CARDS: Upper Deck Legends 1997, Upper Deck College Legends 2011, Panini HoF 2010, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991 ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home SENT: 6/6/20 RECEIVED: 6/18/20 (12 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Floyd Little played at Syracuse where from 1964 to 1966, he ran for 2,704 yards and 46 TDs.
He’d be the 6th overall pick in the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft of the Denver Broncos.
In his first two years in the AFL, Floyd led the league in All-Purpose Yards, with 1626 in 1967 and 1,825 in 1968.
He led the league in yards per game in both 1969 (81.0) and 1971 (80.9).
His best season arguably came in 1971 when Floyd had a career high and league leading 284 carries, 310 touches, 1,133 yards, and 1,388 yards from scrimmage.
Little’s 1,113 rushing yards were the first time a member of the team had broken the 1k rushing barrier.
Floyd led the NFL in TDs in 1973 with 12 TDs.
After starting 105 games, Floyd hung up his cleats in 1976.
A Syracuse great, he returned to the school in 2011 as a special assistant to the athletic director- a position he held until 2016 when he retired to Las Vegas.
Upper Deck Legends 1997, #44Upper Deck College Legends 2011, #34
ACCOLADES:
Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010
College Football Hall of Fame
Broncos Ring of Fame 1984
Hall of Very Good 2005
All Pro 1969
Pro Bowl 1968-’71, ’73
Denver Broncos #44 retired
Syracuse Orange #44 retired
Panini Hall of Fame 2010, #5
NOTES:
Here’s a great example of how trading cards educate us about football history. I wouldn’t have really stumbled onto Floyd if I hadn’t collected the Action Packed Whizzer White set. So I chased a rabbit down the hole learning all I could about him, and then decided to go ahead donate some money to his cancer treatments and ask for his autograph on a few cards. He signed the three I included lightning fast, and included the HoF Panini card as a thank-you.
Floyd is nicknamed ‘The Franchise’ because he was instrumental in the Broncos staying in Denver. The team struggled badly in its initial years and Little helped put the team on the map by signing with them. He also helped champion the building of Mile High Stadium through his Herculaneum efforts every week for the team.
RUSH
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
1641
6323
3.9
43
80t
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
215
2418
11.2
9
74
KR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
81
893
11.0
2
81t
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
104
2523
24.3
0
89
EPITAPH:
1/2/2021- Floyd Little’s family announced that he had passed away from cancer after a years’ long battle with the disease, at his home in Las Vegas with them by his side. He was 78.
CARD: Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991 ACQUIRED: EBay, 2023
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Gene Upshaw played OL for Texas A&I from 1963-’66.
He was selected by Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 1967 draft.
Considered one of the finest OL to ever play, was a fixture at OG for the Raiders for 16 seasons.
Has numerous distinctions on resume, including being the first player to appear in a Super Bowl in 3 different decades, and most consecutive starts to begin NFL career (231).
Offensive team captain for 9 seasons (1973-’81).
Was a firsthand witness to many of the NFL’s most memorable games such as the Ghost to the Post, The Sea of Hands, and the Holly Roller.
During NFL career became extremely active in union activity with the NFLPA, eventually ascending to Executive Director.
ACCOLADES:
Pro Football Hall of Fame
All Pro 1970, ’74, ’77
Second Team All Pro 1971-’73, ’75
Pro Bowl 1972-’77
All AFL All Star 1968
NFL All Decade Team 1970s
Byron Whizzer White Award 1980
NFL 75th Anniversary Team
NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
1982 A. Phillip Randolph Award
NOTES:
Gene had long passed by the time I got around to this set, so I thought it’d be a challenge to get any of the deceased players. Much to my amazement his autograph showed up a few years ago on EBay on this exact card- but I forgot to place a bid and missed out on it. I was kicking myself for quite a while on it until this one popped up at the same time Willie Davis appeared. I pulled the trigger on both and was able to add both of them to my collection.
It should be noted that Gene’s autograph… is upside down.
EPITAPH:
9/20/2008- Gene passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer, surrounded by friends and family at the Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, CA. He was 63.
After his passing his family established a foundation in his name, and an annual golf tournament to help cover patient and family costs, at the Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center.
Haven Moses played WR for Los Angeles Harbor Community College from 1964-65.
Joined San Diego State under offensive guru Don Coryell, playing there in 1966-67.
9th overall pick of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
A dangerous deep bomb threat, Haven amazingly never failed to average below 15.8 yards per catch in any of his 14 seasons.
A feat that’s even more amazing considering he played during the entire Dead Ball era of the 70s.
In 1969, caught 39 passes for 752 yards, and 5 TDs.
Traded during the 1972 season to the Denver Broncos.
Caught 28 passes for 518 yards and 8 TDs in 1973.
In 1979 had a career high 943 yards (54 catches), and 6 TDs.
Retired after the 1981 season.
ACCOLADES:
Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
AFL All-Star 1969
Pro Bowl 1973
College Number 25 Retired- San Diego State
Colorado Sports Hall of Fame
NOTES:
Haven Moses doesn’t get the acclaim he deserves as the Broncos only appeared in one Super Bowl in the 70s- And his stats are muted because he played during the Dead Ball era. He’s another player that should garner more Hall of Fame consideration, considering his insane yards per catch, but is buried beneath a growing roster of players from more pass happy eras.
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
448
8091
18.1
56
76
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