NOTES: I had been circling to come back to Bill after I got his autograph on a few cards via a trade a few years ago. The primary reason was to get him on his Upper Deck Legends card from a beautiful action shot of when he played for the Eagles.
The Topps 1978 played a different role however. I selected this card primarily because Bill and my father (who passed away in 2019) looked so much alike, even down to the bushy red brown 70s beard.
Don Trull played football for the Baylor Bears from 1961 to 1963 where he was one of the top quarterbacks in the SWC, if not the nation. He set SWC records for completed passes (174) and yards (2,157) in one year. He capped his 1963 season with 2,157 yards and 22 TDs (which led the nation) and a 14-7 win over LSU in the Bluebonnet Bowl. A smart and alert quarterback, Trull excelled at calling plays and audibles at the line of scrimmage.
Don was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 1964 NFL Draft. He’d be groomed to be the heir apparent of the Oilers behind ageless George Blanda for the next 3 years. In 1966, Don saw action in 5 starts, posting 1200 yards and 10 TDs to just 5 picks, however he finished 0-5. He also rushed for 7 TDs on 38 carries. After 3 more games in 1967, he’d be traded to the Boston Patriots for the remainder of the season.
Trull returned to the Oilers in 1968, where he really had the best season of his career as a starter- posting a 3-1 record, with 864 yards passing, and 10 TDs and 3 interceptions.
After a down year in 1969, Don played in the Canadian Football League the next two years for the Edmonton Eskimos. Allowed to take the starting reins for the Esks, he threw for 2455 yards and 12 TDs on 364 attempts to 185 completions. After one last season in the CFL, Don was off the football grid coaching at Arkansas until he was lured back by the WFL in 1974, where he saw limited action for the Houston Texans/ Shreveport Steamer.
Don lives in Houston now where he is an ambassador for the NFL Houston Texans organization. In 2013, he was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame, and he was involved with the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show for many years. I got Don’s card after I found out he was an ambassador for the Texans. I hoped to catch him at one of the team functions where they sign for fans, but since nothing every popped up, I just went ahead and sent this out right at the beginning of the COVID crisis.
Cards: Topps 1970, Upper Deck Legends 1997, Crown Royale 2010 Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home* Sent: 3/23 Received: 4/2 (10 days) Failure: TTM 2018, C/o Home * donation required/ Do not use this address
Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield has been on my radar for sometime. I finally got these great cards together with the required donation sent his way in 2018- but was dismayed to find out that he was no longer signing TTM. I got a form letter informing me that I had to contact his agent who then had a fee schedule. After the agent never responded to me- I gave up on Paul until I saw a few responses come back from his home address again in early 2019. Annoyed, I went ahead and penned a new letter, enclosed the cards, and the signing fee/donation.
Roughly a month later I got a note from Paul with all my cards autographed, and a check reimbursement for the money order. In the note he indicated that he was between signing schedules with his agent, and he would honor my request, and refund my donation. I was pretty floored. It was very nice of him and I felt a bit odd having a check in my hand from a HoFer but there it was. Not only is his signature unique, Paul’s handwriting is wispy elegance.
By late April of 2019, Paul had gone ahead and signed with an agent again. I had gotten very lucky hitting him in that window as his fee/donation schedule had more than doubled. Warfield no longer accepts fan mail at his home address anymore. -Save your postage and contact his agent instead.
Paul Warfield played college ball at Ohio State from 1961 through 1963. He carried the ball 196 times for 1047 yards and 8 TDs, and contributed 39 receptions for 525 yards and 3 TDs over his time at Columbus.
Selected in the 1st round by the Cleveland Browns in 1964- Cleveland saw potential in Warfield initially as a defensive back, but later in camp converted him to wide receiver instead. Paul went on to put up some truly amazing numbers over his career with the Browns. In his first 6 seasons with the team, he finished 3 of those seasons averaging more than 21 yards a catch, lead the NFL in receiving TDs in 1968 (12), and was named to 3 Pro Bowls. In a shocker Paul was traded on draft day 1970 to the Miami Dolphins for a first round pick.
Paul played the next 5 seasons for the ‘Fins. Undeterred Warfield was named the Pro Bowl every year he was with the team, and All-Pro in both 1971 and 1973. He’d average a career high 25.1 yards per catch in 1970, and then in 71 lead the NFL with 11 TDs. After the 1974 season concluded, Paul signed with the upstart WFL Memphis Southmen.
After limping through the 1975 season, the WFL folded, and Paul heard the siren’s call and returned to Cleveland. He played two final seasons there, retiring in 1978.
Paul was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He is also a member of the Dolphins Honor Roll and the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor. He’s done a variety of things since then including sportscasting and working for the Browns in the front office, but is currently retired and enjoying life living in California.
NFL G/GP
REC
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
157/152
427
8565
20.1
86T
85
WFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
25
422
16.9
3
N/A
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
