles, then was with the Cardinals from 1975-77.

#175 Tom Dempsey - Dempsey joined the Eagles midway through the 1971 season, and stayed through the 1974 season. He also kicked for the Saints, Rams, Oilers, and Bills in a career that lasted from 1969-1979.

#201 Leroy Keyes - In 1968, the Eagles ran their record to 0-11 before foolishly winning 2 of their last 3 games, to finish at 2-12. Since this was slightly better than the Buffalo Bills' 1-12-1 record, Buffalo got the #1 draft pick (O J Simpson) and the Eagles (tied with Atlanta at 2-12) settled for the #3 pick. For some reason they chose Leroy Keyes, a running back from Purdue. (Immediately following this pick, the Steelers chose DT Joe Greene at #4, followed by the Bengals taking QB Greg Cook at #5.) For 2 seasons, Keyes was a bust at running back, then switched to strong safety in 1971, where he was marginally better. After 1972, he was shipped off to Kansas City for his final season.

Since the early 1970s, anytime I hear Leroy Keyes name mentioned, I immediately have the same 2 thoughts:
1) The Eagles had Leroy KEYES, not Leroy KELLY!
2) The Eagles had Leroy Keyes, not O J Simpson!

#45 Bill Bradley - Bradley was the Eagles' 3rd-round pick in 1969, and was their starting free safety from 1971 to 1976. One of the Eagles' few stars on defense, he was also their punter from 1969-70 and 1972-73, and returned punts every season. He finished his career in 1977 with the Cardinals.

#314 Tom McNeill - Here we see Tom in an airbrushed jersey. McNeill was the Eagles' full-time punter in 1971 and 1973, and appeared in a few games in 1972. He also punted for the Saints and Vikings from 1967-70.

#286 Bill Bradley All-Pro - Here is an All-Pro card for the Eagles. Each team's All-Pro cards were issued as part of the rare 3rd series.

Also check out the 1967 and 1971 Eagles.

Coming March 20th: Cleveland Browns
.

Cincinnati Bengals

2010-02-21T11:58:00.015-05:00

The Bengals' cards are the blandest batch of cards from this set, and probably of all the football sets I have. White jerseys, white backgrounds, white letters in the team name. Bleh! I can't even stand looking at them.

#49 Virgil Carter - After 2 seasons with the Bears, Carter was acquired by the Bengals in 1970, and was the starting QB for 1970 and 1971. He pretty much was just keeping the position warm between rookie sensation Greg Cook's 1969 season and when Ken Anderson took over in his sophomore season (1972).

#219 Paul Robinson - Paul was the Bengals' 3rd-round pick in their inaugural 1968 season, and led the AFL that year in rushing yards (1023), attempts (238), and TDs (8). After his rookie year, he settled back into obscurity. After 4 games in 1972, he left the Bengals for the Oilers, finishing up with Houston in 1974.

#99 Fred Willis - This fullback was the Bengals' 4th-round pick in 1971. I guess the Oilers really liked Paul Robinson, because 1 week after acquiring him, they also picked up Fred Willis from the Bengals. He played for the Oilers until retiring after the 1976 season.

#17 Chip Myers - Myers was a rookie with the 49ers in 1967, then played for the Bengals from 1969 to 1976. He made the Pro Bowl in 1972.

#179 Bob Trumpy - Bob was a 12th-round pick in the Bengals' 1st season of 1968, and played his entire career (1968-77) with Cincinnati.

#328 Horst Muhlmann - Horst was signed by the Bengals in 1969 (at age 29). After 6 seasons in Cincinnati, he played his final 3 seasons (1975-77) with the Eagles.

#67 Mike Reid - Mike was the Bengals' #1 pick (7th overall) in 1970. He had a relatively short career (1970-74), all with Cincinnati. He retired after the 1974 season to pursue a career as a country music songwriter and performer.

#153 Al Beauchamp - Al was the 5th-round pick for the Bengals in 1968, and was their starting left linebacker for 8 seasons. He finished his career in 1976 with the Cardinals.

#307 Lemar Parrish - Parrish was drafted by the Bengals in 1970, and started almost every game at left cornerback for 8 seasons. In 1978 he was traded to the Redskins. After 4 seasons in Washington, he finished his career in 1982 with the Buffalo Bills.

#237 Dave Lewis - Dave was the Bengals' punter from 1970 to 1973. In his first 2 seasons, he was also the 3rd-string quarterback.

Also check out the 1968 Bengals.

Coming March 6th: Philadelphia Eagles
.

New Orleans Saints

2010-02-07T12:17:00.023-05:00

I was going to post the Philadelphia Eagles' cards this weekend, but I'm going to post the Saints instead, since this is Super Bowl Sunday. Some (including me) would argue that the choke-artist Eagles have no business being mentioned during Super Bowl week anyway.

Here are the 1972 New Orleans Saints cards. Overall, the talent level here is much improved over the employees featured in the 1967 set. Still, Topps has made some puzzling choices here. Two quarterbacks but only three defensive players? Two offensive linemen but no running backs? At least we have Archie Manning's rookie card.

#55 Archie Manning - Manning was the Saints' #1 pick in the 1971 draft (2nd overall, after Jim Plunkett). After using veteran Bill Kilmer in their first 4 seasons, the Saints were rebuilding with a top, young QB. Unfortunately, that rebuilding process would outlive Manning's career (and then some!) Manning would play 10 full seasons with the Saints (missing 1976 with a broken arm). In 1982 he played for the Saints and Oilers, and in 1983 the Oilers and Vikings, before finishing his career in 1984 with the Vikings.

#191 Edd Hargett - Hargett had a 5-year career as a backup QB with the Saints (1969-72) and Houston Oilers (1973). He started 3 games in 1970 (Bill Kilmer's last season) and started 4 games in 1971 (Archie Manning's first season). Other than that, it was all mop-up duty for him.

#213 Danny Abramowicz - What a find this guy was! A 17th-round pick by the Saints in 1967, Danny played 6 full seasons with the Saints, plus the first 2 games of 1973. In 1969, his 73 receptions were the most in the NFL. He played the last 12 games of 1973, and all of 1974 with the 49ers.

#14 Dave Parks - Dave was the 1st overall pick in the 1964 draft (by the 49ers). He played split end for 4 seasons in San Francisco, and his 80 receptions and 1344 receiving yards were both tops in the NFL in 1965. Parks came to the Saints in 1968, and switched to tight end during the 1969 season. His final season (1973) was with the Houston Oilers.

#164 Jake Kupp - Kupp was one of the Saints' original expansion draft picks in 1967. He held down the Saints' starting left guard spot for most of his time in New Orleans (1967-75). He also played with the Cowboys (1964-65) and the Redskins (1966).

#242 Glen Ray Hines - Hines was a starting right tackle in each of his 8 seasons, with the Oilers (1966-70), Saints (1971-72), and Steelers (1973).

#34 Charlie Durkee - Charlie had a short NFL career. He was on the Cowboys' roster in 1966 but did not play. He kicked for the Saints in 1967-68, and 1971-72, but was not in the NFL during 1969-70.

#87 Richard Neal - The Saints' 2nd-round pick in 1969, Neal played 4 seasons at left defensive end. Richard played for the Jets from 1973-77 before returning to the Saints in 1978, his final season.

#321 Delles Howell - Howell was the Saints' 4th-round pick in 1970. He was the team's starting right cornerback for 3 seasons, before moving to the Jets for his final 3 seasons (1973-75).

#296 Hugo Hollas - Hollas was the Saints' starting strong safety for 3 seasons (1970-72). He missed the 1973 season, then finished his career with the 49ers in 1974.

Also check out the 1967 and 1971 Saints.

Coming Feb 20th: Cincinnati Bengals
.

Houston Oilers

2010-01-24T23:05:00.016-05:00

1972 was not a good time for the Houston Oilers. After finishing 4-9-1 in 1971, they dropped to 1-13 in 1972, their only win coming against the Jets in week 3. They would repeat their 1-13 performance in 1973.

#156 Dan Pastorini - Pastorini was the Oilers' #1 pick (3rd overall) in the 1971 draft. Other quarterbacks drafted in 1971 were Jim Plunkett (#1 overall), Archie Manning (#2 overall), Lynn Dickey (the Oilers' 3rd-round pick), Ken Anderson, and Joe Theismann (drafted by Miami, but played in the CFL). Pastorini also punted for the Oilers. After 9 seasons with the Oilers, Dan would play 1 season each with the Raiders, Rams, and Eagles.

#103 Robert Holmes - Holmes played 3 1/2 seasons with the Chiefs before coming to Houston in mid-1971. After the 1972 season, he would move on to the Chargers, before returning for a final season with the Oilers in 1975.

#26 Ken Burrough - After his rookie season with the Saints in 1970, Burrough played 11 seasons with the Oilers, and led the league in receiving yards (1063) in 1975. He's one of 2 players to wear double-zero back in the day (Oakland's Jim Otto was the other).

#244 Charlie Joiner - The Oilers' other starting wide receiver was their 4th pick in the 1969 draft. Midway through the 1972 season he was dealt to the Bengals. Charlie did his real damage as a member of the San Diego Chargers from 1976 to 1986.

#313 Jim Beirne - Three wide receivers with football cards? That is a luxury! Beirne was a 4th-round pick in 1968, and except for 1974 with the Chargers, he played his entire career (1968-76) with the Oilers.

#52 Bobby Maples - Bobby was drafted by the Oilers in 1965. After playing outside linebacker in his rookie season, he switched to center in 1966.

#202 Garland Boyette - Boyette played 2 seasons with the Cardinals and 2 seasons with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes before coming to the Oilers in 1966. After playing defensive end in 1966, he switched to middle linebacker in 1967, and finished his career with the Oilers in 1972.

#78 Ken Houston - One of the best safeties in NFL history, Houston played strong safety for the Oilers (1967-72) and the Redskins (1973-80). He was a 12-time Pro Bowler, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

#176 John Charles - John played for the AFL's Boston Patriots from 1967-69, then spent one season with the Vikings before joining the Oilers in 1971. He was their starting free safety in 1971 and 1972, then spent his final 2 seasons as a backup.

Also check out the 1968 Oilers.

Next time: Philadelphia Eagles
.

Washington Redskins

2010-01-09T20:05:00.022-05:00

Here are the Washington Redskins cards for 1972. I like these early 1970s' jerseys much better than the dark red jerseys of the 1960s. They incorporate the yellow arm stripes also used by the Packers and Steelers.

When George Allen took over as head coach in 1971, he brought in a pile of veterans, many from the Rams (his former team). This strategy worked, because the Redskins went from 6-8 (4th in NFC East) in 1970 to the Super Bowl in 1972.

Except for Jurgensen, Brown, Taylor, Knight, and Fischer, all of these players joined the Redskins in 1971.

#195 Sonny Jurgensen - Jurgensen played his first 7 seasons with the Eagles (1957-1963), then was swapped to the Redskins for QB Norm Snead. He was the Redskins' #1 quarterback from 1964 to 1970, before injuries limited his playing time in 1971. He played with Washington until retiring following the 1974 season, but never regained his starter's job back from Bill Kilmer.

#18 Bill Kilmer - A rookie in 1961, Kilmer was with the 49ers for 6 seasons, backing up John Brodie. During his rookie season, he was mostly used as a running back. He also missed the 1963 and 1965 seasons due to injuries. The Saints selected him in the 1967 expansion draft, and he became their starting QB for 4 seasons before joining the Redskins in 1971.

#95 Larry Brown - Brown played his entire career (1969-76) with the Redskins, and was one of the NFL's top backs during his first 5 seasons.

#334 Charley Taylor - Taylor was the Redskins' #1 pick (3rd overall) in 1964. He played his entire career (1964-77) with the Redskins. A halfback for his first 2 seasons, he switched to split end in 1966 and led the NFL in receptions that year (72) and also in 1967 (70). An 8-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

#142 Roy Jefferson - Roy played 5 seasons with the Steelers (1965-69) before moving to the Colts for 1 season. He joined the Redskins in 1971, and finished his career there in 1976. Back in the day, I thought these yellow helmets were either the Redskins' "practice" or "away" helmets, but it's probably just Topps' lack of a license. Still, it seems too good to be an airbrush job.

#51 Curt Knight - Curt led the league with 114 points in 1971. He had a short NFL career (1969-73, all with Washington).

#72 Verlon Biggs - Biggs was one of the 2 ends Allen acquired in 1971 to shore up the defensive line. He previously played for the Jets from 1965 to 1970, appearing in Super Bowl III. He played 4 seasons with the Redskins.

#168 Ron McDole - McDole played for the Cardinals in 1961 and the Oilers in 1962 before settling in with the Buffalo Bills for 8 seasons (1963-70). Ron joined the Redskins in 1971 and stayed through the 1978 season. He was a fixture at left defensive end every season for the Bills and Redskins.

#243 Myron Pottios - Pottios was a middle linebacker with the Steelers (1961-65) and Rams (1966-70) before joining the Redskins in 1971. He was the starter in '71 and '72, and retired following the 1973 season.

Jack Pardee - Pardee was the Rams' starting left linebacker from 1957-1970, and spent his final 2 seasons as the Redskins' left linebacker.

#217 Pat Fischer - Pat played his first 7 seasons with the Cardinals before joining the Redskins in 1968. Excluding his final 1977 season, Fischer only missed 3 games during his Redskins tenure.

Next time: Houston Oilers
.

Pittsburgh Steelers

2009-12-27T22:42:00.025-05:00

Here are the 1972 Steelers. This is just before they won 4 Super Bowls in 6 years. Except for Preston Pearson, Andy Russell, and John Rowser, all these players have only 2 or 3 years of NFL experience.

#150 Terry Bradshaw - The Steelers spent their #1 pick in 1970 on Bradshaw, 1 year after drafting QB Terry Hanratty. Bradshaw assumed the starting QB job as a rookie, taking over for the departed Dick Shiner. It was a few years until he led the Steelers to 4 Super Bowls. Until then, he was considered by many to be too dumb to quarterback a contending NFL team.

#77 John "Frenchy" Fuqua - Frenchy joined the Steelers in 1970, after a rookie season with the Giants. He teamed with Preston Pearson to form the Steelers' starting backfield in 1970 and 1971, and with rookie Franco Harris in 1972. In 1973 Fuqua shared a running back position with Pearson, until they were both replaced by Rocky Bleier in 1974.

#306 Preston Pearson - Pearson was the Colts' 12th-round pick in 1967. After 3 seasons in Baltimore, he came to the Steelers in 1970. A starter for 2 seasons, he was relegated to a part-time role when Franco Harris arrived in 1972. After 1974, he moved on to Dallas, and played 6 seasons with the Cowboys before retiring after the 1980 season.

#37 Ronnie Shanklin - Shanklin was the Steelers' top wide receiver from his rookie season of 1970 through 1973. In 1974, he was thrown into the wide receiver mix with Frank Lewis and rookies Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. After missing the 1975 season, he wrapped up his career in 1976 with the Bears.

#173 Dave Smith - Like Shanklin, Smith earned a starting wide receiver spot as a rookie, but held it for only 2 seasons. In 1972, he lost his starting job to Frank Lewis, and was shipped to the Oilers in mid-season. He finished his career in 1973 with the Chiefs.

#101 L. C. Greenwood - Greenwood was the starting left defensive end for Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain". He played his entire career (1969-81) with the Steelers.

#230 Joe Greene - Greene was probably the Steelers' best player during the 1970-72 seasons, as Bradshaw had not yet developed, and Harris, Swann, Stallworth, and Jack Lambert had not arrived yet. Joe was a fixture at left defensive tackle, making the Pro Bowl 10 times. Like Greenwood, Greene played his entire career (1969-81) with the Steelers. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.

#330 Andy Russell - Andy was a 16th-round pick in 1963 by the Steelers. He parlayed that lowly start into a 12-year career (1963-76) as the Steelers' starting right linebacker, playing in 7 Pro Bowls and 2 Super Bowls. He missed the 1964-65 seasons while in the Army.

#198 John Rowser - Rowser spent 4 seasons in Green Bay before joining the Steelers in 1971. John was the Steelers' starting left cornerback from 1971-73. In 1974, the Steelers added their final 2 Super-Bowl-era defensive starters (MLB Jack Lambert, LCB J. T. Thomas), so Rowser played with the Broncos in 1974-76.

Also check out the 1967 Steelers.

Next time: Washington Redskins
.

Minnesota Vikings

2009-12-09T22:03:00.025-05:00

The Minnesota Vikings were one of the better teams in the late 1960s and early 1970s, usually finishing first in their division (after the post-1967 collapse of the Packers). The Vikings appeared in Super Bowls 4, 8, 9, and 11, but lost all of them.

#225 Fran Tarkenton - Tarkenton quarterbacked the Vikings from the team's inaugural 1961 season (as a rookie) through the 1966 season. He spent the next 5 seasons as the New York Giants QB, before being traded back to the Vikings for QB Norm Snead and others prior to the 1972 season. Here, Tarkenton is pictured in his Giants' jersey from the 1971 season. (In the early 1970s, the Vikings jerseys had a much more bluish tone than the bright purple jerseys of the 1960s, so they look similar to the Giants' blue jerseys.)

#71 Bob Lee - Lee was the Vikings punter and backup quarterback. Bob's rookie season was 1968. He spent much the 1970s shuttling back and forth between the Vikings and the Falcons.

#166 Clint Jones - Jones led the Vikings with 9 touchdowns in 1970. He was also a top kick returner for the Vikings. Clint was a rookie with the Vikings in 1967.

#218 Gene Washington - Gene's rookie season was 1967, and in just 4 years he became the Vikings' all-time career leader in TD receptions. He made the Pro Bowl following the 1970 season. In the 1970s there were 2 wide receivers in the NFL named Gene Washington. The other more accomplished and better known Gene Washington played for the 49ers.

#290 John Gilliam - John began his NFL career in 1967 with the Saints. After 2 seasons in New Orleans and 3 with St. Louis, he joined the Vikings in 1972. He played in Minnesota for 4 seasons, starting every game and making the Pro Bowl each year. He played with the Falcons in 1976 before finishing his career in 1977 with the Saints and Bears.

#104 Ron Yary - Yary was an All-American lineman at USC, and won the Knute Rockne award in 1967 as the top college lineman. 1972 is his 5th season with the Vikings.

#194 Fred Cox - 1972 is Fred's 11th season with the Vikings. After not playing during his rookie season of 1962, he scored over 100 points in 4 of his next 8 seasons.

#20 Carl Eller - Eller's card is somewhat unusual in that he's the only Viking wearing the white jersey, and he's one of only a handful of players to be shown wearing a helmet. If Topps was going to use a helmeted photo, you would think they could at least not airbrush out the Vikings horns!

Eller was a regular for the Vikings since his rookie year of 1964, and made the Pro Bowl for the last 4 seasons. Back in the day, there were a few teams with "named" defensive lines. In the mid-1960s, the Rams had the "Fearsome Foursome" (ends Deacon Jones and Lamar Lundy, tackles Merlin Olsen and Rosie Grier). In the mid-1970s, the Steelers had the "Steel Curtain" (ends L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White, tackles Joe Greene and Ernie Holmes). Between those 2 eras was Minnesota's "Purple People Eaters" (ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall, tackles Alan Page and Gary Larsen).

#336 Jim Marshall - Jim Marshall started EVERY game during his 20-year career (1960-79). After playing with the Cleveland Browns as a rookie, he went to the Vikings for the team's inaugural season. (I'm surprised to learn that he's not in the Hall of Fame.)

#300 Alan Page - Alan Page was the Vikings' #1 pick in the 1967 draft. He played 11 1/2 seasons for the Vikings, and 3 1/2 seasons for the Bears. During his 15-year career (1967-81), he started every game except for 3 games in his rookie season. He made 9 Pro Bowls, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

#53 Charlie West - West was a rookie with Minnesota in 1968. On the back of his card, instead of an interception record, it has his punt return record. Charlie had a 98-yard punt return in his rookie season. Later in the 1970s, he played more as a defensive back.

Also check out the 1967 Vikings.

Next time: Pittsburgh Steelers
.

Welcome to my 1972 football cards blog!

2009-12-07T20:51:00.018-05:00

Welcome to my new 1972 football card blog. I collected football cards in 1967-68, and 1971-73. (You can read my football card back-story here on my 1967 football card blog.)

There are 4 changes since last year's set:
1. Topps expanded their football set to 3 series.
2. League leaders cards and post-season highlights cards are added.
3. Some players are featured in separate "in action" cards.
4. The 3rd series includes "All-Pro" cards.

The 1972 set consisted of 351 cards. Some of the teams have all their players on horizontal cards, while most have all their players on vertical cards. I have all 263 cards from the first 2 series, and some from the 3rd series.

In each post, I will include all the players for one team. I will not be scanning the card backs, but in this introductory post, I am including a sample card back:

You think Johnny Unitas played a long time? Occasionally, someone hangs around long enough so that Topps can't fit any commentary on the card back:

First up: Minnesota Vikings
.