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!

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!

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!

Robert Jackson, who played guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1975 to 1985, is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Jackson played college football at Duke, and he made the team as a rookie free agent in 1975. There is a nice summary of his career on the Browns web site.

Jackson’s 1977 Topps and 1978 Topps cards are pictured here. The 1977 Topps card is his rookie card.

Happy birthday, Mr. Jackson!

Two players in the Vintage Football Card Gallery are celebrating milestone birthdays today: Tom Bettis is 80, and Chuck Muncie is 60.

Tom Bettis played linebacker from 1955 to 1963 for the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears. He was a member of two NFL Championship teams, the 1961 Packers and the 1963 Bears. After his playing career, Bettis held numerous coaching positions in the NFL, including a stint as interim head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1977. There is a nice summary of Bettis’s career at InstantNewsKaty.com.

According to oldestlivingprofootball.com, Bettis is the 495th oldest living professional football player. He is pictured here on his 1963 Topps card, one of the short prints in the set. He also appeared on a two cards with the Packers.

Chuck Muncie was a running back from 1976 to 1984 for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers. Muncie gained over 1000 yards twice, in 1979 and 1981, and in 1981 he led the NFL with 19 touchdowns. Before his pro career, Muncie starred at the University of California, finishing second in voting for the Heisman in 1975. (See my page of football cards of Heisman Trophy candidates.)

After football, Muncie founded a youth foundation in California. He is pictured here on his 1978 Topps football card.

Happy birthday, Messrs. Bettis and Muncie!

Earlier this week, the National Football Foundation announced the names of the 2013 Football Bowl Subdivision candidates for the College Football Hall of Fame. Eleven of the 82 players and coaches on the ballot appear on cards in the Vintage Football Card Gallery. (One of them appears on someone else’s card, however.) Here are the eleven in the Gallery:

Bob Berry, Quarterback, Oregon. Berry had a long NFL career with the Vikings and Falcons. He is shown here on his 1972 Topps card.

John Didion, center, Oregon State. Didion played six seasons for the New Orleans Saints. This is his 1974 Topps card.

Charlie Gogolak, kicker, Princeton. Gogolak played six seasons for the Washington Redskins and Boston/New England Patriots. In 1966, he set a record for most extra points attempted in a game, with 10. (He made 9 of them.) He is shown here on his rookie card, a 1967 Philadelphia. Gogolak’s brother, Pete, also played in the NFL.

Rob Lytle, running back, Michigan. Lytle played seven seasons for the Denver Broncos. This is his rookie card, a 1978 Topps. Lytle finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1976, so he also appears on my page of cards of Heisman Trophy candidates.

Paul Naumoff, linebacker, Tennessee. Naumoff had a 12-year NFL career with the Detroit Lions. He is pictured here on his 1973 Topps card.

Tom Nowatzke, linebacker, Indiana. Nowatzke played eight seasons for the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts. This is his 1969 Topps football card.

Phil Olsen, defensive end, Utah State. Olsen played six seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos. One of his teammates with the Rams was his brother, Merlin. (See my Teammate Brothers article.) Olsen is shown here on his 1973 Topps football card.

Jim Otis, fullback, Ohio State. Otis played nine seasons for the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, and St. Louis Cardinals. His 1976 Buckmans Disc is pictured here. Otis also appears on my page of cards of Heisman Trophy candidates.

Don Trull, quarterback, Baylor. Trull played six seasons for the AFL’s Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots, and two seasons for the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. He is shown here on his 1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL card. Trull also appears on my page of cards of Heisman Trophy candidates.

Clancy Williams, running back, Washington State. Though Williams was a running back in college, as a pro he played defensive back. He played his whole eight-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams. Williams’s son, Clarence, also played a season in the NFL. The elder Williams is shown here on his only card, a 1967 Philadelphia.

Darryl Rogers, coach, several schools. Rogers never played in a regular season game as a pro, but he did coach the Detroit Lions from 1985 to 1988. Apparently, he also tried out with the Denver Broncos in the early 1960s, because his picture ended up on Goose Gonsoulin’s 1961 Fleer card. For more cards that picture the wrong player, see the Mistaken Identities page of the Vintage Football Card Gallery.

You can see all 82 of the 2013 Football Bowl Subdivision candidates on the National Football Foundation web site.

Three players in the Vintage Football Card Gallery are celebrating milestone birthdays today: Tom Louderback is 80, Joe Scarpati is 70, and Horace King is 60.

Tom Louderback played linebacker from 1958 to 1962 for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, and Buffalo Bills. Prior to that, he played one season in Canada for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. There is a nice article about Louderback’s career, in his own words, on the Tales from the American Football League web site.

According to oldestlivingprofootball.com, Louderback is the 494th oldest living professional football player. He appeared on one football card, the 1962 Fleer card pictured here.

Joe Scarpati was a defensive back from 1964 to 1970 for the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints. In 1966, Scarpati led the NFL with 182 interception return yards, on eight interceptions. I learned today that he was also the holder for Tom Dempsey’s record 63-yard field goal in 1970. Scarpati appeared on at least six football cards and stamps. His rookie card, a 1967 Philadelphia, is pictured here.

Horace King was a running back from 1975 to 1983 for the Detroit Lions. King’s best season was 1978, when he gained 1056 total yards rushing and receiving. Prior to his pro career, King was one of the University of Georgia’s first African-American football players. He is pictured here on his rookie card, a 1978 Topps.

Happy birthday, Messrs. Louderback, Scarpati, and King!

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Henderson played linebacker from 1975 to 1979 for the Dallas Cowboys, and in 1980 for the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Oilers. He made the Pro Bowl in 1978, and he played in three Super Bowls with the Cowboys. The Cowboys won one of them, Super Bowl XII, against the Denver Broncos.

Henderson now sponsors charitable work for youth in East Austin, Texas, and he has produced books and films to help prevent drug and alcohol abuse. You can read about his work on his official website.

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

Happy birthday, Mr. Henderson!

I have been busy scanning 1978 Topps cards for the Vintage Football Card Gallery, and I have been amused by some of the images on the cards. The set contains a lot of sideline shots, so it’s no surprise that the players aren’t looking their best. Here are just a couple of beauties: Tom Banks going for the oxygen mask, and Bill Lenkaitis sporting an Ed Grimley ‘do.

Both players cleaned up well. Here are Banks and Lenkaitis on their 1976 Topps cards.

I am only about half done with the images, but you can scroll through the rest of the 1978 Topps cards here.

Pat Tilley, a wide receiver who played his entire 11-year NFL career with the St. Louis Cardinals, is celebrating his 60th birthday today. Tilley led the Cardinals in receiving six times–1978 to 1982, and 1985–and he made the Pro Bowl once, in 1980. He is pictured here on his 1977 Topps and 1978 Topps football cards.

Happy birthday, Mr. Tilley!