Nearmint's Vintage Football Card Blog

Bill Budness, who played linebacker for the Oakland Raiders from 1964 to 1970, is 70 years old today. Budness was a member of the Raiders team that won the 1967 AFL Championship and played in Super Bowl II against the Packers. He played college football at Boston University, and he is a member of the BU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Budness appeared on one football card with the Raiders, the 1966 Topps card pictured here.

Happy birthday, Mr. Budness!

Ron Drzewiecki turned 80 years old yesterday; he was a running back and kick returner for the Chicago Bears in 1955 and 1957. As far as I know, Drzewiecki did not appear on a football card with the Bears, but he later appeared on a 1960 Fleer card with the Oakland Raiders. Drzewiecki signed to play with the Raiders in April, 1960, but I could not find any 1960 stats for him, so apparently he did not play in the regular season.

Drzewiecki played college football at Marquette University, and he was inducted into the Marquette M Club Hall of Fame in 1985. The Marquette library has several photos of Drzewiecki in action. (Marquette ended its football program in 1960.)

Drzewiecki is the 491st oldest living pro football player, according to oldestlivingprofootball.com.

Happy birthday, Mr. Drzewiecki!

Today is a milestone birthday for two players in the Vintage Football Card Gallery: Jim Kearney is 70 years old, and Tony Davis is 60.

Kearney played defensive back from 1965 to 1976 for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and New Orleans Saints. He was a member of the Chiefs team that won Super Bowl IV against the Vikings. In 1972, Kearney returned four interceptions for touchdowns, tying an NFL record. He still shares that record with Ken Houston and Eric Allen.

Kearney is pictured here on his rookie card, a 1973 Topps. He also appeared on a few other cards and stamps.

Tony Davis was a running back from 1976 to 1981 for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also returned punts for two seasons with the Bengals. As far as I know, Davis did not appear on any regular issue football cards, but he did appear on University of Nebraska Playing Cards in 1973 and 1974. His 1973 card is pictured here, and you can see his 1974 card in the Gallery.

Happy birthday, Messrs. Kearney and Davis!

Former NFL linebacker Dale Lindsey turned 70 today; he played from 1965 to 1973 for the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. After his playing career, Lindsey became a coach, and he has had many coaching positions in colleges and the pros. (See the full list on the right side of his Wikipedia page.) Just three weeks ago, he was named head coach at the University of San Diego, a position recently held by 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

Lindsey appeared on one football card as a player, a 1973 Topps card, issued in his last NFL season. Though the card shows him with the Browns, Lindsey played for the Saints in 1973. Lindsey also appeared on a couple of NFL stamps while still with the Browns. You can see those on his page in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

J.C. Caroline, who played defensive back for ten seasons with the Chicago Bears, is 80 years old today. Caroline made the Pro Bowl in his rookie season, 1956, and he collected 24 interceptions in his career with the Bears. He also played running back and returned kicks his first three seasons. He was a member of Chicago’s 1963 NFL Championship team.

In 1953, his sophomore year at Illinois, Caroline led the nation in rushing, and he finished seventh in voting for the Heisman Trophy. (See my page of football cards of Heisman candidates.) He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

The card shown here is Caroline’s 1961 Topps football card. He also appeared on several other cards, which you can see on his page in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

According to the Oldest Living Pro Football Players web site, Caroline is the 491st oldest living pro football player.

Happy birthday, Mr. Caroline!

Randy White, the great Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle, turned 60 today. White played for the Cowboys from 1975 to 1988, and he was first team all-NFL seven times in that span. He played in three Super Bowls, and he was a co-MVP in Super Bowl VII, in which the Cowboys beat the Denver Broncos. (He shared the honor with teammate Harvey Martin.) White was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

In 1974, at the University of Maryland, White won the Outland Trophy, awarded to “the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman.” He also placed ninth in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1974.

The card pictured here is White’s rookie card, a 1976 Topps. You can see more cards of Outland Trophy winners and Heisman Trophy candidates in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

Artie Owens is 60 years old today; he was a wide receiver and kick returner from 1976 to 1980 for the San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints. He also played one season, 1983, for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. Owens played college football at West Virginia University, where he also starred in track. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

As far as I know, Owens did not appear on a football card as a pro, but he did appear on the 1974 West Virginia playing card pictured here. A few of his teammates in the deck of 1974 West Virginia cards made it to the NFL, as well.

Happy birthday, Mr. Owens!

Former New York Giants running back Tucker Frederickson turned 70 today, according to his profile on the NFL web site. The Giants chose Frederickson with the first overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft, and he played for the team from 1965 to 1971. He made the Pro Bowl once, in his rookie season.

In 1964, at Auburn, Frederickson placed sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. (See my page of football cards of Heisman candidates.) He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Frederickson is pictured here on his 1969 Glendale stamp. He appeared on numerous other stamps and cards, as well. You can see all of them in the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

Happy birthday, Mr. Frederickson!

Clarence “Ace” Parker, the oldest living pro football player, is 100 years old today. Parker played from 1937 to 1941 for the NFL’s Brooklyn Dodgers, served three years in World War II, then returned to play one season for the NFL’s Boston Yanks and one season for the AAFC’s New York Yankees. At various times in his career he was a tailback, defensive back, kicker, punter, and kick returner. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

Parker also played two seasons of major league baseball, for the American League’s Philadelphia Athletics. Today’s New York Times has a detailed account of his athletic career.

The card pictured here is Parker’s 1955 Topps All-American card. He also appeared on a 1975 Fleer Immortal Roll football card.

For a list of the 500 oldest living pro football players, see oldestlivingprofootball.com.