Nearmint's Vintage Football Card Blog

Tony Peters, who played defensive back for ten seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Peters played on the 1982 Redskins team that beat Miami in Super Bowl XVII, and he also made the Pro Bowl that season.

After retiring as a player, Peters went into coaching. He recently became the head coach at Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Peters is pictured here on his rookie card, a 1978 Topps.

Happy birthday, Mr. Peters!

Two players in the Vintage Football Card Gallery are celebrating milestone birthdays today: John Morrow is 80, and J.R. Wilburn is 70.

John Morrow played center from 1956 to 1966 for the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1961 and 1963, and he was the starting center on the Browns team that won the 1964 NFL Championship. According to oldestlivingprofootball.com, Morrow is the 493rd oldest living American pro football player.

For a center, Morrow appeared on a remarkable number of football cards. He is pictured here on his 1964 Wheaties stamp.

J.R. Wilburn was a receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1966 to 1970. His best season was 1967, when he caught 51 passes for 767 yards. Wilburn, who grew up in Virginia, was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Wilburn is pictured here on his 1968 Topps card, wearing a Steelers “Batman” jersey. He appeared on several other cards and stamps, as well. (For more on the “Batman” jerseys, see one of my previous articles.)

Happy birthday, Messrs. Morrow and Wilburn!

Former NFL quarterback Jim Hardy is celebrating his 90th birthday today. Hardy played from 1946 to 1952 for the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. He played in the first Pro Bowl, after the 1950 season, and he was a member of the Lions team that won the NFL Championship in 1952.

Hardy played college football at USC, leading the Trojans to Rose Bowl wins in 1944 and 1945. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

According to oldestprofootball.com, Hardy is the 66th oldest living American pro football player. He is pictured here on his 1948 Bowman football card.

Happy birthday, Mr. Hardy!

Danny Buggs, who had a nine-year career in the NFL, CFL, and USFL, is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Buggs played wide receiver for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Edmonton Eskimos, Tampa Bay Bandits, and San Antonio Gunslingers. His best NFL season was 1979, when he caught 46 passes for 631 yards for the Redskins. He also played on the Edmonton Eskimos team that won the 1980 Grey Cup.

Before his professional career, Buggs was an All-American at West Virginia University. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.

Buggs is pictured here on his 1974 West Virginia playing card and his rookie card, a 1978 Topps.

Happy birthday, Mr. Buggs!

Ed McQuarters, who was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1988, is celebrating his 70th birthday today. McQuarters played defensive tackle for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1966 to 1974. He played in four Grey Cups (CFL championship games), of which the Roughriders won one, in 1966. He was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Lineman in 1967.

McQuarters played college football at the University of Oklahoma, and he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1965 NFL draft. He played in one game for the Cardinals before moving to the CFL. (See my Cups of Coffee page for other players who played in exactly one NFL, AFL, or AAFC game.)

McQuarters is pictured here on his 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL football card.

Happy birthday, Mr. McQuarters!

Curt Knight, who was the kicker for the Washington Redskins from 1969 to 1973, is celebrating his 70th birthday today. Knight was the NFC’s leading scorer in 1971, and he made the Pro Bowl that season. He was a member of the Redskins team that played in Super Bowl VII against the Miami Dolphins.

Knight’s long path to the NFL included playing at the Coast Guard Academy under coach Otto Graham. He describes his career in an interview at mineralwellindex.com.

Knight is pictured here on his rookie card, a 1971 Topps. He appeared on several other football cards, as well.

Happy birthday, Mr. Knight!

Former AFL, NFL, and WFL defensive back Miller Farr is celebrating his 70th birthday today. Farr played from 1965 to 1973 for the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Detroit Lions, and he finished his career in 1974 with the WFL’s Florida Blazers. His best seasons were his three with the Oilers, 1967-1969. He led the AFL with 10 interceptions in 1967, he was voted First Team All-AFL in 1967 and 1968, and he was an AFL All-Star all three years.

Farr’s younger brother, Mel, also played in the NFL. The two brothers were teammates with the Lions in 1973. Their cards from that season are featured on the Teammate Brothers page of the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

Farr is pictured here on his 1969 Topps football card. He appeared on several other cards and stamps, as well.

Happy birthday, Mr. Farr!

Mike Fuller, who played safety from 1975 to 1982 for the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals, is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Fuller also returned over 300 punts and kickoffs in his NFL career. He was a member of the 1981 Bengals team that played the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVI.

Prior to his pro career, Fuller was an All-American at Auburn University. There is a summary of his college career on the Auburn web site.

Fuller is pictured here on his 1972 Auburn playing card. He also appears on a few other cards in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

Happy birthday, Mr. Fuller!

Two players in the Vintage Football Card Gallery are celebrating milestone birthdays today: Nemiah Wilson is 70, and Jeff West is 60.

Nemiah Wilson played defensive back from 1965 to 1975 for the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and Chicago Bears. He was a member of five Raiders teams that played in AFL or AFC Championship games. Wilson is pictured here on his 1972 Topps card, one of the tough third-series cards from that set. He appeared on numerous other cards and stamps, as well.

Jeff West was a punter from 1975 to 1985 for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, and Seattle Seahawks. There is a short summary of his NFL career on the Seahawks web site. West’s 1978 Topps card is pictured here.

Happy birthday, Messrs. Wilson and West!

Former NFL defensive back Lindon Crow is celebrating his 80th birthday today. Crow played from 1955 to 1964 for the Chicago Cardinals, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Rams. In 1956, his second season, he led the league with 11 interceptions. He played in two NFL Championship games, both with the Giants, in 1958 and 1959. The Giants lost both games to the Baltimore Colts.

Crow’s younger brother, Wayne Crow, also played professional football. He was a halfback and punter for four seasons with the AFL’s Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills.

Crow appeared on football cards with all three of his NFL teams. My favorite, his 1962 Topps card, is pictured here. You can see the rest of his cards in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

According to oldestlivingprofootball.com, Crow is the 494th oldest living American pro football player.

Happy birthday, Mr. Crow!