1967 Custom Cards

A few years ago, I asked John Hogan at the "Cards That Never Were" blog if he would make a few custom football cards for me, specifically some starting quarterbacks that were missing from the '67, '68, and '71 sets. He soon responded with some real beauties. I have already featured those 1968 and 1971 custom cards on my blogs for those years. Now it is time for the 1967s.

Jack Concannon was left out of the 1967 set because at press time, he was probably still the Eagles' #3 quarterback. Traded to the Bears in the off-season for TE Mike Ditka, Concannon became the Bears' starting QB for the next 4 seasons, before giving way to Bobby Douglass in 1971.

Veteran Milt Plum was the Browns' #2 pick in 1957, and was their starting QB through the 1961 season (making the Pro Bowl in '60 and '61). He was the Lions' starting QB from 1962-65, and started 6 games each season for the Lions in '66 and '67. Perhaps Karl Sweetan was chosen as the QB in the 1967 set because he started 8 games in 1966, to the injured Plum's 6 games. After 1967, Plum was traded to the Rams for QB Bill Munson. He finished his career in 1969 with the Giants.

Billy Kilmer was the 49ers' 1st pick in the 1961 draft. After 6 years with the Niners (4 on the bench behind John Brodie, and 2 on injured reserve), Kilmer was selected by the Saints in the expansion draft prior to the 1967 season. Gary Wood was chosen as the QB for the '67 set. My theory is that Wood started many games for the Giants in 1966 due to Earl Morrall's injury, while Kilmer and 3rd QB Gary Cuozzo had not been starters in the previous season.

Kilmer spent 4 years in New Orleans, the last 3 1/2 as their starting QB. His penance with the Saints was rewarded in 1971, when he was traded to the Redskins and installed as their #1 QB for the next 7 seasons. In 1972 he led the NFL with 19 TD passes, and took the 'Skins to the Super Bowl.

With the Giants' QB department in shambles after the 1966 season, the team acquired Fran Tarkenton from the Vikings. Tarkenton had been the Vikes' starter since their inaugural season in 1961, and made the Pro Bowl in '64 and '65. During his 5 seasons in New York he made 4 more Pro Bowls. After the 1971 season, Fran was traded back to the Vikings, where he was the starting QB for his remaining 7 seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

With Scramblin' Fran now in New York, what were the Vikings to do? Raid the Canadian League for their star QB Joe Kapp! Kapp played 4 seasons in the NFL, 3 with the Vikings and one with the Boston Patriots. Joe made the Pro Bowl in 1969, while leading the Vikings to the Super Bowl.

John also made some cards of Doug Buffone, after his death a few years ago. Here is the 1967 card.


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I also found this custom card of ex-Packers' great Jim Taylor floating around on the internet. It was made by Bob Lemke, who creates limited edition cards (fronts and backs) for sale to the public.

Minnesota Vikings

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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