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.

1966 Eagles - Bonus Cards

Recently I posted the 1966 Eagles cards from Philadelphia Gum Co. Here are additional 1966 Eagles, printed and sold by RetroCards.

RetroCards makes vintage cards (mostly football) of players who were missing from the Topps or Philly Gum series. Although their focus seems to be on Cowboys, Packers, and Bears, they have made cards for all the NFL teams in 1963 and 1966.

These were the first cards I bought from them. Subsequently, I also bought the '67 Cowboys and Packers, '68 Eagles and Packers, and '71 Cowboys.

Mike Morgan - LB

Mike Morgan was the Eagles' 17th-round pick in 1964. He played for the Eagles for 4 seasons, starting at left linebacker each year. From 1966 to 1970, he started just over half of his team's games.

He had no interceptions as a rookie, but did return a fumble for a touchdown. He had one interception in each of his other 3 seasons with the Birds.

Morgan was traded to the Redskins after the 1967 season, and then played for the Saints in 1969 and 1970.

He passed away in 1996 at age 54.

Morgan only had one Topps football card (1971, after his career was over). Retrocards has recently included him in their 1966 "Third Series" set.


Where's Waldo Mike?

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.