RIP - 2023

Players from the 1965-1975 era that passed away in 2023:

Also: Baseball deaths in 2023 

  

Boston Patriots

For the past 2 months or so, I have been watching a lot of videos on YouTube, many of them vintage football documentaries, such as “The Complete History of the (fill in team name here)”. Another good one was a 4-hour AFL mini-series titled “Full Color Football". 

 

These shows have inspired me to complete my 1967 AFL set and my 1966 NFL set. In the past month, I have binge-purchased on eBay, and went from having about 50 of the 1967 AFL cards, to having all but the ultra-pricey Joe Namath card. (I also need only 30 player cards in the 1966 NFL set.) 

 

The 1967 AFL set has 14 or 15 cards per team. There are no team cards or other special cards (other than the 2 checklists). I also discovered that there are no cards for kickers (unless the kicker was also a standout elsewhere, such as the Patriots’ Gino Cappelletti). 

 

 

1967 Boston Patriots 

 

The Patriots were successful in the early part of the decade, posting identical 9-4-1 records in 1961 and 1962. In 1963, they were the Eastern Division champs (albeit with a 7-6-1 record), but lost to the San Diego Chargers in the AFL Championship game. 

 

After posting a 10-3-1 record in 1964, they began to regress. Their 8-4-2 record in 1966 was their last winning record until 1976. This group played to a 3-10-1 record in 1967. 

 

Babe Parilli was a backup with the Packers in the 1950s. After spending 1960 with the Raiders, he was the Patriots’ starting QB from 1961-67, then backed up Joe Namath in ’68 and ’69. Parilli led the AFL in passing yards in 1964 (3465), and was selected for the Pro Bowl in ’63, ‘64, and ’66. 

 

John Huarte was the 1964 Heisman Trophy winner while at Notre Dame. He was much less successful in the pros, as a little-used backup for the Jets (1965), Patriots ('66-'67), Eagles ('68), Chiefs ('69-'71), and Bears ('72). He also played in the WFL from 1974-75.

The rest of the offense: 

 

*Larry Garron played for the Patriots from 1960-68, starting most of 1963-66, and parts of ’61, ’62, and ’67. 

 

Gino Cappelletti was the Patriots’ kicker from 1960 to 1970. He was also a backup safety in his rookie season, and a starting wide receiver from 1961-67. He led the AFL in scoring in 1961 and from 1963-66, and was named AFL Player of the Year in 1964. 

 

*Art Graham was the Patriots’ split end from 1963-68, starting most games from 1964-67. 

 

Jim Whalen was the starting tight end for the Patriots (1965-69) and the Broncos (1970). He split his last season (’71) between the Broncos and the Eagles. He was named first-team All-Pro in 1968. 

 

*Jon Morris was the Patriots’ staring center from 1964-72, making the Pro Bowl every season from 1964-70. After missing most of 1973-74, he started for the Lions from 1975-77. 

 

*Don Oakes played for the Eagles from 1961-62, then was the Patriots' starting left tackle from 1963-67. He made the Pro Bowl in 1967, but was a backup in his last season (1968). 

 

The defense: (After I turned off my scanner, I realized these cards were arranged in the opposite order from how I normally have them.) 

 

Tom Addison started at left linebacker every season from 1960-67. He made the Pro Bowl from 1961-64, and was named first-team All-Pro in 1961. 

 

Nick Buoniconti was his team’s starting middle linebacker every season from 1962-74, 7 seasons with Boston, and 6 with Miami. After missing the 1975 season due to injury, he was a backup in 1976. 

 

*Jim Lee Hunt played for the Patriots from 1961 to 1970, and was a starting defensive tackle in ’61 and from ’66-’70. He made 4 Pro Bowls. 

 

Houston Antwine played for the Patriots from 1961-71, and the Eagles in 1972. He was his team’s starting right DT from 1963-70, and ‘72. He made 5 Pro Bowls, and was named first-team All-Pro in 1963. 

 

*Larry Eisenhauer started at right defensive end every season from 1961-69. He made the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro from 1962-64. He collected another Pro Bowl berth in 1966, then missed about half the games in ’67 and ’68. 

 

*Bob Dee played for the Redskins from 1957-58, then started every game at left end for the Patriots from 1960-67. He also made 4 Pro Bowls. 

 

 

* Unknown to me before November 2023