1971: Eagles Acquire Ronnie Bull from Bears

On July 21, 1971 the Chicago Bears parted company with a player who had spent nine years with them, trading RB Ronnie Bull to the Philadelphia Eagles for an undisclosed draft choice that turned out to be a #5 pick in 1973 (it was used for DB Allan Ellis from UCLA).

Bull demonstrated all-purpose skills at Baylor and was the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 1962 NFL draft (third overall by the Dallas Texans of the AFL). He started his rookie season as a reserve defensive back until HB Willie Galimore suffered a knee injury. Bull rushed for 363 yards, caught 31 passes for another 331 yards, returned nine kickoffs for a 26.1-yard average, and received NFL Rookie of the Year honors from UPI and The Sporting News.

Bull split time with Galimore at halfback again in 1963, particularly early in the season when injuries were again a factor, and rushed for 404 yards on 117 carries as the Bears won the NFL Championship. Galimore was tragically killed in an auto accident during training camp in ’64 and veteran HB Jon Arnett was obtained from the Rams, again cutting into the playing time of Bull, who was hindered by a preseason injury. Bull lacked ideal speed for the halfback position and, while a good blocker, was small at 6’0” and 200 pounds to play fullback. The arrival of sensational rookie HB Gale Sayers in 1965 relegated Bull to fullback, and he ran for 417 yards while averaging a career-high 4.6 yards per carry.

The next two years were not so productive but, in 1968, Bull achieved a career high with 472 rushing yards on 107 attempts (4.4 avg.). Sayers suffered a season-ending knee injury in the ninth game and Bull and HB Brian Piccolo picked up the slack, to good effect. But Bull suffered a knee injury in 1969 that limited him to six games and required surgery. He rushed for just 214 yards on 68 carries in ’70 at age 30, and with running backs drafted in the first two rounds for 1971, the stage was set for his departure from Chicago.

As for the Eagles, coming off of four straight losing records, they had gotten fair production out of HB Cyril Pinder in 1970 and, while rookie FB Lee Bouggess averaged only 2.5 yards per carry, he caught 50 passes for 401 yards. But star FB Tom Woodeshick had gone down with a season-ending knee injury in the sixth week and there was little in the way of depth, and as a group the backs drew the ire of Head Coach Jerry Williams for not running well when getting into the open field – although they were not helped by the deficiencies of the offensive line.

But Pinder, who had indicated his intention to play out his option and was out of favor with Philadelphia’s front office, was traded to the Bears for two draft picks just prior to the regular season. The Eagles started the season with Bouggess and Woodeshick, but Bouggess proved to be no more adept as a runner from scrimmage than he had been as a rookie and missed six games due to injury while Woodeshick was only a shell of the Pro Bowl-caliber ball carrier that he had once been. The team as a whole got off to a woeful start and Coach Williams was fired after the third week and replaced by Ed Khayat.

Bull carried the ball just 11 times in the first five games before gaining 72 yards on 17 attempts against the Giants in a 23-7 Week 6 win, the club’s first of the year. He scored his only touchdown of the year two weeks later on a 12-yard pass reception at Washington, a game that ended in a 7-7 tie. Bull was most active in the last five games of the season, running 14 times for a season-high 73 yards in the rematch against the Redskins and totaling 52 carries for 223 yards (4.3 avg.) in all during those contests. The team won four of those games on the way to a 6-7-1 record. Bull finished with 351 rushing yards, a modest enough total but enough to lead the club.

It was a fitting end to a long, workmanlike career. Bull retired following the season, finishing with ten NFL seasons that resulted in 3222 yards on 881 carries (3.7 avg.), 172 catches for 1479 yards (8.6 avg.), seven completions out of 20 option pass attempts for 158 yards and a TD, and 18 kickoff returns for a 21.3-yard average. He scored a total of 14 touchdowns.  

Highlighted Year: Emerson Boozer, 1967

Halfback, New York Jets

Age: 24

2^nd season in pro football & with Jets

College: Maryland State College (now Maryland Eastern Shore)

Height: 5’11” Weight: 207

Prelude:

Boozer rushed for 2537 yards and 22 touchdowns in college, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He was chosen by the Jets in the sixth round of the 1966 AFL draft (the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the seventh round of the NFL draft) and, brought along slowly by Head Coach Weeb Ewbank and nagged early on by a foot injury, rushed for 455 yards on 97 carries (4.7 avg.). With his speed and outstanding balance, he proved to be a much-needed outside runner to complement FB Matt Snell and was chosen to the AFL All-Star Game. He got off to a sensational start in 1967 before being felled by a knee injury in the season’s eighth game.

1967 Season Summary

Appeared in 8 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 119 [9]

Most attempts, game – 18 (for 44 yds.) at Denver 9/24, (for 98 yds.) vs. Oakland 10/7, (for 65 yds.) vs. Houston 10/15

Yards – 442 [11]

Most yards, game – 98 yards (on 18 carries) vs. Oakland 10/7

Average gain – 3.7 [12]

TDs – 10 [1]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 12

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 109 yds.) vs. Miami 10/1

Yards – 205

Most yards, game – 109 (on 5 catches) vs. Miami 10/1

Average gain – 17.1

TDs – 3 [18, tied with seven others]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 11 [17, tied with Bobby Leo]

Yards – 213 [19]

Most yards, game – 74 (on 4 ret.) vs. Houston 10/15

Average per return – 19.4

TDs – 0

Longest return – 28 yards

Scoring

TDs – 13 [1]

Points – 78 [6]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-AFL: Sporting News

Jets went 8-5-1 to finish second in the AFL Eastern Division while leading the league in total yards (5152) and passing yards (3845).

Aftermath:

Injuries would remain a chronic problem for Boozer. In 1968, after a slow start he came back to rush for 441 yards and gain AFL All-Star Game honors as the Jets won the AFL Championship. He played a total of ten seasons, all with the Jets, performing well when healthy and co-leading the NFL in touchdowns with 14 in 1972. Boozer, who became a capable blocker, had a high of 831 rushing yards in ’73 despite diminished speed. Overall, he rushed for a then-franchise record 5135 yards on 1291 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 139 passes for 1488 yards (10.7 avg.), scoring a total of 65 TDs. Boozer was inducted into the Maryland Eastern Shore Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1963: Giants Obtain Hugh McElhenny from Vikings

In his prime, HB Hugh McElhenny was arguably the most electrifying open field runner in the NFL. He was fast, elusive, and with outstanding cutting ability that made his breakaway runs, in which he often crisscrossed the field, highlight favorites. But by the time he was acquired by the New York Giants on July 17, 1963 he had played for 11 seasons and the cartilage had worn out in his left knee.

Obtaining the 34-year-old McElhenny from the Minnesota Vikings for two future draft picks (fourth round in 1964, second round in ’65) was thus considered a gamble, but one the Giants were willing to take to add depth to their corps of running backs. While the passing game directed by QB Y.A. Tittle had been outstanding as the club topped the Eastern Conference in 1961 and ’62, the running attack was less formidable. The starting halfback was Phil King, a workmanlike fifth-year pro with a history of injury problems. FB Alex Webster was 32 and, while a proven power runner, was on the downside of his career. Backing up was the versatile but unexciting Joe Morrison, and no younger prospects had shown staying power. Head Coach Allie Sherman was especially interested in finding someone with outside speed, and there was hope that McElhenny still had something left in that regard.

The 6’1”, 195-pound halfback was reunited with his ex-49er teammate Tittle with the Giants. “The King” was a first-round draft choice out of the University of Washington when he joined San Francisco in 1952, and made an immediate impression when he averaged seven yards a carry and scored a total of ten touchdowns as a rookie. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in each of his first two seasons. An excellent complement to FB Joe Perry, McElhenny was at his best on draw plays and screen passes. Over the course of nine years with the 49ers, was chosen to five Pro Bowls as he rushed for 4288 yards on 877 carries, for a 4.9-yard average with 35 TDs, caught 195 passes for 2666 yards (13.7 avg.) and 15 scores, averaged 6.5 yards on 99 punt returns that included another touchdown and 23.0 yards on 65 kickoff returns. Overall, that was a total of 9100 all-purpose yards and 51 TDs.

With the 49ers on a youth movement, McElhenny joined the expansion Vikings in 1961. There he gained 570 yards on the ground, tied his career high with 37 pass receptions, and returned a punt for a touchdown. He was named to one last Pro Bowl, but advancing age and bad knees took their toll the following year.

As a backup for the Giants, McElhenny was often unable to practice due to his knee problems, but he proved useful off the bench. In the opening-week win over the Colts, McElhenny caught a touchdown pass and he had his biggest performance in a midseason showdown with the Browns at Cleveland. He ran the ball 13 times for 53 yards, both season highs, caught one pass for a six-yard TD, and returned a kickoff 51 yards as the Giants won decisively. Meanwhile, Webster managed to play in just half of the games, with Morrison forced to thus fill in at fullback.

Overall, McElhenny rushed for 175 yards on 55 carries (3.2 avg.), had 11 pass receptions for 91 yards and two TDs, and had an additional 210 yards returning kicks. The Giants won the Eastern Conference for a third straight year before bowing to the Bears in the NFL Championship game. McElhenny provided one highlight in that contest by returning a kickoff 47 yards, in addition to gaining 19 yards on seven rushing attempts and catching two passes for 20 yards.

“The King” returned in 1964 but failed to make the team, and caught on with the Detroit Lions in what was his final year.  He retired after having gained 11,369 all-purpose yards, one of only three players up to that time to have crossed the 11,000-yard threshold. McElhenny was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.

As for the draft choices the Vikings obtained for McElhenny, the fourth round pick in 1964 was used to take tackle Tom Keating from Michigan, who joined Buffalo of the AFL instead and had his best years as a DT with the Oakland Raiders. The 1965 second-round selection brought Illinois OT Archie Sutton, who lasted for three seasons as a backup with the Vikings and appeared in a total of 19 games.

Highlighted Year: Erich Barnes, 1961

Cornerback, New York Giants

Age: 26

4^th season in pro football, 1^st with Giants

College: Purdue

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 198

Prelude:

The versatile Barnes played halfback and end on offense in college as well as cornerback on defense. He was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1958 NFL draft and intercepted four passes as a rookie, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Fast and intelligent, Barnes had another five interceptions in ’59 and was named to the Pro Bowl. In a three-team trade following the 1960 season, the Bears traded him to the Rams to obtain QB Bill Wade and LA in turn sent him to the Giants for CB Lindon Crow, who Barnes replaced in the starting lineup.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 7 [5, tied with four others]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Pittsburgh 9/24, at Dallas 10/15

Int. return yards – 195 [1]

Most int. return yards, game – 102 (on 2 int.) at Dallas 10/15

Int. TDs – 2 [1, tied with Jerry Norton, Dale Hackbart & Bill Stacy]

Fumble recoveries – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 2        

Yards – 74

Average gain – 37.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at Green Bay)

Interceptions – 0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, Sporting News, NY Daily News

Pro Bowl

Giants went 10-3-1 to finish first in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in interceptions (33), turnovers (54), and fewest points allowed (220). Lost NFL Championship to Green Bay Packers (37-0).

Aftermath:

Barnes went to the Pro Bowl following each of the next three seasons and he received second-team All-NFL honors after intercepting six passes in 1962. He made up half of an outstanding cornerback tandem with Dick Lynch, but with the Giants dropping to the bottom of the standings in ’64 and looking to rebuild, Barnes was traded to Cleveland in 1965 at age 30. He spent seven seasons with the Browns and was chosen to one last Pro Bowl in 1968. Overall, over the course of 14 years, Barnes intercepted 45 passes, seven of which he returned for touchdowns. Of those totals, 18 interceptions and three TDs came with the Giants. He received at least some first-team All-NFL recognition five times and was named to six Pro Bowls, achieving that honor with all three teams for which he played.  

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1940: Third "Major" AFL Holds Organizational Meeting

Two competitor leagues to the NFL called the American Football League had already come and gone when a third circuit of that name held an organizational meeting on July 13, 1940.

The third AFL had actually taken the field in 1938 as the renamed Midwest Football League and by 1939 had eight teams, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Bulldogs franchises that had existed in the second American Football League. But this new AFL had been considered a minor league centered in the Midwest, along with the Bulldogs (who moved on to the Pacific Coast Football League). On the eve of the meeting to plan the 1940 season, representatives of Boston, Buffalo, and New York City announced the formation of a new AFL that included the Cincinnati, Columbus, and Milwaukee clubs from the ’39 entity. St. Louis and Kenosha were denied entry, although the Kenosha Cardinals were allowed to play a slate of exhibition games and existed as an independent club afterward.

The next month William D. Griffith, former publicity director at Ohio State, was named league president and a schedule was released. During a time period when there were other minor league circuits of good quality, the Pacific Coast Football League and the American Football Association, the 1940 AFL at least presented itself as a major league in competition with the NFL.

Two holdover clubs from the previous season proved to be the strongest in the reconstituted AFL. The Milwaukee Chiefs got off to a 3-0 start and battled with the Columbus Bullies for the top spot. The Chiefs had an outstanding runner in FB Al Novakofski and league All-Stars in end Sherman Barnes and tackle Bob Eckl, who also led the circuit with five field goals.

Columbus had the league’s scoring leader in HB Nelson Peterson. The Bullies also had All-Stars in guard Jim Karcher and center Joe Aleskus. They managed to stay even with the Chiefs after dropping their opening game and, when Milwaukee lost two straight, moved into first place and never relinquished it. Columbus won the AFL title with an 8-1-1 record and the Chiefs placed second at 7-2.

The Boston Bears were the only other club to put together a winning record, at 5-4-1, and had the AFL’s All-Star quarterback in Andy Karpus. The New York Yankees, Buffalo Indians, and Cincinnati Bengals rounded out the standings at 4-5, 2-8, and 1-7 respectively. The Yankees had the league’s second-ranked scorer in HB Bill Hutchinson and end Harlan Gustafson tied with Novakofski for the most touchdowns with six. The Indians managed to score only 45 points and Cincinnati was barely better with 53.

All in all it had been an encouraging season for the AFL, even if it was not very successful at prying talent away from the NFL and was not qualitatively much better than the avowedly minor league circuit of 1939. Looking to 1941, the league announced that it would hold a special draft aimed at corralling the 50 top college stars, with the inducement of giving the prospects the opportunity to play with the team of their choice. The gambit failed, as did talk of expanding. Thus, the league was actually down to five teams for the ’41 season with Boston dropping out just prior to the opening game.

New York provided notoriety when, under new ownership, it went after Texas A & M All-American fullback John Kimbrough (pictured at top). The club eventually signed him, but there were further problems when the league forced a change in the team ownership. Now called the Americans, New York was able to finally get Kimbrough on the field in mid-October, along with Michigan’s Heisman Trophy-winning HB Tom Harmon. It was a publicity bonanza and 25,000 fans attended their debut performance against Columbus at Yankee Stadium. Harmon went into the service following his single appearance, although Kimbrough played well the rest of the way and achieved All-League honors. The Americans topped the AFL in attendance but not in the standings as they finished at 5-2-1 and second to the Bullies, who repeated as league champs with a 5-1-2 tally, benefiting from the outstanding play of QB Bob Davis. Milwaukee went 4-3-1 while Buffalo and Cincinnati again claimed the bottom two slots at 2-6 and 1-5-2.

With the attack on Pearl Harbor bringing the country into World War II, the league ultimately decided to suspend operations for the duration of the conflict and never returned.  It quickly faded into history, and there has long been debate as to whether this version of the AFL was truly the major league that it claimed to be. The All-America Football Conference that came into being in 1946 was a far more significant rival to the NFL and it would remain until the 1960s for a circuit called the American Football League to have staying power.

Highlighted Year: Tom Blanchard, 1974

Punter, New Orleans Saints

Age: 26

4^th season in pro football, 1^st with Saints

College: Oregon

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Blanchard had problems with an injured knee as a senior and split time with sophomore Dan Fouts, who would go on to a Hall of Fame career as a pro. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 12^th round of the 1971 NFL draft and caught on as the punter. In three years with the Giants, Jennings punted 169 times for a 41.6-yard average, with a high of 42.7 in 1972. He was beaten out by Dave Jennings in the 1974 preseason, but when the Saints cut P Donnie Gibbs following the first game, Blanchard took his place.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 88 [4]

Most punts, game – 10 at Atlanta 10/20

Yards – 3704 [2]

Average – 42.1 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 47.5 (on 6 punts) vs. LA Rams 11/17

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 71 yards

Saints went 5-9 to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Blanchard spent another four seasons with the Saints and averaged 41.3 yards on 447 punts. He again led the NFC with a 42.4-yard average in 1977 and proved adept at dropping punts inside the 20. The arrival of kicker Russell Erxleben, a first-round draft choice in 1979, caused the Saints to trade Blanchard to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he remained for the last three years of his career. An injury finished his ’81 season in the third week and he was released afterward. Overall, he averaged 41.3 yards on 819 punts for his career. Blanchard returned to his hometown of Grants Pass, Oregon and coached high school football for 18 years, as well as softball.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Gino Cappelletti, 1961

Split End/Placekicker, Boston Patriots

Age: 27

2^nd season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Minnesota

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Cappelletti was undrafted by the NFL and played semi-pro football in Canada before failing in a preseason tryout with the Detroit Lions. After sitting out all of 1959, he made the Patriots of the new AFL as a defensive back and placekicker. He intercepted four passes but was successful on just 8 of 21 field goal attempts. Cappelletti was shifted to split end on offense for 1961.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 45 [10]          

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 131 yds.) vs. Houston 10/13

Yards – 768 [9]

Most yards, game – 131 (on 6 catches) vs. Houston 10/13

Average gain – 17.1 [8]

TDs – 8 [5, tied with Don Maynard]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 27

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 0

Kicking

Field goals – 17 [1]

Most field goals, game – 3 at Buffalo 9/23, at NY Titans 10/1

Field goal attempts – 32 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 at NY Titans 10/1

Field goal percentage – 53.1 [2]

PATs – 48 [2]

PAT attempts – 50 [2]

Longest field goal – 46 yards at Buffalo 9/23

Scoring

TDs – 8 [8, tied with five others]

Field Goals – 17

PATs – 48

Points – 147 [1]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-AFL: League, UPI, NY Daily News

AFL All-Star Game

Patriots went 9-4-1 to finish second in the AFL Eastern Division while ranking second in the league in touchdowns (52, tied with San Diego) and scoring (411 points).

Aftermath:

Cappelletti scored 128 points in 1962 and again led the league with 113 in ’63 (and also again in field goals with 22). He was named an AFL All-Star for the second time. Slow but sure-handed, he caught a career-high 49 passes for 865 yards and 7 TDs in 1964 while again topping the circuit with 25 field goals and in scoring with 155 points. He received AFL Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and UPI. Cappelletti led the AFL in scoring over the next two seasons as well (132 points in 1965, 119 in ’66), for a total of five times in all, and had the league’s best field goal percentage in ‘65 (63.0). He was named to the league All-Star game after the ’65 and ’66 seasons. Cappelletti played a total of 11 seasons, all with the Patriots, and scored a total of 1130 points (his 1100 points in the AFL were the most in league history), with a total of 42 TDs, 176 field goals, and 342 extra points. One of 20 players who were in the AFL for all ten seasons, he also finished with 292 pass receptions for 4589 yards.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970