NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Starr, Bart (1934-2019)

Cards: ProSet Super Bowl 1, ProSet MVP SB I, ProSet Super Bowl 2, ProSet MVP SB II.
Acquired: TTM 2010, c/o The Starr Foundation*
Sent: 1/4  Received: 1/30  (26 days)
*Requires donation

There’s gotta be a place to start (or restart as it may,) and to kick off my return to the world of autograph collecting, I wanted it to begin with a bang, so without further adieu I present Bart Starr MVP of Superbowl 1 and 2. I discovered that in the world of the internet, it was much easier to find players now, and Starr is a great example of this. A surprise added bonus was the fact that when you donate the required fees, Bart puts the money towards the Rawhide program who then sends you updates through the year to let you know how those at risk kids are doing.  (I will probably get Bart’s auto again next year, just because the Rawhide program makes you feel like you are making a difference in peoples’ lives.) Bart painstakingly autographed these four cards for my charitable contribution, returned the SASE in under a month’s time and enclosed another letter with a thank you as well.

Bart Starr is the epitome of the old guard of the NFL before the AFL merger. A 5 time NFL champion (61,62,65-67), He was also a 4 time Pro Bowl selection, and NFL MVP in 1966. It goes without saying that he is in the Packers Hall of Fame,  Won the MVP of Superbowls I and II, and made the NFL 1960’s All-Decade Team. (Starr would also found the Rawhide Boys Ranch during his playing days.) After his illustrious and decorated career ended, Starr would go on to have his number retired, coach the Packers for 9 years leading them to 2 playoff appearances and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. In 1988 Bart would tragically lose his son Bret to a cardiac arrythmia while that same year, the Bart Starr Award would be created. (It is given to this day to players of outstanding moral character.)

For many years Bart remained heavily involved in Rawhide, public speaking, and ran Heathcare Realty Management. In recent years he cut back his schedule as his health declined- including signing autographs.

Games 196     Att  3149     Comp 1808      Pct 57.4%
Yds 24718      TD 152     Int 138     Rat 80.5

*UPDATE 5/26/19* Bart Starr passed away today at the age of 85.

WLAF

Walton, Tim

Cards: Ultimate WLAF 91 Logo Card, Ultimate WLAF Team Card, ProSet WLAF 1991.
Acquired: In Person 1991, San Antonio Riders vs Birmingham Fire. TTM 2010 c/o Metis Sports Agency
Sent: 5/10      Received: 6/7  (27 days)

In the second year of the WLAF, a couple of companies decided to make cards. Pro Set initially did an introduction run in early 1991, and then came out with complete league cards later that year. Ultimate and Wild Card also soon followed with their own brands. I got the Pro Set WLAF cards and took them with me to the games. After the game against the Fire, I caught Tim Walton walking off of the field and asked him for his autograph. He got super excited (because he hadn’t seen his card before) and then told me that he had broken his hand during the game but said he’d still try to give it to me anyway. I said yes and wasn’t sure who was more excited at that point to get the autograph. It was an indelible memory and it has always stuck with me.  Tim played inside LB in an aggressive 3-4 alignment for the Riders and was named WLAF AP first team in both 1991 and 1992.

His finest game probably came in a contest against the Montreal Machine in 1991, when he recorded two sacks and a forced fumble, in a 27-10 win.

Many years later when I found these cards I thought it would be cool to get his autograph again, and add the additional cards to the set. It took me a few weeks of web surfing to locate Tim, who was working at Metis Sports as an agent at the time. I sent him 3 cards and a letter basically reminiscing about what happened, and a copy of some photos I took of a game. A few weeks later I got the cards and a sticky note that said,” You guys are true fans! God bless! Tim Walton.”

G 20             Tac  105          Sac 9        Fum  3
Int   0        Yds  0        Avg -.-       Td 0

NFL, ufl

Moats, Ryan

Card: Playoff Prestige 2005
Acquired: Texans Blitz 2009
See Also: Ryan Moats (2)

I bleed Houston football colors, whether it is the Oilers or Texans, so when I go to an art school it’s desperate times to find other fellow football fans, little less Texans. Teacher assisting Digital Design at school during the fall of last year, it came as quite a surprise to not only find 2 fans in the class, but one of them was related to a player on the Texans. When he asked me if I knew who his brother was, I immediately rambled off nearly his whole draft card. Over the next few months I pulled the student through the class and in appreciation for what I did, he had his brother send me an autographed ball and some equipment. My friendship with the student would grow, and he and I would watch all the Texans games on TV. His brother in appreciation for being such a big fan got about 60 cards for me signed. He told me it was no big deal, (because all the players harassed each other when I didn’t have their card), and he’d do it again but I’d have to provide him with every player’s card. Later we’d even sit down and watch the playoffs where the player painstakingly answered all my NFL questions.

Ryan Moats was originally drafted by Philadelphia Eagles in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft.  In his 5 years since, Moats has been a reliable RB presence, but has always found himself in a numbers game, playing for the Eagles, Cardinals, Texans and Vikings. In his best pro game to date, (2009) Moats came off the bench against Buffalo and had 126 yards on 26 carries and 3 touchdowns. Moats was signed by the Vikings in 2010 where he was reunited with former coach Brad Childress from Philadelphia in Minnesota. Unfortunately caught in a numbers game he’d be released by the Vikings during final cuts.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.