Ike Kelley - MLB

Dwight "Ike" Kelley was a middle linebacker by trade, but was used almost exclusively on special teams. (Maybe his 5'11" height had something to do with that?)

He was a 17th-round pick in 1966, and played in 67 games over the next 6 seasons.  He played every game in '66, '67, '69, and '71, and 11 games in 1970. (Ike missed the entire 1968 season, and 3 games in 1970 due to injury.)

He only had 7 career starts - 3 in each of his first two seasons, and 1 in his last season.

Kelley spent the entire 1972 season on injured reserve, and was cut during training camp in 1973.

Being a special teams player, Kelley never had a football card. Apparently Topps changed their thinking in 1971, since that set includes a number of kick returners who rarely started games (including the Eagles' Billy Walik).

Where's Waldo Ike?

Harold Wells - LB

Harold Wells was an undrafted free agent from Purdue when he signed with the Eagles in 1965.

He played in every game for the Eagles for the next 4 seasons, including starting every game at right linebacker from 1966-68.

After 3 seasons as a regular, he was cut during 1969's training camp. That seems a bit odd, given the shortage of linebackers the team had during 1968.

The record shows he was quickly picked up and released by the Giants. The Falcons also took a look at him in 1970, but he never played again after his Eagles' career.

Wells had no football cards made by Philly Gum or Topps. This is a custom card by RetroCards that I just got last month as part of their 1968 Eagles set.


Where's Waldo Harold?

Ron Medved - S

Ron Medved was drafted in the 14th round by the Eagles in 1966, after a 3-year career at the University of Washington as a running back and punter.

With the Eagles, he was a backup safety for 5 seasons (1966-70), playing behind Nate Ramsey and Joe Scarpati (and in 1970, Ramsey and the newly-acquired Steve Preece). He started 3 games in each of his first two seasons.

For part of the 1968 season, he was a starting outside linebacker, as injuries devastated the linebacking corps that year.

Medved started 6 games in 1970, which was a lucky break for him. (Long-time free safety Scarpati was traded to make room for 2nd-year man Bill Bradley, but Bradley missed most of the season with injuries. Safeties Ramsey and Preece each started 10 games, but Ramsey missed the final 3 games after being shot on the streets of Philadelphia.)

Despite his increased playing time in 1970 (and Ramsey moving to cornerback in 1971), Medved was waived during training camp in 1971, ending his career.

After reading recent accounts of Tim Rossovich following his death, it sounds like Medved may have been Tim's wingman for their off-field adventures.

As a career backup, Medved had no football cards.


Where's Waldo Ron?

1966 Eagles

Previously, I posted the Eagles cards for 1967, 1968, and 1969. I didn't start with the 1966 set because last year I only had a few of them, but I recently completed my Eagles' sets for 1964-66.

I didn't collect any kind of sports cards in 1966 - that all began in 1967. Prior to that, I was collecting Batman, Beatles, Combat, World War II, McHale's Navy, and Green Berets cards. A few Munsters, Superman, and Monkees cards may have also made their way onto my radar. My brother and I also made our own cards - cutting pictures of monsters out of magazines and comic books, and gluing them onto small pieces of cardboard to make "Castle of Frankenstein" cards! 

The Eagles finished in 2nd place in the 8-team East Division with a 9-5 record in 1966. It would be their last winning season until 1978. Meanwhile, they were winning 2 games in '68 and '72, and 3 games in 1970.

The Birds had ONE All-Pro player on the 1966 team - tackle Bob Brown. In addition to Brown, DT Floyd Peters also made the Pro Bowl.

Tight end Pete Retzlaff played the final season of his 11-year career, and Timmy Brown was on the last of his 5 productive seasons as the team's top running back, a string that included 3 Pro Bowl appearances.

What could also be considered a highlight is that QB Norm Snead threw an Eagles-career low 11 interceptions. That number would spike up to the 20-24 range for his last 4 seasons as an Eagle. On second thought, it's probably because he only played 10 games. 2nd-string QB King Hill and 3rd-stringer Jack Concannon each started 2 games.

After the season, the Eagles acquired All-Pro tight end Mike Ditka from the Bears. They offered Chicago their choice of either of their 3 quarterbacks, and the Bears chose 3rd-string Concannon!


Here are all the 1966 Eagles' cards. From 1964-67, Philadelphia Gum (not Topps) made the NFL cards. (Each team had 11 player cards, plus a team photo card and a play card.)

Split end Ray Poage missed the entire season with injuries, and was replaced in the starting lineup by Fred Hill. Poage was traded to the expansion Saints after the season.

Maxie Baughan and cornerback Irv Cross were both traded to the Rams in separate deals prior to the 1966 season.

Earl Gros is tackled before crossing the goal line.

Ron Goodwin - FL/SE

Ron Goodwin was the Eagles' 16th-round draft pick in 1963. He played 6 seasons for the Eagles, the first 4 as a starter.

Goodwin played 10 games in his rookie season, starting them all. He was the team's split end for that one year, and wore #31.

In 1964 he changed numbers (to #81) and positions (to flanker, but was it really that much different?)

(I just noticed that in 1966, Goodwin started 9 games at flanker, while Fred Hill started 8 games at split end. Rookie Ben Hawkins started 12 games, presumably at both positions, so it seems Hawk made more starts that season than the "starters", but still was #4 among the four ends, with slightly less receptions and yards than the #3 end Goodwin.)

In 1967 Hawkins took over the flanker spot (with newly-acquired Gary Ballman and Mike Ditka manning SE and TE), so Goodwin spent his final 2 seasons as a bench player.

After retiring from the Eagles, he earned his law degree and began practicing law.

He passed away in 2013 at age 72.

Goodwin's only football card came in the 1964 Philly Gum set.


Where's Waldo Ron?

.

Dave Recher - C

Another backup Eagles' offensive lineman named Dave, without a football card...

Dave Recher was the Eagles' backup center from 1965 to 1968, playing in 46 games but starting none. The first photo is from his rookie season, when he wore #51.

After playing all 14 games, he was selected by the Falcons in the 1966 expansion draft.

Dave never played for the Falcons, and must have been released as there is no record of a trade. He returned to the Eagles in 1966 and played in 10 games, now wearing #50.

Recher also played every game in 1967, and 8 games in 1968. His roster spot was taken by rookie Mike Evans, who played 6 games (4 starts) in 1968.


Where's Waldo Dave?

Dave Graham - T

Dave Graham was an offensive tackle for the Eagles. He was the team's 13th-round pick in the 1960 draft, but did not play until the 1963 season. It seems he was drafted as a future (but 2 years early?), because he was still playing college ball in 1961.

Graham played 6 seasons in the NFL, all with the Eagles (1963-66, 68-69). He missed the '67 and '70 seasons due to injuries.

He played in 83 games, starting 31 of them.  Graham was the starting left tackle during his first 2 seasons, playing in 27 of the 28 games, and starting 22 of them.

Before the 1965 season, the Eagles acquired tackle Lane Howell from the Giants. With Howell taking over the LT job, and All-Pro Bob Brown already on the right side, there was nowhere for Graham to go but to the bench.

Dave played every game in '65, '66, '68, and '69, but only started 9 games after 1964, split between the '65 and '66 seasons.

He hung on as a backup for several more seasons, but was waived injured at the end of training camp in 1970, ending his career. His spot was taken by rookie Dick Stevens, also an Eagles' 13th-round pick (in 1970).

Graham did not appear on any Topps or Philly Gum football cards.


Where's Waldo Dave?

Vince Papale - WR

Vince Papale's Eagles' career was after the time period of this blog, but I'm going to make an exception.

I knew of Papale before he became famous as an Eagle. Back then I was on my high school's track team, and one of our opponents was Interboro High School, where Vince was the track coach. Later, he played for the Philadelphia Bell in the WFL, and yadda yadda yadda.

 (Some of his Philadelphia Bell teammates included ex-Eagles Ben Hawkins, Tim Rossovich, Ron Porter, and Vern Winfield.)

Papale only had one Topps card as a player (1977), but RetroCards has made these custom cards, which I bought last year:

"Invincible" is one of my favorite movies of the past 20 years, and I have watched it several times. (I actually have it on DVD, but it is broadcast so often that I think I've only watched the DVD once.)

I realize that "Hollywood" has jazzed up the movie somewhat, but here are some errors I noticed while watching:

1. Papale was from Glenolden, PA, not South Philadelphia.
2. The movie completely ignores his time in the WFL.
3. The touchdown he scored on a fumbled punt in his 2nd game (also seen in "real" footage in the closing credits) was called back.
4. His eventual friend Dennis Franks was also a rookie in Papale's 1st season, not a veteran like he implies in the movie ("Coach is putting each rookie with a veteran").
5. Besides Franks, the movie shows (as actors in non-speaking roles) Roman Gabriel, Mike Boryla, Tom Sullivan, Art Malone, Mike Hogan, Harold Carmichael, Charlie Smith, Guy Morriss, Jerry Sisemore, Wade Key, Dennis Nelson, Horst Muhlmann, Manny Sistrunk, Carl Hairston, Pete Lazetich, Bill Dunstan, Bill Bergey, Frank Lemaster, Terry Tautolo, Bill Bradley, and Larry Marshall, but there were no actual Eagles named "German" or "Banks" (two of his tormentors in the movie).
6. A white player named "Hogan" is shown sitting on the bench, but Mike Hogan was black.
7. "Bergey" is shown lining up on the kickoff coverage team, but I seriously doubt the team's starting middle linebacker would be playing on special teams.

8. I also read somewhere that Papale's wife Janet was not a bartender, but was an Olympic diver. Also, they married more than 10 years after his playing career was over. Meanwhile, he married another (2nd wife) while playing for the Eagles.

Ahh... Hollywood screenwriters.


Other stuff you may already know:
The real Vince Papale is shown briefly as a coach in the background during the 1st training camp workout.
The dude in the green cape at the public tryout is Tony Luke Jr, of Tony Luke's Steaks in Philadelphia.


I always knew I had a card of Dennis Franks with the Lions, but I thought it was from the 1973 set.

Tim Rossovich - DE/MLB

Tim Rossovich played for the Eagles for 4 seasons, and was a starter the entire time - first at defensive end, then at middle linebacker.

Tim was the Eagles' #1 pick in the 1968 draft, and became the starting left end as a rookie.  He played in all but 1 game during his 4 seasons with the Birds, missing a game in his final season.

Rossovich was a character off the field, known for setting his hair on fire, and other zany stunts like eating glass.

In 1969 he started every game, and was named to the Pro Bowl.

After 5 games in 1970, he was moved to middle linebacker, replacing the veteran Dave Lloyd. He started 13 games that season, and 12 of his 13 games in 1971.

During training camp in 1972, Rossovich and safety Bill Bradley decided to hold out together, thinking they would have more leverage in contract negotiations. The Eagles solved that problem by dealing Tim to the Chargers, then Bradley quickly caved and returned to the team.

After starting at middle linebacker for the Chargers in '72 and '73, he returned to Philadelphia with the WFL's Bell for the '74 and '75 seasons. When that league folded, he moved on to the Houston Oilers for his final season in 1976.

 Rosso "went Hollywood" after his playing career, appearing in various TV shows and movies.

He passed away in 2018 at age 72.

These are his only Eagles' cards - from 1970 and 1971.

Where's Waldo Tim?

Ron Porter - LB

Ron Porter was an outside linebacker who played for the Eagles from 1969-1972. He was a starter for all 4 seasons.

Porter was the Colts' 5th-round pick in 1967. After 2+ seasons in Baltimore he was traded to the Eagles for a 3rd-round pick after playing 2 games in 1969.

Ron was installed as the right-side starter and started 9 of his 10 games for the Eagles in 1969. He started every game the following season, and 11 of his 12 games in 1971.

Porter moved to the left side in 1972, and started all 14 games in his final season with the Birds.

He was traded to the Vikings in September 1973.

Porter also played in the WFL with the Chicago Fire (1974) and Philadelphia Bell (1975).

This is Porter's only football card - in 1973, which he spent with the Vikings.

Where's Waldo Ron?
 (I assumed this was a 1969 pre-season photo, but Porter did not join the team until October.)

Note: I added Ron Goodwin to the Memorial Sidebar today.

Harold Jackson - WR

Harold Jackson was a starting wide receiver for the Eagles from 1969 to 1972, and was probably the best player on the team during his time there.

Jackson was the Rams' 12th-round pick in 1968. He rarely played (2 games) in his rookie season.

In July 1969 he was traded to the Eagles for disgruntled running back Izzy Lang. Jackson immediately assumed a starting spot in the Eagles' lineup, and caught 65 passes while leading the NFL with 1116 receiving yards in 1969.

Harold played every game in his 4 seasons with the team, starting all but 2 games. He made the Pro Bowl as an Eagle in '69 and '72.

In 1972 he led the NFL in both catches (61) and receiving yards (1048).

Jackson returned to the Rams in June 1973 as part of the Roman Gabriel trade. He made 3 more Pro Bowls in his 5-year 2nd stint with LA. He later played for the Patriots, Vikings, and Seahawks,

(Jackson was replaced in the Eagles' lineup by Harold Carmichael, who then led the NFL in catches and yards in his first season as a starter.)

Jackson's first 4 cards are in the 1970-1973 sets (although by 1973 he was with the Rams).


Where's Waldo Harold?

Adrian Young - LB

Adrian Young was an outside linebacker for the Eagles from 1968-72. He played for the Eagles for 5 seasons, and was a starter for 1 season (starting all 14 games in 1970).

Young was the Birds' 3rd-round pick in 1968, out of USC. He was selected 2 rounds after his USC teammate Tim Rossovich. He started 3 games as a rookie, and 5 games in 1969. (He also missed much of the 1969 season with torn knee ligaments suffered in training camp.)

After starting all the games in 1970 on the left side, he only started 2 games in 1971 before missing most of that season with injuries. He played 1 game in 1972, then was cut in October.

He soon hooked on with the Lions and played 10 games for them. After the '72 season, he was traded to the Saints, but when waived in September 1973 he landed with the Bears, playing 2 games for them in his final NFL season.

Young also played with the WFL Hawaiians in 1974.

Young only had 1 Topps football card, which erroneously depicted punter Rick Duncan, who played for the Eagles in 1 game in 1968. (I'm not sure why Topps had a Rick Duncan photo handy, let alone mistaking him for Adrian Young.)

Another blogger created a "correction card" for Young in the 1971 style, using a photo I had found for him on the interwebs. (Young is getting blocked by future Eagles coach Rich Kotite.)

"Yo Adrian!"

Audience Participation Time

Ok, let's see if there's anyone out there.

Who is your favorite Eagle from the 1966-75 timeframe? Let's exclude players that were still around for the Dick Vermeil (and the 1980 Super Bowl) era, as those will probably be no-brainers. (That means no Carmichael, Bergey, Gabriel, Sisemore, and Morriss.)

Since there is no poll widget, just use the comments.

Israel Lang - HB

"Izzy" Lang played for the Eagles for 5 seasons, and was their starting halfback for 2 seasons.

Lang was the Eagles' 18th-round pick in the 1964 draft. After 3 seasons behind Timmy Brown, Izzy was the team's starting halfback in 1967 and 1968. (Actually, Lang only started 7 games in '68. Rookie Cyril Pinder started 5 games that season.)

After contract squabbles, in July 1969 Lang was traded to the Rams for wide receiver Harold Jackson. (What a steal for the Eagles!)

The record shows Lang played 12 games for the Rams in 1969, but started none. His season totals were 1 rush for 1 yard. (I guess he was strictly a special teams player, stuck behind RBs Larry Smith, Les Josephson, Tommy Mason, and Willie Ellison.)

He only had 4 kick returns (3rd on the team), so maybe he was relegated to gunner?

In May 1970 he was traded to the Broncos, but never played for them.

Where's Waldo Izzy?

RIP - Nate Ramsey

Nate Ramsey, an Eagles'  defensive back from 1963-72, passed away on March 8, 2019 at age 77.

Ramsey was a starting DB for the Birds for all but part of his rookie season.

In December 1970 Ramsey was shot on the streets of Philadelphia. He missed 3 games that season, but recovered in time to start all 14 games the next year.

He finished his career with the Saints in 1973.

Obituary

Irv Cross - CB

Irv Cross was the Eagles' starting right cornerback from 1962-65 and again in his final season of 1969. He played 6 seasons for the Birds, 5 as a starter.

Cross was the Eagles' 7th-round pick in 1961. After a year on special teams, he started at right corner from 1962-65, making the Pro Bowl during the last 2 seasons.

In June 1966, Irv was traded to the Rams for defensive back Aaron Martin and running back Willie Brown. (Martin only played 2 seasons with the Eagles, and was their starting left cornerback in 1967. Brown only played 7 games for the Eagles in 1966, and had no rushes from scrimmage.)

Meanwhile, Cross started all but 2 games over the next 3 seasons for the Rams as their right cornerback. (Advantage Rams!) 

Irv returned to the Eagles for his final season of 1969, as one of 3 players acquired from the Rams in the Bob Brown trade.

He retired after starting all 14 games in 1969, and was an Eagles' coach for a short time before becoming a network broadcaster, working with Brent Musberger and Phyllis George, as I recall.

Cross had Eagles' cards in 1964, 65, and 66.


Where's Waldo Irv?

Ed Blaine - G

Staying on the offensive line a bit longer, today I am featuring Ed Blaine, the Eagles' starting left guard from 1963-66. Blaine didn't have any football cards, so these photos found on the internet will have to do.

Blaine was drafted by the Packers in the 2nd round in 1962. He played in every game as a rookie, but started none.  (Some guys named Kramer and Thurston were ahead of him!)

In September 1963 he was traded to the Eagles. Ed played every game during his 4 seasons with the Birds, and started all but one game in '63 and one game in '66.

He retired after the 1966 season, at age 26. He had always intended to only play 5 seasons, then become a doctor. Eventually he became one of the country's leading pharmaceutical researchers.

Where's Waldo Ed?

Jim Ringo - C

Jim Ringo was a Hall of Fame center who played for the Eagles from 1964-67, starting all 56 games during that 4-year span.

Ringo was the Packers' 7th-round pick in 1953, and played for the Pack from 1953-63. He was their starting center in all but his rookie season, and made the Pro Bowl in his last 7 seasons with Green Bay. He was also named 1st-team All-Pro in 6 of those 7 seasons.

As the story goes, after the 1963 season he went into Vince Lombardi's office to negotiate a pay raise. Lombardi excused himself for a few minutes, and when he returned to his office, he notified Ringo that he had just been traded - and to the lowly Eagles to boot. (Lombardi pulled a similar move on Jim Taylor 3 years later.)

The Eagles also got fullback Earl Gros in the deal, in exchange for linebacker Lee Roy Caffey and a first-round pick that ended up being running back Donny Anderson.

Ringo anchored the Eagles' offensive line for the next 4 seasons, then retired. He made 3 more Pro Bowls as an Eagle. He had started EVERY game from 1955 to 1967.

Jim was the Buffalo Bills' head coach for the '76 and '77 seasons. After that he was an offensive line coach for the Patriots (1979-81) and the Bills (1984-88).

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981. He was only the 2nd center to be inducted whose career was primarily after the 1940s. (Jim Otto having been inducted in 1980.)

Ringo passed away in 2007, 2 days before his 76th birthday.

These are Ringo's only Eagles' cards ('65, '66).


Where's Waldo Jim?

Lane Howell - T

Book-ending the Eagles' O-line along with Bob Brown for the 2nd half of the 1960s was Lane Howell.

Howell was the Giants' 15th-round pick in the 1963 draft. After two seasons as a reserve, he was traded to the Eagles for guard Pete Case.

Incidentally, the Eagles' top 3 picks in 1963 were all offensive linemen: 
#1 - G Ed Budde, who signed with the Chiefs and was a 7-time Pro Bowler in his 14-year career. 
#2 - C Ray Mansfield, who after 1 year as a reserve was sold to the Steelers and was their starting center through 1976. 
#3 -  C Dave Crossan, who didn't play for the Eagles, but was the Redskins' backup center from 1965-69. 

Howell played his final 5 seasons with the Eagles, and was the starting left tackle for all those years. He played 64 games for the Eagles, starting 58 of them.

Lane was cut at the end of training camp in 1970, The record shows he was claimed by the Rams, but released 2 weeks later, not having played any games for Los Angeles. (The record also shows the Eagles re-signed him in July 1971, but he didn't make the team.)

Howell passed away in January 2018 at age 76.

He had 2 brothers who also played in the NFL: Mike was a defensive back for the Browns from 1965-72, and Delles was a cornerback for the Saints and Jets from 1970-75.

Howell did not appear on any football cards issued by Topps or Philadelphia Gum. This is a custom 1966 card made by RetroCards, which I purchased along with 8 other 1966-style Eagles cards.

Where's Waldo Lane?

Bob Brown - T

Bob Brown was an All-Pro tackle for the Eagles from 1964 to 1968. He was the Eagles' #1 pick (2nd overall) in the 1964 draft, and started every game at right tackle during his 5 seasons with the Birds, except for missing 6 games in 1967 due to injury.

Brown was also the #1 pick (4th overall) of the Broncos in the AFL draft. Denver had the #1 overall pick, but traded down to #4, sending the top pick to Boston (which turned out to be QB Jack Concannon - who also signed with the Eagles!) . So the Eagles spanked both the Broncos and the Patriots in that draft!

"The Boomer" was named 1st-team All-Pro 3 times as an Eagle (all but his rookie season and the injury-shortened 1967). At 6'4", 280 lbs, he was huge for an O-lineman at that time.
Other top tackles of the day: Forrest Gregg (250 lbs), Ron Mix (250), Dick Schafrath (253), Rayfield Wright (255), Art Shell (265).

After the 1968 season, the Eagles were sold to Leonard Tose, and a new GM (Pete Retzlaff) and new head coach (Jerry Williams) were hired. Brown made it known he would not play for a team having Retzlaff as the GM. Did he think Pete was incompetent? A racist? Maybe some bad blood from their days as teammates? Inquiring minds want to know.

Brown was traded to the Rams in May 1969 (along with cornerback Jim Nettles) for CB Irv Cross, T Joe Carollo, and G Don Chuy. All 3 ex-Rams were near the end of their careers, with Cross and Chuy only playing 1 season each for the Eagles, and Carollo playing 2 seasons before returning to the Rams.

Meanwhile, Bob was again named 1st-team All-Pro in his 2 seasons with the Rams. He finished his career with 3 seasons in Oakland, making the Pro Bowl during his first season there. Brown was the Rams' or Raiders' starting right tackle for all those seasons.

He retired after the 1973 season, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Here are his only Eagles cards ('66, '67). He also had cards as a Ram and Raider.


I looked up "Badass Mo-fo" in the dictionary, and this picture came up!

Where's Waldo Bob?