Chicago Bears

Here are the 1967 Chicago Bears cards, including 3 future hall-of-famers. I got all but two of these cards (Roger LeClerc, Dick Butkus) back in 1967, so they are very scuffed up.


#25 Bears Team - Besides telling us that the 1966 Bears finished 5th in the Western Division with a 5-7-2 record, the back of this card says the Bears led the league in punting with 3558 yards (not one of the more coveted records!)


#26 Rudy Buckich - Although Buckich (here in his 13th season) is the quarterback featured on a card, Jack Concannon (acquired from the Eagles for Mike Ditka) was the starter in 1967.


#35 Gale Sayers - Sayers was the Bears leading rusher, and one of the best running backs in the league. A rookie in 1965, he was first-team All-Pro in each of his first 5 seasons, and led the league in rushing twice. His career was cut short by a knee injury, as he appeared in only 2 games in each of 1970 and 1971. Sayers was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.


#27 Ron Bull - Bull won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1962 as a halfback. He switched to fullback with the arrival of Gale Sayers. Ron played for the Bears for 9 years, and finished his career with the Eagles in 1971.


#30 Dick Gordon - A rookie in 1965, Gordon played for the Bears for 7 seasons. His best season was in 1970, as he led the league in catches (71) and TDs (13). He also played for the Rams from 1972-73, the Packers in 1973, and the Chargers in 1974.


#29 Mike Ditka - Although featured on a Bears card, Ditka was traded to the Eagles for QB Jack Concannon prior to the 1967 season. Mike was the #1 draft pick for both the Bears and the AFL's Houston Oilers in 1961. He made the Pro Bowl 5 times, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. After 6 seasons with the Bears and 2 with the Eagles, Ditka played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1972.


#34 Mike Pyle - Pyle played his entire career with the Bears (1961-69) and was the starting center for each of those seasons.


#31 Roger LeClerc - Roger was the Bears' kicker from 1960 to 1966, and kicked for the Denver Broncos in 1967. In 1965, he led the NFL with 52 PATs. He also played occasionally at linebacker.


#28 Dick Butkus - One of the Bears' two first-round picks in 1965 (along with Gale Sayers), Butkus was a fixture at middle linebacker for the Bears from 1965 until a knee injury ended his career after 9 games in 1973. He made the Pro Bowl 8 times in his 9-year career, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. Butkus was easily the toughest middle linebacker in NFL history. More on Butkus


#32 Bennie McRae - Bennie played 9 seasons with the Bears (1962-70), missing only 1 game during that time. He was the Bears' starting left cornerback from 1963-70. McRae finished his career with the Giants in 1971.


#33 Richie Petitbon - As a rookie in 1959, Petitbon was the Bears' starting "left defensive halfback" (cornerback). The following season, he took over the starting strong safety position and held it through the 1968 season. From 1969-1970 he was the Rams' strong safety. In 1971 and 1972, he played the same position for the Redskins, being part of coach George Allen's mass acquisition of ex-Rams.



#36 Bears Logo - George Halas was the owner and head coach of the Bears for decades - the Connie Mack of football!


Also check out the 1971 Bears.