RIP - Tommy McDonald

Eagles' HOF flanker Tommy McDonald passed away on September 24, 2018 at age 84.

McDonald was the Birds' #3 pick in the 1957 draft. He was the starting flanker from 1959-1963, making the Pro Bowl in 4 of those 5 seasons.

He also made the Pro Bowl in 1958, having led the NFL with 9 touchdowns while playing in 10 games, but only starting 3 times. McDonald led the NFL in yards (1144) and TDs (13) in 1961.

McDonald and Sonny Jurgensen were both traded away following the 1963 season.

McDonald was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

NBC Sports obituary

New York Times obituary
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Tom Woodeshick - FB

Tom Woodeshick played fullback for the Eagles for 9 seasons, but (surprising to me now) he was the primary starter for only 3 of those seasons.

Woody was drafted by the Eagles in the 8th round in 1963, and played behind others for 4 seasons (Clarence Peaks in '63, Earl Gros from 1964-66). He did start 4 games in 1966, in place of Gros (who would be traded to the Steelers after the season for Gary Ballman).

Tom started 13, 14, and 12 games from 1967-69, and made the Pro Bowl in 1968. (It's amazing that ANY Eagles made the Pro Bowl in 1968, having started off the season 0-12!) He also led the Eagles in rushing each of those 3 seasons (670, 947, 831 yards).

I see now that he played only 6 games in 1970, and started all 6. So I can infer that he missed the other 8 games due to injury, and otherwise would have been the starter all season. (At least he was owed that, having led the team in rushing for 3 seasons.)

Woodeshick returned in 1971 to play 11 games, but started only 5 of them (with 1970's rookie starter Lee Bouggess starting 7 games at fullback in '71).

Tom was cut at the end of training camp in 1972, and was signed by the Cardinals in late-September. After playing 4 games, St. Louis cut him in late-October, ending his 10-year career.

In 1970, he appeared in the movie "M*A*S*H" in the football game scene.

Woodeshick had cards in the '69, '70, and '71 sets. RetroCards also makes a 1966-style card for him (shown above).

I have collected all the 1966 Eagles cards sold by RetroCards:
King Hill - QB
Tom Woodeshick - RB
Ollie Matson - RB
Jim Skaggs - G
Lane Howell - T
Don Hultz - DE
Mike Morgan - LB
Fred Whittingham - LB
Team Leaders (Norm Snead photo)

I also have 2 other King Hill cards they made ('63, '65).


Where's Waldo Tom?

Gary Pettigrew - DE/DT

Gary Pettigrew played for the Eagles for 9 seasons. He was a starter for 5 seasons and for half of 2 other seasons.

Pettigrew was the Eagles' 2nd-round pick in the 1966 draft, and joined the starting lineup immediately as the right defensive end, replacing Bob Richards, who was lost to the Falcons in the expansion draft.

Gary started 10 games in each of his first 2 seasons, then moved to right tackle to start the 1968 season, after the retirement of John Meyers, who had started almost every game there for the previous 4 seasons. (Mel Tom then began his run as the starting right end.)

After starting every game in 1968, Pettigrew missed 7 games in 1969, but returned to start every game in 1970.

This is Pettigrew's only football card. By this time (1971) his best days were behind him. 

1971 saw him moved to a backup role. He played in 13 games, but only started 6, as Ernie Calloway took over the position. The following season he also played 13 games, but this time only starting two games.

He made a comeback of sorts in 1973, playing every game (this time starting 12 games), although he was primarily the left tackle that season.

His final season was 1974. After 4 games riding the Eagles' bench he was waived, then picked up by the Giants where he started 4 of his 5 games with them before calling it a career.


Where's Waldo Gary?

Al Nelson - CB

Al Nelson played for 9 seasons (all with the Eagles), and was a starting cornerback for 7 1/2 seasons.

Nelson was the Eagles' 3rd-round pick in 1965*, and immediately joined the lineup, starting every game as a rookie. Except for missing all but 1 game in 1967, he was a fixture in the secondary, starting 14 games five times, 13 once, and 11 once.

He was also one of the team's primary kick returners, leading the Eagles in returns in '65 and '72. 

Al played on the left side in all but 1970, where he moved to the right corner for 1 season. Nelson started 8 games in his final season (1973) then was replaced by the newly-acquired John Outlaw, who filled that spot through the 1978 season.

Here are 2 of his 3 cards.  In addition to 1970 and 1973, he also had a card in the 1974 set (although after his playing career.)


Where's Waldo Al?

*The Eagles also drafted WRs Otis Taylor and Gary Garrison in 1965, but both chose to sign with AFL teams!

Jim Skaggs - G

Jim Skaggs was a starting guard for the Eagles for the 2nd half of the 1960s. Skaggs was with the Eagles for 11 seasons (assuming 1962 on the taxi-squad), and was a starter at right guard for 5 of them.

Drafted in the 10th round in 1962, he made his Eagles' debut in 1963 (so maybe he was on the taxi-squad in '62?). After starting a few games in '63 and '64 (mostly at tackle), he took over the right guard position (previously manned by Pete Case and Lynn Hoyem) from 1965-1970.

Although missing the entire 1968 season due to injury, and missing 7 games in 1969, he started all 14 games in '65, '66, '67, and '70.

In 1971, Mark Nordquist (who had filled in for Skaggs in 1968) became the starting right guard, so Skaggs saw some action at left guard in '71 and '72 (the 2 seasons that position was a revolving door until Wade Key was moved there in 1973).

Jim was waived-injured in both of those seasons, and spent some time on the taxi-squad in 1971.

These are Skaggs' only 2 football cards ('67, '73). By the time the 1973 card was issued, his career was already over.

Where's Waldo Jim?

Don Hultz - DE/DT

By the way, beginning with Pete Retzlaff, I switched to posting these players in order of tenure with the Eagles (first, all players on board before 1970). Next up is defensive lineman Don Hultz.

Hultz was an Eagle for 10 seasons, 6 as a starter. He was acquired from the Vikings on 5/29/64 along with WR Ray Poage and 2 others for running back Ted Dean and the rights to Oregon QB Bob Berry.

Don was the Eagles' starting left defensive end for 3 games in 1964 and for most of 1965-67. He found a seat on the bench beginning in 1968, replaced by the Birds' #1 pick Tim Rossovich.

After 4 games in 1970, Rossovich moved to middle linebacker and Hultz regained a starting job, this time at left defensive tackle (with Ernie Calloway moving to end). Don continued in the starting lineup through the 1972 season, and played 3 games (1 start) in 1973.

Cut in May 1974, he was picked up by the Bears and finished his career with Chicago that season.

Here are Don's only football cards ('68, '73). Topps had trouble getting current photos of NFL players for their first series in 1968 (having only made AFL cards from 1964-67), so players for NFL teams are shown in 4-year-old photos. I don't know why he is listed as a DE-LB on his 1968 card, since there's no evidence he ever played linebacker.

Where's Waldo Don?