Cyril Pinder - RB

Cyril Pinder was the Eagles' 2nd-round pick in the 1968 draft. He played in every game in his 3 seasons with the Birds (1968-70), starting 5, 4, and 8 games as he alternated with halfbacks Izzy Lang ('68) and Leroy Keyes ('69), and fullback Tom Woodeshick ('70). 

In 1970 he led the Eagles in rushing with 657 yards, but was traded to the Bears for 2 draft picks during training camp in 1971 because of contract squabbles. The Bears needed some insurance against Gale Sayers' ailing knees. (Ironically, the Eagles replaced him with Ronnie Bull, acquired from the Bears in the same off-season.) 

Pinder played for the Bears for 2 seasons (starting 10 games), then was released in mid-September 1973. Weeks later the Cowboys picked him up and he provided backfield depth through the end of the season. 

Cyril joined the WFL's Chicago team in 1974 and rushed for 925 yards. He was on the team in 1975, until it folded after 5 games.

This 1971 card in Pinder's only Topps card. By this time he was already with the Bears. 

 

Where's Waldo Cyril?

"Di'ka!"

Mike Ditka played tight end for 12 seasons (1961-72) in the NFL. Iron Mike revolutionized the position.

He was the Bears' #1 pick in the 1961 draft, and played his first 6 seasons with Chicago, starting every game. He made the Pro Bowl in his first 5 seasons, and was Rookie of the Year in 1961. Frequent clashes with owner/head coach George Halas got him traded to the Eagles before the 1967 season for quarterback Jack Concannon.

In 1967 Ditka played 9 games (starting 6), but missed the last 5 weeks of the season while injured. In 1968 he played in 11 games, but only started 6. He was injured for a time, but was also suspended in November for criticizing his coach.

After the 1968 season he was traded to the Cowboys for a bag of beans. For 2 seasons, he played behind 6-year starter Pettis Norman, then behind Billy Truax in 1971.

Ditka started every game during the 1972 season, his last before retiring. He played in 9 post-season games with the Cowboys, including 2 Super Bowls.

Mike was an assistant coach for the Cowboys from 1973-81, the Bears' head coach from 1982-92, and the Saints' head coach from 1997-99.

Ditka was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, the first tight end to be so honored.

With #89 already taken in Philadelphia, Ditka chose to flip the digits.

Here are his 2 cards while a member of the Eagles.

RIP - Don Zimmerman

Don Zimmerman, an Eagles' wide receiver from 1973-76, passed away on May 11, 2020 at age 70.

Zimmerman was drafted by the Eagles in 1972, and after a year on the taxi squad he was a starting wide receiver in '73 and '74, playing opposite Harold Carmichael.

In 1975, 2nd-year man Charlie Smith replaced him, limiting Don to just 3 starts. He began the 1976 season as an Eagle, and finished it as a Packer.

Joe Carollo - T

Joe Carollo played for the Eagles in 1969 and 1970 starting every game at right tackle for those years.

Joe was the Rams' #2 pick in the 1962 draft, and started at left tackle every season from 1962-68. He played in all but one game in those 7 seasons, and since 1963 started all but one game. Carollo also made the Pro Bowl in 1968.

After the 1968 season, he was included in the trade that sent the disgruntled Bob Brown out of Philadelphia. The Eagles also received CB Irv Cross and guard Don Chuy, in exchange for Brown and CB Jim Nettles. It wasn't fair value for Brown, but he announced he wouldn't play for the Eagles (with Pete Retzlaff as the GM) so they had little leverage.

The Eagles traded him back to the Rams just before the 1971 season, replacing him with Steve Smith (who was acquired from the Vikings for Norm Snead).

Joe played one more season with the Rams, then finished up with the Browns from 1972-73. He started no games after leaving the Eagles.

There were no football cards made for Joe Carollo, but he did appear on this 1969 Topps stamp:

Where's Waldo Joe?

RIP - Pete Retzlaff

Former Eagles' receiver and General Manager Pete Retzlaff passed away on April 10, 2020 at age 88.

Retzlaff played for the Eagles from 1956 to 1966, initially as a running back before switching to split end and eventually to tight end. He made the Pro Bowl 5 times and was 1st-team All-Pro in 1965.

He retired after the 1966 season, and was a local sports broadcaster for 2 years before filling the GM role from 1969-72. Among the players drafted under his watch were Bill Bradley ('69), Mark Moseley ('70), Harold Carmichael ('71), and John Bunting ('72).

Philadelphia Eagles obituary
 
USA Today obituary
 
ESPN obituary
 

RIP - Timmy Brown

Timmy Brown, the Eagles' starting halfback for the first half of the 1960s, passed away on April 4, 2020 at age 82.

After 1 game with the Packers in 1959, Brown joined the Eagles in 1960 and returned kicks until cracking the starting lineup in 1962. He was their featured back from 1962-66, and made the Pro Bowl in '62, '63, and '66.

After the 1967 season he was traded to the Colts, and primarily returned kicks. His final game was Super Bowl III against the Jets.

1963 Eagles: Sonny Jurgensen, Pete Retzlaff, Timmy Brown, Tommy McDonald ("We don't need no stinking facemasks!")

Brown became an actor after retiring from football, appearing in both the M*A*S*H movie and TV show, as well as other movies.

Philadelphia Eagles website obituary

Philadelphia Inquirer obituary

ESPN obituary

UPI obituary
. 

RIP - Tom Dempsey

Tom Dempsey, the Eagles kicker from midway through 1971 to 1974, passed away on April 4, 2020 at age 73. Dempsey was living in New Orleans, and had contracted COVID-19.

In 1970 he kicked a then-record 63-yard field goal, surpassing the previous 56-yard record.

WBRZ-TV (Baton Rouge) obituary

NFL.com obituary
.

Randy Beisler - G/DT

Randy Beisler was the Eagles' 1st-round pick (4th overall) in 1966. He played every game in his first 2 seasons, but only started half the games.

I'm not sure what position he played in 1966 because regular guards Ed Blaine and Jim Skaggs started 13 and 14 games respectively. Maybe one of those 3 played left tackle for 4 games, since regular tackle Lane Howell only played (and started) 10 games that season. Beisler may have also been used at defensive end, as D-ends Don Hultz and Gary Pettigrew also missed a few starts, and Pro-Football-reference.com doesn't indicate any backup defensive end making some starts.

In 1967 Randy started 8 games, and it may again have been at left OT and defensive end, because Howell, Hultz, and Pettigrew missed a combined 8 starts.

Beisler only played 8 games in 1968, and started them all. He played at left DT, due to the regular (Floyd Peters) missing all but 5 games due to injury. That's a bit surprising, because DE Don Hultz had been replaced by rookie Tim Rossovich, and rode the bench for 9 games.


Another example of the freak-show that was the Eagles' front office in 1968/69:
After having bungled the 1969 draft (losing out on #1 pick O.J. Simpson by winning 2 of their final 3 games in 1968 after starting out 0-11, then compounding that blunder by picking RB Leroy Keyes one pick ahead of the Steelers taking Joe Greene) the Eagles cut their lone backup QB (John Huarte) on 9/1/69. One week later, realizing they needed a 2nd quarterback, Beisler was traded to the 49ers for backup QB George Mira.  

WHY WOULD THE EAGLES TRADE THEIR #1 PICK FROM 1966, WHO STARTED HALF THE GAMES FOR 3 SEASONS, FOR A BACKUP QB WHO WAS CLEARLY A STIFF? (6 starts in 5 previous years, 1 start in his only season with the Eagles, then waived a year later.) Answer: They're the Eagles... They did dumb stuff! (If you think they learned their lesson, revisit the Greg Barton/Pete Liske saga just 2 years later.)


Randy played guard for the 49ers for the next 6 years (starting almost every game from 1970-72). He would have come in handy for the Eagles, who tried to get by in those years with the likes of Mark Nordquist, Henry Allison, Vern Winfield, Tom Luken, Roy Kirksey, and an aging John Niland at guard.

Beisler finished his career with the Chiefs in 1975.

Beisler had no cards while with the Eagles. This 1968-style card is made by RetroCards.


Where's Waldo Randy?

Earl Gros - FB

Earl Gros played fullback for the Eagles for 3 seasons, and was the starter for 2 1/2 seasons.

He was the Packers' 1st-round pick in 1962. After two seasons as a backup (they had Jim Taylor ahead of him), Gros was included in the May 1964 Jim Ringo trade to the Eagles (for linebacker Lee Roy Caffey and a 1st-round pick, which became Donny Anderson).

Gros immediately took over the starting fullback role in Philly. He played all but 1 game from 1964-66, starting 12, 14, and 6 games in that span.

In March 1967 he was traded to the Steelers (with guard Bruce Van Dyke) for receiver Gary Ballman. He rode the bench for a year, then was their starting fullback in '68 and '69.

Earl finished up in 1970, playing 1 game for the Saints before they waived him in September.

These are Gros' 3 Eagles cards (1965-67). By 1967 he was with the Steelers.


Where's Waldo Earl?

(Sitting next to his former Packers' teammate Jim Ringo - #54).

Jim Nettles - CB

Jim Nettles played for the Eagles from 1965 to 1968, wearing the #9 jersey recently vacated by quarterback Sonny Jurgensen.

Jim was the starting right cornerback during the '66 and '67 seasons, but inexplicably lost that job in 1968 to Alvin Haymond.  (Haymond was acquired from the Colts for running back Timmy Brown, and had mostly been a punt returner during his 4 years in Baltimore.)

After the 1968 season, Nettles and T Bob Brown were traded to the Rams for CB Irv Cross, T Joe Carollo, and G Don Chuy.  Jim played his final 4 seasons with Los Angeles, and was their starting left corner in 1971 and their starting free safety in 1972.

Nettles' only card was in the 1973 set, after his career was over.


Where's Waldo Jim?

Leroy Keyes - HB/S

Leroy Keyes!  Just the mention of his name invokes groans from long-time Eagles fans.

Keyes was the Eagles' #1 draft pick in 1969, and played for them for four seasons.  Although not a complete bust, he was not very good, considering his 1st-round status.

Even more so when you consider the backstory: The Eagles lost their first 11 games in 1968, then foolishly won 2 of their final 3 games, thereby forfeiting the chance to select O.J. Simpson in the 1969 draft. As if that wasn't bad enough, look who was drafted right behind Keyes, in the chart below!

Keyes started 11 games at halfback in 1969, rushing for 361 yards. He was less than impressive, especially in 1970 when he played 3 games (starting none) and rushed for 7 total yards.

He was switched to strong safety in 1971, and started every game there for the next 2 seasons, picking up six interceptions in '71 and two in '72. The Eagles had seen enough, and would draft strong safety Randy Logan in the 3rd round in 1973.

In May 1973 the Birds pawned him off on the Chiefs, receiving aging defensive end Gerry Philbin in exchange for Keyes and DT Ernie Calloway. He played only 3 games for Kansas City in 1973, then was done.

Keyes had cards in the 1972 and 1973 sets.

Where's Waldo Leroy?

Ernie Calloway - DT/DE

Ernie Calloway was a defensive lineman for the Eagles from 1969 to 1972. He was a starter for all of 1970-71, and for parts of '69 and '72.

Calloway was the Eagles' 2nd-round pick in 1969. As a rookie he started 8 games at right defensive tackle, splitting the position with Gary Pettigrew.

In 1970 he took over the left tackle position, replacing long-time veteran Floyd Peters, who was traded to the Redskins. After 5 games, left end Tim Rossovich was moved to middle linebacker, so Ernie slid over to end for the rest of the season, with 1965-67 left end starter Don Hultz regaining a starting role at tackle.

The Birds drafted defensive end Richard Harris with their #1 pick in 1971, and he started 10 games at left end. Calloway made the other 4 starts, and also started 8 games at right tackle, once again in place of Pettigrew.

Ernie only played 5 games in 1972 (all starts), and I recall that he missed most of the season due to injury. In early 1973 he was traded to the Chiefs for defensive end Gerry Philbin, but Pro-Football-Reference.com doesn't have any further NFL time for him after 1972.

He also played for the WFL's Florida Blazers in 1974. He was given a look-see by the Saints in 1976, but did not make the team.

This is his only football card - from the 1973 set.


Where's Waldo Ernie?

Notice he wore #57 as a rookie, before switching to #77.