Tag Archives: action packed whizzer white award 1991

AFL, NFL, Pro Football HoF

Houston, Ken

Cards: Action Packed 1991 Whizzer White Award, Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 12//19 Received: 1/3/20 (days)

Ken Houston was one of the greatest NFL defensive backs to play the game. Playing at safety for the Houston Oilers in 1967, Kenny was a blessed athlete and track man with an incredible nose for the ball. He picked off 4 passes his rookie season and scored 2 TDs. (He scored a 3rd TD via blocked field goal that season as well.)

Then from 1968 through 1979, Ken was named to the Pro Bowl, while also garnishing 2 time AP Honors (10 time 2nd team AP Honors). He scored 2 more TDs on interceptions in 1968, then tied the NFL record with 4 (with a 5th via fumble recovery) on 9 interceptions in 1971.

Kenny was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1973. for at the time a blockbuster deal. The Redskins handed over 5 players to land Houston. Ken paid off as over the next 8 seasons recorded 24 more interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries.

Over Kenny’s storried career he scored a TD 4 different ways: Interception, Fumble, Punt, and Blocked Kick. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the 1986 class. He’s also been showered with honors and accolades.

As of 2020, Ken lives in the Houston area and is a member of neither the Redskins or Titans Ambassadors group, but rather the Houston Texans, and makes appearances for the team. He does quite a lot of work for charities, including Houston area hospitals.

I had hoped to get Ken on an Oilers card, but frankly I hated them all, so I went with these Redskins cards. Ah well, these two were by far my favorite, even though they were both post playing career finds. His Action Packed Whizzer White is an exceptional specimen, while is Legends shows him laying the wood out.

I had gotten these cards some time ago and sat on them. I hoped that I’d corner him at a Texans team function but no dice. I actually met his son at a pregame event back in 2015 when the Texans played the Chiefs and he was very nice. It only took me another 4 years or so to finally go ahead and send these out to him with a small signing fee. He turned these around in no time flat, and that in turn triggered a tsunami on different TTM sites for requests from him.

G/GsTACSACFUM
196/169N/aN/a21
INTYDSAVGTDLG
4989818.3978T
NFL

Moore, Nat

Cards: Topps 1983, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 4/10 Received: 4/18 (8 days)

At the time of his retirement from the Dolphins, Nat Moore owned many of the game, season and career receiving records of the franchise. A home grown product out of Miami, Moore played collegiality for the Florida Gators in 1972 and 1973 as a runningback. It was there they discovered Moore’s dependable hands and smooth route running. He managed 1566 total yards from scrimmage on 254 touches to go along with 16 touchdowns.

A 3rd round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1974, Nat played for the franchise for the next 13 seasons. Nat played during the heyday of the dead ball era. While he did not ever clock a 1,000 yard season over his career, he was consistently ranked near the top of the league leaders for most of his career. He earned 1 Pro Bowl and All Pro nomination in 1977, when he led the NFL in TD catches with 12 (52 receptions for 765 yards).

In 1986, Nat earned the Byron Whizzer White Award for his humanitarian work, and continues to receive recognition for his efforts during his playing career. He was inducted into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor in 1999, and in 2006 was named one of the 100 Greatest (FL) Gators. Nat also has a trophy named after him given to the best High School Football player in Southern Florida. As of 2020, he’s an alumni executive for the Miami Dolphins.

Nat is well known as the player in the highlight reel who goes up and over for a catch, and as he is hit simultaneously by two players, he helicopters in the air before he hits the ground, still in possession of the football.

G/GSRECYDSAVGTDLG
183/124510754614.87479
NFL

Meador, Ed (1937-2023)

Cards: Topps 1969, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 1/17 Received: 1/28 (11 days)

Ed Meador is not a household name outside of the banner guard of the pre-St. Louis Los Angeles Rams, however he has an impressive resume, that has somehow slipped past Pro Football HoF induction.

Ed played for Arkansas Tech from 1955-1958. Back then players went both ways, and Meador distinguished himself as both a dangerous defensive back, but also as a top flight runner and return man. An all-conference selection 3 times, and Little American his Senior year, Ed was co-captain of the squad know as ‘The Wonder Boys’, and scored 272 career points over his time at Tech. He’d be selected in the 7th round of the 1969 NFL Draft.

The rest is history. He’d spend time returning kicks, holding kicks, and playing defensive back. After seeing time early in his career at corner, the Rams switched him to Free Safety where he excelled. Nicknamed ‘The Rams Little Assassin’, Ed owns multiple Rams career records to this day including interceptions (46), fumble recoveries (18), and blocked kicks (10). A 6 time Pro Bowler (1960, 1964-1968), 6 time First or Second Team All-Pro, and a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade team, it is surprising that Meador’s name has not received a Canton induction.

In addition to his numerous on the field accomplishments, Ed won the NFLPA Byron Whizzer White Award in 1969. Retiring after 1970, Meador was inducted into the Arkansas Sports HoF in 1978, and worked in real estate for a few years before edging his way into jewelry.

Ed signed these two cards of his pretty quickly. Oddly enough both of these cards represent sets that I only had one other card from those sets signed, and they were both acquired many, many years ago. I wasn’t really a fan of Topps 1969. It strictly is more about the player than the design, and with limited technology to do so back then, this card just comes off very plain. The Action Packed 1991 Whizzer White card is really nice though. The only tweaks they did from the base 91 set is changing the marquee to a silver color and adding the helmeted year of the winner on it. It’s a great card of Ed and I am glad that he could sign it for me- even if it was in a ball point pen.

G/GsTACSACFUM
163/159N/AN/A18
INTYDSAVGTDLG
4654711.9538T

EPITAPH:

09/06/23- Ed Meador passed away today at the grand old age of 86. No cause of death was given. He recently made it into the semifinalists of the 2024 NFL HoF Seniors class, but was not inducted.

The drive to get him into the HoF hasn’t stopped with his passing though. You can visit his website at http://www.edmeador21.com/ for more information.