1967 Football Cards

Pittsburgh Steelers

2012-01-02T19:55:00.007-05:00

Here are the 1967 Steelers. Although in the NFL since 1933, they wouldn't become a factor until the 1970s. Prior to 1972, the Steelers won as many as 8 games only twice. Beginning in '72, they would win 8 straight division titles and 4 Super Bowls. I had the misfortune of living in the Pittsburgh area in the mid-1970s. I recognized that they were a great team, but I didn't need to hear about it 24/7.

Among the players below, only Ben McGee would remain into the 1970s, and he retired before the team's Super Bowl years. I had all these cards in 1967 except for Willie Asbury, Roy Jefferson, and Gary Ballman.

Steelers Team - The team finished 5-8-1 in 1966, and further slid to 4-9-1 in 1967. They continued to regress for 2 more seasons until Chuck Noll turned it around in his 2nd season as coach.

Bill Nelsen - Nelsen was drafted by the Steelers in 1963, and played 5 seasons with the team, but was only the fulltime starter in 1965. He moved on the the Browns in 1968, playing 4 seasons as the starting QB before wrapping up his career in 1973 as the backup to Mike Phipps.

Willie Asbury - Asbury had a 3-year career with the Steelers from 1966-68, and was the starting fullback for his first 2 seasons.

Roy Jefferson - Roy was a 2nd-round pick for the Steelers and Chargers in 1965. He played 5 seasons in Pittsburgh and 1 with the Colts, then played 6 seasons with the Redskins from 1971-76. He was a 3-time Pro Bowler.

Gary Ballman - Ballman was drafted in 1962, and was the Steelers' starting split end from 1963-66. A last-minute note on the back of this card says he was traded to the Eagles in March 1967 (for fullback Earl Gros). After 2 seasons as the Eagles' starting split end, he moved to tight end in 1969 (after Mike Ditka's departure) and was the starter through the 1971 season. He was an Eagles' reserve in 1972 and finished his career in 1973 with the Giants and Vikings.

John Hilton - A 6th-round pick for the Lions in 1964, John didn't play that season, but was the Steelers' starting tight end every season from 1965-69. He was also the Packers' starting tight end in 1970, and played with the Vikings and Lions from 1971-73.

Mike Clark - Clark kicked for the Eagles (1963), Steelers (1964-67), and Cowboys (1968-71, 73). He led the NFL in extra points in 1968 and 1971.

John Baker - Baker was the Rams' 5th-round pick in 1958. After 4 seasons in Los Angeles, he was the Eagles' starting left defensive end in 1962, and joined the Steelers in 1963. Starting at right defensive end from 1963-65, he was a backup for the Steelers from 1966-67 before ending his career in 1968 with the Lions.

Ben McGee - Ben was drafted by the Steelers in 1964 and was a starting defensive end for his first 7 seasons - 4 on the left side, before moving to right end in 1968. In 1971 he moved to right tackle to make room for rookie Dwight White. McGee retired after the 1972 season, and was replaced by Ernie Holmes.

Riley Gunnels - Riley was drafted by the Steelers in 1959, but didn't play that season. He spent the next 5 seasons with the Eagles, starting at left defensive tackle in '62 and '63, before returning to the Steelers for 1965 and 1966. He retired after the 1966 season.

Brady Keys - Keys was the Steelers' starting right cornerback and return man for his 1st 6 seasons (1961-66). He split the 1967 season between the Steelers and Vikings, and ended his career in 1968 with the Cardinals.

Steelers Logo - Yes, the Steelers were in a rebuilding program, but apparently the wrong builders were hired. Once Chuck Noll arrived in 1969, the serious rebuilding started, and they were winning division championships starting in Noll's 4th season.

Also check out the 1972 Steelers.

Next time: St. Louis Cardinals
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Philadelphia Eagles

2011-01-08T19:41:00.020-05:00

Here are your 1967 Philadelphia Eagles. Two of these players were gone before the 1967 season. I got the Timmy Brown and Earl Gros cards a few years ago, but had all the rest in 1967. Most of them are heavily scuffed from playing with them back in the day.

#133 Eagles Team - In 1966, the Eagles finished 9-5, tied with Cleveland for 2nd place (behind Dallas) in the 8-team NFL East. In 1967, they plummeted to 6-7-1, but still finished 2nd behind Dallas. (In 1967, the NFL re-aligned into four 4-team divisions.) Maybe if they hadn't lost their top 2 rushers from 1966 (Timmy Brown (injury) and Earl Gros (trade)), along with the retirement of 1966 leading receiver Pete Retzlaff, things would have been different.

#142 Norm Snead - Snead was the Redskins' #1 pick (2nd overall) in 1961. After starting every game for the Skins for 3 seasons, Norm was traded to the Eagles for Sonny Jurgensen. He was the Eagles' starting QB for the next 7 seasons, before being run out of town following the 1970 season. Poor Norm - while Jurgensen led the NFL in passing yards 5 times and TDs twice, all Snead managed to do was lead the NFL in interceptions 5 times. After playing 1971 as the Vikings' backup, Snead was the Giants' starting QB in 1972, and played the next 4 seasons as a backup for the Giants and 49ers.

#136 Timmy Brown - Brown was drafted by the Packers in 1959, but only played in 1 game. Moving to Philadelphia for 1960, he spent 2 seasons as their return man, and was the starting halfback from 1962-66, while still returning punts and kicks. His playing time was severely decreased in 1967 (injury?). After the season he was traded to the Colts for DB Alvin Haymond. Brown retired after 1 season in Baltimore and became an actor. He appeared in both the M*A*S*H movie and TV show.

#137 Earl Gros - Earl was the Packers' #1 pick in the 1962 draft, but with Jim Taylor around, he was rarely used. Gros was the Eagles' starting fullback from 1964-66, then was traded in March 1967 to the Steelers for receiver Gary Ballman. After 3 seasons in Pittsburgh (the last 2 as starting fullback), he wrapped up his career in 1970 with the Saints.

#140 Pete Retzlaff - Pete was one of the few bright spots on the Eagles' roster during this time period. Unfortunately, he retired after the 1966 season. Retzlaff was drafted by the Lions in 1953, but didn't make the team. After 2 years in the army, he joined the Eagles in 1956, and starred for 11 seasons, the first seven as a flanker and split end, before switching to tight end in 1963. Pete was a 5-time Pro Bowler. He became the Eagles' general manager in 1969 after the 1968 housecleaning that included the owner, GM/coach, and any chance to select O.J. Simpson as the #1 draft pick. (see comments under Leroy Keyes here)

#143 Jim Skaggs - Skaggs played his entire career (1963-72) with the Eagles. He was the team's starting right guard from 1965-70, although he missed the entire 1968 season (and part of 1969 and 1971) with injuries.

#135 Bob Brown - Bob Brown was probably the Eagle's best player during his time with the team. Bob was the Eagles' #1 pick (2nd overall) in the 1964 draft. In his 5 seasons with the Eagles, he started every game at right offensive tackle, except for missing 6 games in 1968 due to injury. Following the 1968 season, the Eagles hired their former tight end Pete Retzlaff as GM. Brown decided he wasn't going to play for the team with Retzlaff in charge, and demanded a trade. Bob was shipped to the Rams for WR Harold Jackson and others, starting every game in his 2 seasons with LA, while making the Pro Bowl in both years. His final 3 seasons (1971-73) were spent as the Oakland Raiders' starting right tackle. In all, he made 6 Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

#134 Sam Baker - Baker was drafted by the Rams in 1952, but began his career in 1953 with the Redskins. Always a kicker and punter, early on he also played fullback (mostly in 1953 and 1956). After playing 5 seasons in Washington (1953, 56-59), he moved on to Cleveland (60-61) and Dallas (62-63), before playing his last 6 seasons with the Eagles. In his final season of 1969, he was limited to kicking only, as rookie safety Bill Bradley took over the punting chores. Baker was a 4-time Pro Bowler ('56, '63, '64, '68).

#139 Floyd Peters - Floyd played in the NFL for 12 seasons (1959-70), and was a starting defensive tackle every year except 1959 and 1968. He played 4 seasons with the Browns, then played one season with the Lions in 1963. That year he switched to the left side, where he remained for the rest of his career. His 5 seasons with the Eagles (1964-69) included 3 trips to the Pro Bowl. Peters finished his career in 1970 as a starter with the Redskins.

#138 Dave Lloyd - Lloyd's career path follows that of Floyd Peters. His first 3 seasons (1959-61) were as a member of the Cleveland Browns, followed by one season with the Lions, before joining the Eagles for the bulk of his career. Dave was the Eagles' starting middle linebacker from 1963 until midway into his final season of 1970. After he was replaced at MLB by former DE Tim Rossovich, Lloyd kept busy for the rest of the year by kicking off (leaving the field goals and PAT to rookie Mark Moseley). Dave made the Pro Bowl in 1969, his final season as a regular starter.

#141 Joe Scarpati - Joe was drafted by the Boston Patriots in 1964, but chose to sign as a free agent with the Eagles. After starting at strong safety during his rookie season, Scarpati was the Eagles' starting free safety from 1965-69. In 1968, he had 8 interceptions for a league-leading 182 yards. Traded to New Orleans after the 1969 season, he was the Saints' starting free safety in 1970, before returning to the Eagles for 1971. A training camp injury that year ended his career.

#144 Eagles Logo - Here's the classic Eagles' logo on Kelly Green - much better than the marketing-induced logo and colors concocted by the Jeff Lurie regime.

Also check out the 1971 and 1972 Eagles.

Next time: Pittsburgh Steelers
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New York Giants

2010-06-23T00:43:00.021-04:00

Seven of the 10 Giants are pictured in helmets. In fact, of all the players in the 1967 set, only 12 are wearing helmets: 7 Giants, 2 Saints (pictured in their 1966 Giants' uniforms), and 3 Colts.

I had all these Giants cards in 1967 except for Spider Lockhart.

#109 Giants Team - The back of this card tells us that "After a spectacular rise from the cellar in '64, to a 2nd place tie in '65, the Giants fell to the cellar again in '66 with a 1-12-1 record".
With a new QB on board for 1967, they would soar to a 7-7 record, finishing 2nd in their division.

#114 Tom Kennedy - I always thought it was strange that Topps chose Tom Kennedy for their 1967 Giants' QB. Earl Morrall began the previous season as the starter, but after injuries sidelined him, he was replaced by backup Gary Wood, with Kennedy being called up from the Continental League as a backup. Wood was then lost to the Saints in the expansion draft, so the obvious choice for this card would have been Morrall. No matter, in March 1967 the Giants traded for Fran Tarkenton, making Morrall and Kennedy irrelevant. Kennedy's only NFL action was in 1966.

#112 Allen Jacobs - Allen's NFL career consisted of 1 year with the Packers (1965), and 2 years with the Giants. He played 34 games, starting none.

#116 Joe Morrison - Morrison was the Giants' 3rd-round pick in 1959, and played his entire career with the Giants (1959-72). Usually a running back or flanker, he also played defensive back during his career.

#113 Homer Jones - Homer played 6 seasons (1964-69) with the Giants before finishing his career in 1970 with the Browns. He was the Giants' starting split end from 1966-69.

#119 Aaron Thomas - Thomas was drafted by the 49ers in 1961, and was their starting split end as a rookie. He joined the Giants early in the 1962 season, and remained with them until retiring after the 1970 season. He was the starting tight end from 1964-68.

#117 Francis Peay - Peay was New York's #1 pick in the 1966 draft. After only 2 seasons with the Giants he moved on to the Packers, where he was their starting left offensive tackle for several years, before finishing his career with the Chiefs from 1973-74.

#118 Jeff Smith - Who's picking the subjects for these cards? Smith was a 10th-round pick in 1966, played 14 games for the Giants, and never played in the NFL again.

#111 Clarence Childs - Childs played for the Giants from 1964-1967, and the Bears in 1968. Primarily a kick returner, he was also the Giants' starting right cornerback in 1966. As a rookie, he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

#115 "Spider" Lockhart - Lockhart was the Giants' 13th-round pick in 1965, and played his entire career (1965-75) with the Giants. After serving as the starting left cornerback for his 1st 2 seasons, he was the team's starting free safety for his remaining 9 seasons. He also returned punts (mostly from 1966-70), and punted from 1965-68.

#110 Henry Carr - Carr was drafted by the Giants in 1965, and after 2 seasons as a starting safety, he concluded his NFL career in 1967 as the Giants' starting right cornerback. A track star at Arizona State, Henry won 2 gold medals at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

#120 Giants Logo - "The players try hard. The coach tries hard. Perhaps the fans should try harder." Whaaa? This is the funniest comment I've ever seen on the back of a sports trading card!

Next time: Philadelphia Eagles
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Minnesota Vikings

2010-05-04T20:29:00.007-04:00

Here are the 1967 Vikings. All but Dale Hackbart are pictured in their classic purple jerseys. I like these late-1960s jerseys much better than the early 1970s Vikings' jerseys, which look too much like New York Giants' jerseys. I think my 3 favorite NFL jerseys are the Packers (green w/gold arm stripes), Vikings (purple w/white arm stripes and gold edging around the numbers), and the Steelers (black w/gold arm stripes). I also like the Miami Dolphins' jerseys (teal with orange trim).

I got all of these cards back in the day except for Bill Brown.

#97 Vikings Team - The Vikings finished 1966 with a 4-9-1 record - last in the West. After trading QB Fran Tarkenton in the off-season, they finished 3-8-3 in 1967, the first of Joe Kapp's 3 seasons as the Vikings' QB.

#106 Fran Tarkenton - Tarkenton was the Vikings' QB from their inception in 1961 through the 1966 season, then again from 1972-78. In between, he spent 5 seasons with the Giants. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986. (The back of this card states that he was traded to the Giants on March 7, 1967.)

#104 Tommy Mason - Mason was the Vikings' #1 pick (1st overall) in the 1961 draft (the team's 1st season). He played 6 seasons with the Vikings and 3 with the Rams before wrapping up his career with the Redskins in 1971. In the 1970s he was married to former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby.

#99 Bill Brown - Bill was the Bears' 2nd-round pick in 1961. After 1 season in Chicago, he spent the rest of his career as the Vikings fullback, until retiring after the 1974 season. He led the NFL with 251 rushing attempts in 1966.

#101 Paul Flatley - Paul was the Vikings' split end from 1963 to 1967, then played 3 more seasons with the Falcons.

#107 Mick Tingelhoff - Mick played his entire career (1962-78) with the Vikings, starting every game (240) at center during that time. He was a 6-time Pro Bowler.

#105 Milt Sunde - Sunde (SUN-dee) played his entire career (1964-74) with the Vikings, and was a starter from 1965-73. Early on, he was the team's starting left guard before moving to the right side in 1968.

#98 Grady Alderman - Grady was drafted by the Lions in 1960, and joined the expansion Vikings in 1961. He was their starting left offensive tackle from 1961-73, missing only 2 games during that time span. Alderman retired after the 1974 season.

#100 Fred Cox - Fred was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and New York Titans (Jets) in 1961, but did not play until he joined the Vikings in 1963. He kicked for the Vikings from 1963-77, and also punted (70 times) during his rookie season.

#103 Jim Marshall - Marshall started every game during his 20-year career (282 regular-season games) which included 1960 with the Browns and 1961-79 with the Vikings. He was the starting right defensive end in every season except 1961, when he played left defensive end. (The back of this card mercilessly states "He will always be remembered for picking up a 49er fumble and going 66 yards to the wrong end zone for a SF safety.")

#102 Dale Hackbart - Hackbart was drafted by the Packers in 1960. After a full season in 1960 and 2 games in 1961, he was traded to the Redskins, where he was the starting free safety from 1961-63. After 2 seasons with the Canadian League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Dale played for the Vikings from 1966-70, starting at free safety for the 1st two seasons. He later played for the Cardinals (1971-72) and the Broncos (1973).

#108 Vikings Logo - The Vikings joined the NFL in 1961, one season after the Dallas Cowboys. Soon, the Falcons (1966) and Saints (1967) would increase the NFL to 16 teams.

Also check out the 1972 Vikings.

Next time: New York Giants
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Los Angeles Rams

2010-04-13T21:53:00.021-04:00

I'm weeks behind with all my football card blogs, but it's been hard to stay motivated about football and football cards, what with Spring, baseball, the Phillies, yard work, taxes, and what not. If I can catch up to my original schedule, all these football cards will be completed by Thanksgiving.

Here are the 1967 Los Angeles Rams. The yellow borders of all the cards combine with the yellow nameplate on the Rams' cards to make for an explosion of yellow (which has always been my favorite color anyway!) I collected all these cards in 1967, except for Roman Gabriel, which I acquired a few years ago.

#85 Rams Team - The Rams were coached by George Allen from 1966 to 1970, then he moved to the Redskins (taking several veteran players with him). In 1966, they finished in 3rd place (8-6-0) in the 7-team Western Division. With the inclusion of the Saints in 1967, the NFL was re-aligned into four 4-team divisions. The Rams finished 1st (11-1-2) in the Coastal Division, which included the Colts (also 11-1-2), 49ers (7-7) and the Falcons (1-12-1). In the playoffs, they got blown out by the Packers (28-7), who were on their way to Super Bowl II.

#88 Roman Gabriel - Gabriel was the Raiders' #1 pick (1st overall) in the 1962 AFL draft, and the Rams' #1 pick (2nd overall) in the 1962 NFL draft. After sharing the starting assignments for 2 seasons with Zeke Bratkowski, followed by 2 seasons with Bill Munson, Roman started every game for the Rams from 1966-1971, and all but 1 game in 1972. After the 1972 season he was traded to the Eagles, where he played for 5 more seasons (the first 3 as the #1 QB). Gabriel was a 4-time Pro Bowler.

#93 Tom Moore - Tom was the Packers' #1 pick (5th overall) in the 1960 draft. After 6 seasons rushing and returning kicks for the Packers, he played for the Rams in 1966 and the Falcons in 1967.

#86 Dick Bass - Bass was the Rams' #1 pick (2nd overall) in the 1959 draft. He played his entire career (1960-69) with the Rams, and rushed for over 1000 yards in 1962 and 1966. He was the Rams' first 1000-yard back.

#91 Tommy McDonald - Tommy was the Eagles' 3rd-round pick in 1957. He played flanker for the Eagles (1957-63), Cowboys (1964), Rams (1965-66), Falcons (1967) and Browns (1968). In 1961, his 1144 receiving yards and 13 TDs led the NFL. He also had over 1000 receiving yards in '62 and '65. McDonald was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

#92 Marlin McKeever - Marlin was the Rams' #1 pick (4th overall) in 1961. After playing outside linebacker for his first 3 seasons, McKeever switched to tight end during the 1963 season. After 6 seasons with the Rams, he spent the 1967 season with the Vikings. In 1966, he lost a finger in a car accident with teammate Roman Gabriel. Maybe this led to his switch to middle linebacker, the position he played for the Redskins (1968-70), the Rams (1971-72), and the Eagles (1973). According to Wikipedia, he and his twin brother appeared in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules in 1962.

#89 Bruce Gossett - Bruce had an 11-year career with the Rams (1964-69) and the 49ers (1970-74).

#90 Dave "Deacon" Jones - This 8-time Pro Bowler was a FOURTEENTH round pick for the Rams in 1961. He was a fixture at left defensive end for the Rams for 11 years, as a member of "The Fearsome Foursome". He was also the Chargers' starting left defensive end in 1972-73, before wrapping up his career in 1974 with the Redskins. Deacon was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

#94 Merlin Olsen - Olsen was the Rams' #1 pick (3rd overall) in the 1962 NFL draft. (He was also the Broncos' #1 pick the same year.) He played his entire 15-year career as a starting defensive tackle for the Rams. He made the Pro Bowl in every season but his last, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982. After his playing career, he was an announcer, and starred in 2 TV series (Little House on the Prarie and Father Murphy). He died one month ago.

#87 Maxie Baughan - Maxie was the Eagles' 2nd-round pick in 1960. He started every game at right linebacker for the Eagles from 1960-65, and for the Rams from 1966 until 2/3 of the way through the 1970 season. After not playing from 1971-73, he suited up for 2 games with the Redskins in 1974. Maxie played in 9 Pro Bowls.

#95 Clancy Williams - Clancy was the Rams' 1st-round pick in 1965. He was their starting left cornerback from 1965-70, and a backup in 1971-72. He also returned kicks during his first 4 seasons.

#96 Rams Logo - The Rams played in Cleveland from 1937-45, and in Los Angeles from 1946-94, before moving to St. Louis.

Also check out the 1971 Rams.

Next time: Minnesota Vikings
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Green Bay Packers

2010-03-13T18:24:00.028-05:00

Here are the 1967 Green Bay Packers. They've just won Super Bowl I, and would go on to repeat in Super Bowl II. Every one of these players were voted either All-League, Pro Bowl, or both in the previous season. In fact, if you count 1 point for each of the 3 All-League votes (AP, UPI, NEA) and 1 point for a Pro Bowl selection, these 10 players accumulated 28 points! On top of all that, 7 of these 10 players are in the Hall of Fame!

Most of these cards are heavily scuffed, except for Willie Wood (which I got a few years ago) and Bart Starr (which I got this month).

#73 Packers Team - Your current and future champions!

#82 Bart Starr - MY 1967 BART STARR CARD JUST ARRIVED!
(This is the only place on the internet that you'll find this image.)
Starr was a lowly 17th-round pick for the Packers in 1956. He went on to play in 4 Pro Bowls, was the MVP in Super Bowls I and II, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

#77 Forrest Gregg - Gregg was the Packers' 2nd-round pick in 1956, and was their starting right offensive tackle from 1959 through the 1969 season (although starting at left guard during 1965). After backing up in 1970, he joined the Cowboys for his final season in 1971. A 9-time Pro Bowler and 3-time Super Bowl participant, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

#81 Bob Skoronski - Bob was the Packers' 5th-round pick in 1956, and played for them his entire career (1956, 1959-68). After starting at left offensive tackle as a rookie, he missed 2 seasons before rejoining the team in 1959. Bob regained his starting left tackle job in 1960, and held it for the remainder of his career, except for starting at center for the 1964 season. He made the 1966 Pro Bowl.

#76 Willie Davis - Davis was drafted by the Browns in 1956, but missed 2 seasons while in the Army. After playing for Cleveland in 1958 and 1959, Willie joined the Packers and was their starting left defensive end every season until retiring after 1969. He was a 5-time Pro Bowler, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

#78 Henry Jordan - Jordan was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1957. After 2 seasons, he joined the Packers in 1959 and was the starter at right defensive tackle every season until his retirement after 1969. A 4-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

#79 Ray Nitschke - Ray was drafted by the Packers in 1958, and was their starting middle linebacker every season from 1958 to 1970. He hung on with Green Bay for 2 more seasons, retiring after 1972. I was surprised today to learn that he only made one Pro Bowl appearance (1964). Nitschke was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978.

#80 Dave Robinson - Robinson was the {Packers' #1 pick in 1963. In 1964 he took over the starting left linebacker spot, and held it until retiring following the 1974 season (the final 2 seasons as a member of the Washington Redskins.)

#75 Lee Roy Caffey - Caffey was drafted by the Eagles and Oilers in 1963. After 1 season as the Eagles' starting left linebacker, Lee Roy joined the Packers and was their starting right linebacker from 1964 to 1969. He also played one season each for the Bears, Cowboys, and Chargers, retiring after the 1972 season.

#74 Herb Adderley - Herb's name is misspelled on this card. This 5-time Pro Bowler was a starting left cornerback for every one of his 12 seasons. He was the Packers' 1st-round pick in 1961, and played his final 3 seasons (1970-72) with the Cowboys. In between, he played in Super Bowls I, II, V, and VI. Adderley was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

#83 Willie Wood - The Packers' free safety played his entire career (1960-71) with the Packers. He was primarily a punt returner in his rookie season, and moved to strong safety for the 1965 and 1966 seasons. An 8-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

#84 Packers Logo - The 1st paragraph says it all.

Also check out the 1968 Packers.

Coming March 23rd: Los Angeles Rams
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Detroit Lions

2010-02-26T20:41:00.020-05:00

Here are the 1967 Detroit Lions. What can I say about them? After all, they're the Lions!

#61 Lions Team - This picture looks like it was taken at night, and from a distance. Maybe nobody wanted to be identified? The back of this card states that in 1966 the Lions were tied for last (old news!) in the Western Division at 4-9-1, and that "There's only one place for Detroit to go in '67 ...up". (Insert your own observations here.)

#71 Karl Sweetan - Sweetan was an 18th-round pick for the Lions in 1965. He started 8 games for the injured Milt Plum in 1966, and had another 8 starts in 1967 before fading into oblivion as a backup for the Saints (1968) and the Rams (1969-70).

#68 Amos Marsh - Marsh had a 7-year career with the Cowboys (1961-64) and Lions (1965-67).

#69 Tom Nowatzke - Tom was the Lions' #1 pick in the 1965 draft. After 5 seasons in Detroit, he played for the Colts from 1970-72, including Super Bowl V, where he rushed for 33 yards and scored a touchdown.

#70 Pat Studstill - Pat was a flanker for the Lions from 1961-67. In 1966 his 1266 receiving yards led the NFL. He was traded to the Rams for QB Bill Munson prior to the 1968 season. After 4 seasons in LA he finished his career in 1972 with the Patriots. From 1965-72 he was also a punter.

#63 Gail Cogdill - The Lions 6th-round pick in 1960, Cogdill was the team's starting split end from 1960 until midway through the 1967 season. He also played for the Colts in 1968 and the Falcons in 1969-70.

#65 Ron Kramer - Kramer was the Packers' #1 pick (4th overall) in 1957. He was their starting tight end from 1961-64, then played for the Lions from 1965-67. His 7 TDs in 1962 earned him his lone Pro Bowl appearance.

#64 John Gordy - The Lions' 2nd-round pick in 1957, Gordy spent his entire career with the Lions, playing every game at right guard from 1957-67, except for missing the entire 1958 season.

#62 Roger Brown - Roger was the Lions' 4th-round pick in 1960. He was the starting right defensive tackle from 1960-66, before spending 1967-69 with the Rams, as the replacement for the retired Rosey Grier in LA's "Fearsome Foursome". Brown scored 3 safeties during his time in Detroit.

#67 Mike Lucci - Lucci was drafted by the Browns in 1961 but did not play that season. After 3 seasons (1962-64) in Cleveland, he came to the Lions. Playing on the left side for 2 seasons, Mike switched to middle linebacker in 1967 and started there until his retirement after the 1973 season.

#66 Dick LeBeau - The Lions' 5th-round pick in 1959, Dick played his entire career (1959-72) with Detroit. He was a starting cornerback in all but his last season, when he moved to free safety.

#72 Lions Logo - So the Lions ownership paid $6 million in 1948, and won't sell "for any price, since it is determined to make it a title-winning team"? Let's see how they're doing: In the 50 years since 1960, the Lions have won their division 3 times ('83, '91, '93) and made it as far as the NFC Championship game once (1991).

Coming March 9th: Green Bay Packers
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New Orleans Saints

2010-02-07T10:26:00.027-05:00

Instead of the planned Detroit Lions, I'm going to skip ahead to the New Orleans Saints, since they are in today's Super Bowl. (After all, how many times will you see a pig fly?)

Here are the very first football cards for the New Orleans Saints. Instead of the team photo as with other teams, there is an extra card with the Saints' logo. As with all teams in 1967, there are 10 player cards. For the Saints, there are three defensive backs, FOUR offensive linemen, but no receivers or linebackers.

In 1967, I had all these except John Morrow and Elbert Kimbrough.

#121 New Orleans Saints - Here we have the logo of the expansion New Orleans Saints. The back of this card lists the players drafted from the 14 established teams. (The Falcons were exempt from the draft, since they were an expansion team in 1966.) Because of the mixed up numbering and the note on the front of the card below, it seems that the team roster was intended to be on the back of the card below.

#132 New Orleans Saints - It looks like the back of this card was switched with the card above this one, because the front says card #132, while the back says card #121. The comment at the bottom of the card also refers to the list of drafted players, which is on the card above this one. (No, I didn't mix up the scans, it's really like this.)

#131 Gary Wood - After 3 seasons as the Giant's backup QB, Wood was drafted by the Saints. The 1967 Saints had 3 QBs: Wood, Bill Kilmer, and Gary Cuozzo. Cuozzo started 10 games, while Kilmer started 4. I assume Wood was selected for the football card because he was a starter for part of 1966 with the Giants, after Earl Morrall was sidelined with injuries. After 1 season with the Saints, Wood returned to the Giants for 2 more seasons, backing up Fran Tarkenton.

#123 Paul Hornung - Here's Paul Hornung, pretending to be a quarterback. After a long career with the Packers (well, except for 1963), Hornung was selected by the Saints in the expansion draft. Wisely, he chose to retire rather than suffer the indignity of playing for an expansion team at that point in his career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

#128 John Morrow - John was drafted from the Cleveland Browns. He was the Browns' starting center for 7 seasons, and before that a 3-year starter for the Rams. Like Hornung, Morrow retired before the 1967 season.

#129 Bob Scholtz - Bob was the Lions' 3rd-round pick in 1960, and played 5 seasons with Detroit and 2 with the Giants before coming to the Saints in the expansion draft. In what is becoming a familiar theme, Scholtz did not play in the NFL after 1966.

#122 Charlie Bradshaw - Bradshaw was drafted from the Pittsburgh Steelers (and looks very much like another Bradshaw who played for the Steelers - I wonder if they're related?). He was the Steelers' left offensive tackle for 6 seasons. He also played for the Rams from 1958 to 1960. Did he play in 1967? Yes, but for the Detroit Lions. The back of this card states that he was traded in March 1967. He retired after 2 seasons in Detroit.

#127 Riley Mattson - Mattson was drafted off the Bears' roster. After playing 1961-64 with the Redskins, and missing the 1965 season, he played 1 season with the Bears. The narrative on the back of his card includes ".... where a knee injury slowed him down." Then, the scratch-off quiz says "What has slowed Riley down?"
Guess what? Mattson did not play after the 1966 season. WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF MAKING THE SAINTS' EXPANSION DRAFT PICKS?

#125 Earl Leggett - Leggett played defensive tackle for the Bears from 1957-65, and for the Rams in 1966. He was taken in the expansion draft and actually played two seasons with the Saints before retiring!

#124 Elbert Kimbrough - After a rookie season in 1961 with the Rams, Elbert was the 49ers starting strong safety from 1962-66. He missed the 1967 season, but finished his career in 1968 with the Saints as a backup DB.

#126 Obert Logan - Logan played safety for the Cowboys in 1965 and 1966, and was the Saints starting free safety in 1967, his final season.

#130 Dave Whitsell - Dave was a 24th-round pick for the Lions in 1958. After 3 seasons with the Lions, he was the Bears' right cornerback from 1961-66. As the Saints' starting left cornerback in 1967, he led the NFL with 10 interceptions. In his final 2 seasons (1968-69), he was the Saints' free safety.

Let's re-cap this mess: From these 10 players, the Saints got 3 seasons from Whitsell, 2 seasons from Leggett, and 1 each from Kimbrough, Logan, and Wood (albeit as the 3rd-string QB). Were these the 10 best players on the roster? (Isn't that the usual criteria for appearing on football cards?)

Also check out the 1971 and 1972 Saints.

Coming Feb 23rd: Detroit Lions
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Dallas Cowboys

2010-01-31T16:57:00.020-05:00

Here are the 1967 Dallas Cowboys. Each of these players (except Dan Reeves and Lee Roy Jordan) just came off a Pro Bowl appearance in 1966. All of these players except Don Meredith would still be on the team when they got to Super Bowls V and VI. I had all of these cards back in 1967 except Meredith, Manders, and Howley.

#49 Cowboys Team - Here's the first team we've seen that has posed their players in numerical order. Man, that Tom Landry was organized! (Hey, only 2 guys in the 80's?)

#57 Don Meredith - Meredith was the Cowboys QB for much of the 1960s, but retired just before they began their Super Bowl period. He then went on to announce Monday Night Football with Howard Cosell.

#58 Dan Reeves - Dan was the starting halfback in the mid-1960s, but the Cowboys upgraded with Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas to make their Super Bowl runs, leaving Reeves as a role player. After retiring, he was an assistant coach with the Cowboys, then a head coach with the Broncos and Falcons.

#52 Bob Hayes - The card back says Hayes was the only player to be selected All-Pro at 2 positions in 1966, but are split end and flanker really 2 different positions? Bob was a former Olympic gold-medal sprinter, and was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. (Is he signaling the photographer?)

#56 Dave Manders - Dave took over as the starting center in 1965, and anchored the line through the early 1970s. Here we see him with a football, an unusual pose for an offensive lineman (who are usually posed with arms up, simulating a block),

#50 George Andrie - George played his entire career (1962-72) with the Cowboys, and was their starting right defensive end in all but his last season.

#55 Bob Lilly - This defensive tackle was the Cowboys' #1 draft pick in 1961, and played EVERY game until retiring after the 1974 season. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

#54 Lee Roy Jordan - The Cowboys' #1 pick in 1963, Jordan played his entire career (1963-76) with the Cowboys, and was their starting middle linebacker from 1966 to 1976.

#53 Chuck Howley - The senior statesman of this bunch, Howley played 2 seasons with the Bears before coming to the Cowboys in the expansion draft. He played all but 4 games for the Cowboys between 1961 and 1972 (on the left side, until moving to the right side in 1969), but only played 1 game in his final season in 1973. Although the Cowboys lost Super Bowl V, Howley was named the MVP. He looks like a serious challenger to Johnny Unitas for best all-time crewcut.

#51 Cornell Green - Green played his entire career (1962-74) with the Cowboys, and never missed a game. He was their left cornerback through the 1969 season, then moved to strong safety in 1970 with the arrival of Herb Adderley.

#59 Mel Renfro - Mel played his entire career (1964-77) with the Cowboys. He was the free safety for his first 6 years, then moved to right cornerback in 1970. He also returned kicks and punts for his first 3 seasons (leading the league in both during his rookie season). Renfro was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.

#60 Cowboys Logo - Eddie LeBaron was an "all-time great"? Who knew?

Also check out the 1971 and 1972 Cowboys.

Next time: Detroit Lions
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Cleveland Browns

2010-01-12T20:02:00.023-05:00

Here are the 1967 Browns. I got all these cards back in 1967 except for Ernie Green.

#37 Browns Team - In 1966 (their first post-Jim Brown season) they STILL led the league with 2166 yards rushing, and finished with a 9-5 record.

#44 Frank Ryan - After serving as the backup with the Rams from 1958-61, Ryan was traded to the Browns, and soon took over as the starting QB. He made 3 Pro Bowls, before being replaced by Bill Nelsen in 1968. His last 2 seasons (1969-70) were spent backing up Sonny Jurgensen in Washington.

#43 Leroy Kelly - Primarily a return artist in his first 2 seasons, when Jim Brown retired following the 1965 season, Kelly became the starting halfback in 1966, rushing for 1141 yards, making his 1st Pro Bowl, and was voted All-League by all 3 news services. He led the NFL in rushing in 1967 and 1968. Kelly was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

#41 Ernie Green - Previously the Browns starting halfback (where he averaged 480 yards per season from 1963-65), Green switched to fullback in 1966 (replacing Jim Brown). Ernie rushed for 750 and 710 yards in '66 and '67.

#39 Gary Collins - Collins played his entire career (1962-71) with the Browns. His best seasons were 1963-67, and 1969. He was also the Browns punter from 1962-67.

#46 Paul Warfield - Paul was the Brown' starting split end from his rookie season in 1964 through the 1969 season (missing most of 1965). He was the Dolphins' top receiver from 1970-74, and played in 3 consecutive Super Bowls there. After a year in the WFL (1975), Warfield returned to Cleveland for his final 2 seasons. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983.

THREE offensive linemen are featured in this Browns' set - and with good reason: All 3 made the Pro Bowl in 1966. These guys cleared the way for Jim Brown, and later, Leroy Kelly.

#42 Gene Hickerson - Gene spent his entire career (1958-73) as Cleveland's right guard. He made 6 Pro Bowls and was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 2007.

#47 John Wooten - This 2-time Pro Bowler played for the Browns from 1959 to 1967, before wrapping up with the Redskins in 1968.

#45 Dick Schafrath - Another career Brown (1959-71), Dick was a fixture at left tackle, and made 6 Pro Bowls.

#38 John Brewer - Brewer played for the Browns (1961-67) and the Saints (1968-70). He was a tight end until switching to outside linebacker in 1966.

#40 Ross Fichtner - Ross played safety for the Browns from 1960 to 1967, before finishing up with the Saints in 1968.

#48 Browns' Logo - The Browns never get mentioned as a "winner" because they've never been in the Super Bowl. From the time they joined the league in 1950 up until the start of the Super Bowl era, they were in the NFL Championship game 8 times, winning 4 ('50, '54, '55, '64) and losing 4 ('51, '52, '53, '65). They also lost a tie-breaker playoff game to the Giants in 1958, which allowed New York to face the Colts in "The Greatest Game Ever Played". The Browns also won the AAFC Championship for each year of that league's existence (1946-49).

Also check out the 1972 Browns.

Next time: Dallas Cowboys
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Chicago Bears

2009-12-28T15:31:00.023-05:00

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!

Next time: Cleveland Browns

Baltimore Colts

2009-12-13T21:24:00.027-05:00

Here is the 2nd of 16 posts of 1967 NFL cards. I will not be posting to my football blogs as often as I do for my baseball card blogs. Since I have 4 football blogs, I'll update two of them each week.

I've noticed that unlike my baseball card blog posts, these football posts take several hours to appear on other blogs' sidebars. Maybe it's because of the number of images.

This Colts team is one year away from appearing in Super Bowl III vs. the New York Jets.

#13 Colts Team - The back of this card tells us that the Colts were on their way to the Western Conference championship in 1966, but "blew their chances", but that they did win the runner-up bowl. They also led the league in punting (which may be a dubious honor).

#23 Johnny Unitas - Unitas was the premier quarterback of the 1950s and 1960s. He's already played 11 years, and in 9 Pro Bowls! For some reason, he's wearing a helmet in this photo. I noticed that out of 160 player cards in the 1967 set, only 12 players are wearing helmets:

7 Giants
2 Saints (who are photographed in their 1966 Giants' uniform)
3 Colts
Weird obsession with the Giants! (Although I must admit, I like the look of the Giants' helmets.)

#21 Tom Matte - Matte is entering his 7th year. In 1965, he was the Colts' emergency quarterback, as both Johnny Unitas and backup Gary Cuozzo were out with injuries.

#18 Tony Lorick - Lorick led the Colts in rushing in 1966, his 3rd season in the league.

#14 Ray Berry - Here is the card for Colts' split end Ray Berry. The only problem is that it's been hijacked by Colts' cornerback #40 Bob Boyd. Ray Berry led the Colts in receiving in 1966, and had 7 TDs. This card tells us that Berry holds just about every Colts' receiving record.

#20 John Mackey - 1967 was Mackey's 5th season in the NFL. In his first 4 seasons, he made the Pro Bowl 3 times, and in 1966 was named All-League by all 3 news services (AP, NEA, UPI). ("All-League" was more elite than the Pro Bowl.) Mackey and the Bears' Mike Ditka were the premier tight ends of the time.

(No offensive linemen or linebackers, due to 3 defensive backs being featured)

#22 Lou Michaels - This 10-year pro was the Colts' kicker and starting defensive end. He was the 4th highest scorer in the NFL in 1966. (He would soon be replaced at DE by rookie Bubba Smith.)

#16 Ordell Braase - Braase (pronounced BRAY-see) was the Colts' other starting defensive end. In 1966, he made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his 10-year career.

#15 Bob Boyd - Boyd was one of Baltimore's starting cornerbacks. In 1966 (his 7th season), he was named All-League by UPI.

#19 Lenny Lyles - Lyles made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 1966, his 9th season. He began as a kick returner, and eventually moved up to starting cornerback.

#17 Alvin Haymond - Haymond's main responsibility was returning punts, but the back of this card tells us that he won a full time job (must have been at safety) in 1966. No matter, in 1968 he was traded to the Eagles for running back Timmy Brown.

#24 Colts Logo - And here we have the Colts logo card, chock full of history:
Doesn't that last paragraph just make you proud to be an American and/or a football fan? ;/

So there are the 1967 Colts. I got all these cards in 1967 except for Michaels and Lyles, so those 2 cards are in much better condition.

Next time: Chicago Bears

Atlanta Falcons

2009-12-04T20:09:00.013-05:00

Here are the Falcons players with cards for 1967. This is only the Falcons' 2nd year in the league, so some player photos still show them in their previous team's uniform.

#1 Falcons Team - Some teams pose their players in numerical order. The Falcons chose not to.

#4 Randy Johnson - The back of this card tells us that Randy was the Falcons bonus pick in the first round of the college draft. He was the Falcons' first starting QB. After Johnson's tenure, the Falcons essentially "borrowed" Bob Berry from the Vikings until Steve Bartkowski came along as the Falcons' first "good" starting QB.

#2 Junior Coffey - Coffey led the team in rushing in its inaugural 1966 season.

#11 Ernie Wheelwright - Ernie was obtained from the New York Giants. After his playing career, he appeared in various TV shows and movies, including "The Longest Yard". This is one of the few 1967 cards I didn't get back in 1967, so it doesn't have the scuffing that is seen on many of these other cards.

#3 Alex Hawkins - Hawkins played split end and flanker (1960's terminology for wide receiver).

#6 Billy Martin - Martin's position is listed as "End". One thing that annoyed me about these cards back then was that the player's position wasn't always clear. Tight ends, split ends, and sometimes even defensive ends were all listed as "End", offensive AND defensive tackles were listed as "Tackle", and cornerbacks and safeties were both listed as "Defensive back". In Billy Martin's case, it is revealed on the back that he's a tight end.

#5 Lou Kirouac - Ahh, the good old days... when kickers also played another position, and weren't just some lightweight ex-soccer player. Some were even hulking linemen, like Lou Kirouac! As you can see, Lou formerly played for the Colts.

#7 Tommy Nobis - Remember my "positions" rant in the Billy Martin section above? For some reason, back in the day I took it upon myself to document that Nobis was indeed a middle linebacker. For good measure, I also wrote his #60 on the card. ... Kids!
I didn't like Nobis in the early 1970s. I think it was because he was always considered a better middle linebacker than the Eagles' Bill Bergey (which was probably true). I mean, nobody could dispute Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, or Willie Lanier, but ... Tommy Nobis?

#9 Marion Rushing - Here's a non-descript outside linebacker. Look how clean his uniform is! (It almost looks like a Cardinals' uniform.)

#8 Jerry Richardson - Jerry led the Falcons in interceptions in 1966. Was he a cornerback? A free safety? Who knows?

#10 Ron Smith - Smith led the league in kickoff returns in 1966, and also led the Falcons in punt returns. I suppose that's "code" for "I'm not a starting defensive back". Smith (along with Ernie Wheelwright) is 1 of the 2 Falcons cards that I got many years after 1967.

#12 Falcons Logo - Each team's cards wrap up with a logo card. The back of these cards include interesting tidbits about the team, such as:
(click to enlarge)

I've included the back of the team card as a 1-time sample. The left side always has a short summary of the previous season, and the right side has a referee signal.

Here is the back of a typical player card. In 1967, no player stats appeared on the card backs. All player cards have a rub-off quiz on the left side, with the right side containing biographical information, followed by a summary of the player's previous exploits.
Every card has a blank area below the biographical information. This is where some cards note which players made All-League or the Pro Bowl. A few (like Fran Tarkenton) have a "traded" note here.

Also check out the 1971 Falcons.

Next time: Baltimore Colts
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Welcome to my 1967 football card blog!

2009-12-04T15:39:00.011-05:00

1967 was when I began collecting football cards. I started almost by accident, as the usual corner store where I bought baseball cards stopped selling them before the last series was issued. I went around the block to another corner store (which I had never been to before) seeking baseball cards. They didn't have any, but they did have the 1967 NFL cards.

So, what's a boy to do? I ended up with most of the cards that Fall. In the 1980s, I trimmed about a dozen cards off my want list at card shops, and now I have all ~~but 2 (Don Meredith, Bart Starr)~~ [as of 3/19/10] of the 198 cards in the set.

Anyway, I started this blog to post my football card collection, and to reminisce on certain teams and players. I also have all but a few of the '68, '71, and '72 cards, which will be the topics for other blogs.

Even though I began collecting football cards in 1967, I didn't actually follow pro football until near the end of the 1970 season. Super Bowl V was the first one I watched, but thanks to the magic of NFL Films and ESPN, I can probably now recite the starting lineups for the all the teams in Super Bowls I thru VI !

Aside from a few Eagles cards from the mid-to-late 1970s, I haven't collected any football cards after the 1973 set. These vintage cards do bring back some good memories, though.

Prior to 1973, only about 10 players per team were featured on football cards each year, usually at least one player from each position group: quarterback, running back, receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back, kicker. The cards were issued in 2 series of about 100 cards each.

From 1964 to 1967, the Philadelphia Gum Company issued the NFL cards, while Topps issued the AFL cards. After 1967, Topps regained the NFL license and issued a combined NFL/AFL set, as they had done prior to 1964. The Philadelphia cards were grouped alphabetically by team, meaning the card sequence was all the Atlanta cards, followed by all the Baltimore cards, then Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, etc.

I'm going to include all the cards for a team in one post, so it won't take forever to complete the series.

In 1967, the cards were arranged alphabetically by team. Within each team, there was a team photo card, followed by 10 players (alphabetically), and ending with a team logo card. I'm going to present the players not alphabetically, but by position (QB, HB, FB, WR, TE, C, G, T, K, DE, DT, MLB, LB, DB, P).

I'm also not going to scan the card backs, except for the team logo cards, which include some interesting information about each team. I'll include a sample back for a player card and a team photo card, in the first post only.

First up: Atlanta Falcons