Category Archives: wfl

NFL, Pro Football HoF, wfl

Kelly, Leroy

to70 kellyCards: Topps 1971, Topps 1973
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 12/4  Received: 12/14     (10 days) *
* Signing fee $10.00 per card

Topps classic 1971 effort remains one of my favorites that the company ever did. It’s simplistic design layout along with classic shots of players, really has always caught my eye. Kelly was iconic in his Browns poncho style jacket of the era, that epitomized the grit and elements that his opponent faced in Cleveland, but he excelled in.

Leroy Kelly played in the shadow of runningback Jim Brown for the Cleveland Browns. Not to be outdone by the exiting Brown, Kelly went on to notch many team and league records in his own stead. A bruising runningback in his own right, Kelly was in command on the sloppy Cleveland Browns’ Stadium grass/mud, and carved up many teams of the day. Before he ran the gridiron for the Browns though, he was a standout back for Morgan State Bears and a Black College Football All-American. There he did everything and seldom left the field as a runningback, defensive back, punter, and return man- (after he showed up initially at Morgan St. as a quarterback.)  He helped the Bears win a CIAA title. The Browns amazingly nabbed him in the 8th round of the 1964 draft. (No AFL team bothered to draft him at the time.) The knock on Kelly was that he was too small to be playing RB at the time, as most teams featured big backs, so Kelly set out to bulk up to 200 and prove to the league that he would be a wisely invested draft choice.

to77 kellyLeroy rushed for 7,274 yards during his career, -rushing for over 1,000 yards his first three years after becoming the starter.  He won NFL rushing titles in 1967 and 1968 and was a two-time punt return champion as well.  His numbers stand up well in league history with a  combined 12,329 all-purpose yards and 90 touchdowns over his career.   Injuries took their toll on Kelly, and by 1973 it was the end of the road for him. In 1974 the Browns waived Leroy, and he signed with the Oakland Raiders, but soon thereafter was on the roster of the Chicago Fire of the WFL, but that league folded mid-season. At the time of his retirement, he ranked No. 4 all-time in rushing and combined net yards. As a ‘smaller back’, you can point to Kelly as a prime example of a player who helped revolutionize the thinking regarding the intricacies of the the position of runningback versus halfback or fullback and so on. Leroy was enshrined in the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

I got really interested in writing Leroy after being tuned into his legacy by another fan who has a site dedicated to Leroy and the Browns. I myself, have always sympathized with Cleveland. Just like the Oilers, the city had their team yanked out from under them. They also have shared similar paths to modern day glory and tragedy.  Thus I decided to write Leroy, since he fits the mold of the players I like to get autographs from: Underrated and unappreciated (,well at least by modern day fans).

NFL      G/Gs  136     Rush 1727      Yds 7274     Avg 4.2     Td  74    Lg  70   |
Rec 190    Yds  2281      Avg 12.0     Td  13     Lg  68
KR 76      Yds  1784     Avg 23.5     Td 0    Lg  51
PR 94       Yds  990      Avg 10.5     Td 3    Lg  74t

WFL     Rush 77      Yds 315     Avg 4.1      Td  n/a
Rec 8        Yds 128    Avg 16.0    Td  n/a

 

AFL, NFL, wfl

Culp, Curley (1946-2021)

Cards: Topps 1978, Topps 1976, Topps 1974
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 11/16    Received: 11/23   (7 days)

Curley Culp is another great example of a player that if they inducted a player at every position into the HoF, – Culp would be inducted at the inglorious, in the trenches position of nose tackle. When people talk about players who redefine a position, I think of Culp defining one all by himself. He not only was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL Superbowl victory, he also reinvigorated a sad sack Houston franchise on defense by being the final cog in challenging the supremacy of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 70s.

After graduating from Arizona State in 1969, the Denver Broncos drafted Culp with their second round pick of the common NFL draft. Unable to make the squad, Culp was considered undersized and too slow to play linebacker or defensive end, but had some great advantages in his strength, quickness off the line, and technique. He was an enigma.

Moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs, Curley played defensive tackle and was inserted into the lineup and played directly over the center, creating one on one situations, and opening up interior lanes for rushers. This heralded the birth of the 3-4 defense and the nose tackle position. While with the Chiefs, Culp appeared in 82 contests, the 1969 All Star Game, the 1972 Pro Bowl, and was a key cog in Kansas City’s Super Bowl IV victory.

In 1974, the NFL began to feel pressure from a new upstart league: The WFL.  At the same time as Culp began to make rumblings about leaving for the other league to play for the California Sun, defensive coordinator Bum Phillips of the Houston Oilers, had convinced head coach Sid Gillman that the 3-4 could be run full time in the NFL. He insisted that the main piece that he needed to begin a defensive renaissance in Houston was Curley Culp. Pulling the trigger in exchange for John Matuszak, the Oilers struck gold and immediately saw dividends on their investment into Culp as in 1975, he was named AP defensive player of the year after recording 11.5 sacks for the Oilers.  Culp would remain a stalwart member of the Houston defensive front, but as injuries mounted, he would be cut midway through the 1980 season, sign with the Lions and retire after the 1981 season.

Culp somehow ended up down the street from me in the Austin suburb of Pflugerville. When I learned of this, I quickly shot him a letter and a few cards to sign. I love his Topps 1975 card.  He looks like a hungry, angry hobo with that grizzly beard.  A 5 time Pro Bowler, a member of the Kansas City Chiefs 35th anniversary team, the Chiefs All-Century team, the Oilers All-Century team and inducted into the Chiefs HoF, Culp certainly has the credentials, but lacks the glamour and tracked statistics to be in the HoF.

G  179      Tac  N/a    Sac 68     Fum 13     Int   1    Yds   25   Avg   25.0     Td 0      lg 25


UPDATE 11/27/21- On November 16th, Curley Culp announced he had Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and asked that his friends, family and followers donate to foundations to help eradicate this disease. His family announced his passing on social media on November 27th.

In 2013, Curley got the long awaited invitation and the gold jacket he should’ve been awarded so long ago, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Arena, College Football HoF, NFL, wfl

White, Danny


Card: Photo Memorabilia
Acquired: Austin City Wide Garage Sale 1996

Danny White was originally a 3rd round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1974 (during the heyday of Tom Landry) after graduating from Arizona State but opted to play for the Memphis Southmen in the WFL.  After winning All WFL honors after the season, he’d sign with the Cowboys in 1975 as backup to Roger Staubach and the team’s punter. When Staubach finally retired in 1980, White would have to be one of the many bearers of the Staubach legacy. He’d get in more trouble by siding with owners during the strike shortened 1984 season, finally culminating in a quarterback controversy with Gary Hogeboom. White would continuously battle back, posting a 62-30 record as a starter for the Cowboys during the 80s, but while the team was a perennial playoff contender through a great deal of the decade, fans typically remember only what you’ve done for them lately. An injury plagued 1988, coupled by the team’s woeful 3-13 record would lead to Tom Landry’s dismissal after Jerry Jones purchased the franchise. White would retire in 1989 shortly before the franchise drafted Troy Aikman to lead them into the Cowboys’ “Second Golden Age”.

Danny White has never truly gotten his due, perhaps in part because he had to follow up Roger Staubach, or that his touchdown (5.3) to interception (4.3) were uncomfortably close. White also was only named to the Pro Bowl 1 year- in 1982 where he did double duty as starting quarterback and punter.

Danny went right into coaching for the AFL with the Arizona Rattlers from 1992-2004, and the Utah Blaze from 2005-2008. His Rattlers would always contend for the title, winning Arena BowlVIII and XI and is currently involved in public speaking. His 141-65 record with the Rattlers is 2nd all-time in AFL history and he was inducted into the AFL HoF in 2002. Arizona would later honor him with the “Sportsman of the Century” award and in 1997 he was inducted into the College Football HoF.

G/Gs 166/92    Att 2950   Comp 1761     Yds 21959    Pct 59.7     Td 155     Int 132     Rat 81.7
Rush 159     Yds   482    Avg  3.0     Td 8     Lg   48
P  610           Yds  24509     Avg 40.2      Blk 5    Lg   73