Tag Archives: captain comeback

Staubach, Roger (2)

Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991, #13

CARD: Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home*
SENT: 6/17 RECEIVED: 7/23 (36 days)
*Fee Enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I got Roger many, many years ago in person at Cowboys training camp, but over the last few years there was a few cards I added to my collection from sets I really wanted to get signed. Staubach was kind enough to sign 1 of 2, but also sent a note back saying not to write to him again.

Staubach was also one of these players whose fee and signing habits changed wildly over the last 20 years. There was also a rumor that he had a ghost signer. While I couldn’t verify whether or not that was true, this autograph is certainly different than the one I got in person back in the 90s.

Staubach, Roger “The Dodger”

Card: ProSet 1990
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992


Reluctantly I went to Cowboys training camp that day. I was in a really bad mood but my neighbor took pity on me and took me up to St. Edwards with his kids. I used to always pack as many players as I could- and I’d also pack their most popular retired players gambling that perhaps one of them would show up. This worked for me twice. First with Harvey Martin and the second time with Roger Staubach. Roger was a killer victory for me. He was quite overwhelmed in the autograph alley- surprised at the reaction he got, but signed quite a few cards. My neighbor got behind me and shoved me through the crowd up to the fence line. Roger saw the card and grabbed it and penned it with his marker. Later I’d open a pack of Proline cards and also find another Staubach autograph in there. Josh was jealous and smacked himself on the head for not going that day, so mercifully I gave Josh the Proline card.

The forerunner to John Elway– Roger Staubach was a Heisman Trophy winner at Navy in 1963. (Roger would be drafted in 1964 by the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and in the NFL by the Dallas Cowboys.) After serving his military duty, Staubach would sign with the Dallas Cowboys in 1969 developing quickly into a star. Staubach was an accurate quarterback who could stretch defenses with his legs. With nicknames like “Roger the Dodger”, “Captain America” ,and “Captain Comeback”, Staubach was originally a part-time change of pace starter with Craig Morton, but by the end of the season in 1971 he was beginning to eclipse Morton, and Staubach would guide the Cowboys to the SuperBowl and was named MVP. Injuries limited his 1972 season but he’d rebound to lead the team to eventual glory. A 6 time Pro Bowler, Roger would lead the team to three more SuperBowl appearances, winning his second championship in 1977.  Voted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, -at the time of his retirement Roger held the highest passer rating in HoF history and has an incredible 85-29 record as a starter.

Staubach is also arguably known as the ‘Greatest Dallas Cowboy of All-Time’. Staubach was a cardiac kid leading the Cowboys back from impossible odds doing so on 23 game winning drives.  In 1975 after an improbable comeback against the Vikings in the playoffs where Roger threw a last second bomb for the win, Roger was quoted in the locker room as stating that he “said his Hail Mary’s before the throw in the huddle.” The name stuck and that is how the term came to be.

Roger after retirement has diversified his holdings into real estate, NASCAR, and sold his holdings of his personal corporation for over 100 million dollars. He is active politically and helped in Dallas’ bid to host the SuperBowl in 2011.

G/Gs 131/114     Att 2958    Comp 1685    Yds 22700     Pct 57.0
Td 153    Int 109    Rat 83.4  |
Rush 410    Yds 2264     Avg 5.5     Td 20     lg  33