Wednesday, February 28, 2024
RIP - Kent Kramer
Thursday, January 18, 2024
RIP - Norm Snead
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
1971 Eagles Yearbook
After many years, I have finally found my 1971 Eagles yearbook. I made mention of this here, and also in my Eagles’ cards post over on my 1971 football card blog. That was in November 2011, and was the last time I could find the book. I used it to show the correct photos of linebacker Adrian Young and punter Rick Duncan. (Topps had put Duncan’s photo on Young’s card in 1971.)
Anyway, earlier this week I was sorting through 5 boxes of papers that contained mostly old bills, but also some lost treasures. (You know the drill - there’s a stack of papers sitting on a table to be filed, but company’s coming over, so you throw the papers into a box and say “I’ll file these later”. Ten years later, you have 20 boxes of mostly junk. I sifted through 5 boxes this week, and threw out all but one boxful of keepers, including this yearbook.) But I digress...
1971 was my first full season of following the Eagles. During the pre-season, I obtained this yearbook (for a whole dollar, apparently!) from a Merit Gas station on City Line Avenue in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. It's a small, Reader’s Digest or TV Guide -sized magazine. Beginning in 1972, the Eagles published a larger yearbook, titled “Eagle One” (in 1972), and “Eagle Two” (in 1973). After that, I stopped buying them, so I don’t know how long that format continued.
The book is 120 pages, all black and white except for the front and back covers, which are illustrated by renowned artist Dick Perez. The front cover features a fold-out extension. The yearbook also includes profiles of the owner, GM, and coaches, as well as the 1970 statistics for all their 1971 opponents, and a box score for every 1970 Eagles game. There is also a section that includes a brief summary of each past Eagles’ season, with the scores of every game. After that is a section listing the Eagles’ all-time records, and finally an all-time Eagles’ roster.
In the middle of the book are the player profiles. Most veterans are shown two to a page, with only Gary Ballman, Pete Liske, Joe Scarpati, and Tom Woodeshick getting their own pages (due to their long career statistics charts). After the veterans, there is a section for rookie profiles. Here they cram as many rookies onto a page as they can. Only 39 of the 56 veterans included in the yearbook actually made the team. 12 of the 43 rookies also made the team, the most successful of which was Harold Carmichael.
As you will see in the sample pages I’ve posted, my trusty red pen was hard at work back then. For the veterans, those that made the team have their number penciled in. The names of those that didn’t were given the strike-through treatment. Rookies making the team were underlined, and numbered.
Eagles in the Hall of Fame. Clockwise from top left are Greasy Neale, Pete Pihos, Norm Van Brocklin, Chuck Bednarik, Alex Wojciechowicz, Bert Bell, and Steve Van Buren.
Sunday, August 20, 2023
RIP - Maxie Baughan
Sunday, June 18, 2023
RIP - Bob Brown
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
RIP - Frank LeMaster
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
RIP - Gary Pettigrew
Monday, December 26, 2022
RIP - Pete Liske
Monday, October 3, 2022
RIP - Herb Lusk
Sunday, September 18, 2022
RIP - Guy Morriss
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
RIP - Various Eagles
Player Position Died Eagles Tenure Charlie Johnson NT 08/13/2021 1977-1981 Mike Pitts DT 11/04/2021 1987-1992 Claude Humphrey DE 12/03/2021 1979-1981 John Madden T 12/28/2021 1958 Charles Johnson WR 07/17/2022 1999-2000
Thursday, July 28, 2022
1973 Eagles
Pete Liske was the Eagles' starting QB in 1971 and part of 1972, but with the acquisition of Roman Gabriel, he was released.
Norm Bulaich gained 436 yards in his first of two seasons with the Eagles.
Harold Jackson played 4 seasons for the Eagles (leading the NFL in receiving in '69 and '72), but was traded to the Rams for Roman Gabriel.
Ben Hawkins started the first 4 games, then was traded to the Browns for DE Joe Jones.
Mark Nordquist is once again designated as a center by Topps, but he was the starting right guard.
Jim Skaggs was a reserve, after many years as the starting right guard.
Wade Key was the starting left tackle for 2 seasons, but moved to left guard in 1973.
Steve Smith moved from right tackle in '72 to left tackle in '73 to accommodate rookie Jerry Sisemore.
Tom Dempsey was the Birds' kicker from midway through the '71 season through the '74 season.
Mel Tom was the starting right end from 1968-72. After 4 games in '73 he was traded to the Bears.
Ernie Calloway was a starter in his first 3 seasons ('69, '70, '71) but only played 5 games in 1972. He and Leroy Keyes were shipped off to the Chiefs before the 1973 season.
Don Hultz was the starter at left end for 3 seasons (65-67) and left tackle for 3 more (70-72), but only played 3 games in 1973.
Steve Zabel was the Eagles' #1 pick in the 1970 draft. After 1 season as a tight end he was moved to linebacker. He played some middle linebacker one season, but was mostly the starting left LB from '71 to '74.
Ron Porter was a starting outside linebacker from 1969-72, but was traded to the Vikings before the 1973 season.
Al Nelson was the starting left cornerback for the Eagles from 1965 to midway through 1973.
Nate Ramsey played for the Eagles from 1963-72. He was a starting safety from 65-70, and starting right corner in '64, '71, and '72.
Leroy Keyes was the Eagles' #1 pick in 1969. After 2 years at HB and 2 at SS, he was traded to the Chiefs before the 1973 season.
Bill Bradley joined the Eagles in 1969, and was their starting free safety (and sometimes punter) from 1971-76. He was their best defensive player until the arrival of Bill Bergey in 1974.
John Reaves was the Eagles' #1 pick in 1972. He started half the games as a rookie, then backed up Roman Gabriel in 1973.
Roman Gabriel was acquired in the off-season for Harold Jackson. He was the starting QB for 3 seasons (73-75), then backed up Mike Boryla ('76) and Ron Jaworski ('77).
Rick Arrington was the Eagles' backup QB from 1970-72, but was not on the team in '73.
Tom Sullivan was a rookie in 1972. He was the starting halfback from 1973 to 1977, before giving way to Wilbert Montgomery. He led the NFL with 11 rushing TDs in 1974.
Larry Watkins played for the Eagles from 1970-72, and was their starting fullback for 8 games in 1972.
Harold Carmichael was a rookie in 1971. After 2 seasons as the 3rd WR and sometimes-starting tight end, he replaced the departed Harold Jackson as a starting wideout, and led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards in 1973. He played in every game from 1973-81, starting all but 1 of them.
Charle Young was a 1st-round pick for the Eagles in 1973, scoring 6 TDs as a rookie.
7/29 EDIT: Added starting lineup list below (to 1967 - 1972 Eagles posts too)
All players are not listed in the labels below. Blogger has a max of 200 characters for the labels. :(