Tag Archives: baltimore colts

NFL

Allegre, Raul

sco89 allegreflr90 allegre
Card: Fleer 1990, Score Supplemental 1989
Acquired: 2/16/2013, Longhorn Neighborhood Foundation Bowling Tournament

Raul was the last autograph that I got from the LNF Bowling Tourney. It was one of the more memorable ones as Rod Babers came up and harassed Allegre about his picture on the back of his 1989 Score Supplemental card. He laughed and remarked about how young he looked, and Rod told Raul’s son that he looked just like him. Raul is an extremely active member of the NFLPA and is Vice President of the Austin chapter. He’s an ESPN Deportes commentator and has also handled the color commentary for Monday Night Football in Espanol.

Raul Allegre excelled at soccer in high school, which led him to become a kicker in football. He attended Montana and then later the University of Texas where he was 67/69 on extra points and 28/46 on field goals. A free agent signee by the Colts in 1983, Allegre stepped in and actually went to the Pro Bowl following the 1985 season going 16 of 26 on field goals and 36 of 39 on extra points. Following the 1985 season, Allegre lost a pitched training camp battle to Dean Biasucci. He did not see action until midway through the 1986 season, when he was an injury replacement for the New York Giants. He held the position down with the Giants through their 1986 and 1990 titles. He was notable during his stint with the Giants for his accuracy under pressure. Cut in 1991, he quickly signed with the Jets, but retired in 1992 after losing out to Jason Staurovsky in training camp, citing lingering back injuries. In 1992 he briefly entertained a comeback with the Houston Oilers and was considered for the kicker job there, but lost out to Al Del Greco. Raul is a member of the original Tecmo Bowl as the Giants’ kicker.

G/Gs  92/92    XPA  190    XPM 183   Pct 96.3%     FGA 186    FGM 137    PCT 73.7%    Pts 594

NFL, University of Texas

Speyrer, Charles “Cotton”

utud11 speyrerCards: UT Upper Deck 2011, UT Upper Deck 2011 Memorable Moments, UT Upper Deck 2011 Icons
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 12/10     Received: 12/13  (3 days)

Playing split end for the Texas Longhorns during the advent of the Wishbone under head coach Darrell Royal, Cotton Speyrer was witness to, and a part of integral moments in Texas football history during the late 60s.  Speyrer was an All-American in 1969 and 1970 and All-SWC in 1969. He led the team in receiving in 1968 and 1969 catching passes from quarterback James Street. In the wishbone, it was block first, catch second for the wide receiver corps. On occasion when the run game didn’t work for the Longhorns, they’d put it in the air to Cotton and the receiving corps. During the 1969 Cotton Bowl versus Notre Dame, Cotton had 161 yards receiving and caught two touchdowns in a 21-17 win. He just had this habit of showing up big, in the big games that counted. During his time with the Longhorns, the team won 30 games straight, en route to two National Championships.
utud11 MM 86 passAfter playing for the Longhorns through 1970, Cotton was taken in the second round of the 1971 draft by the Washington Redskins. He did make the roster of the team, but was traded to the Baltimore Colts later in the year for Roy Jefferson. It was through no fault of his own though because, head coach George Allen preferred older, seasoned veterans, versus young, fresh, rookie talent. He’d break his arm in 1971 before he even took the field for the Colts. Speyrer’s rookie season was essentially 1972, where he was used at receiver and later at returner. His best season came in 1973, returning 17 kickoffs for 496 yards (29.2 average) and a 101 yard touchdown against the Bills.  He’d also makeutud11 speyrer icons 17 receptions for 311 yards and 4 touchdowns for the squad that year, and throw a 54 yard TD on a trick play against the Jets. Cotton played another season for the Colts, and then was traded back to the Redskins in 1975.  Unable to make the ‘Skins roster, Cotton was signed by the Dolphins and played on special teams, where he retired in 1976.  He moved back to the Austin area, and has been involved in numerous charitable activities, golf tournaments, and Longhorn reunions.

Speyer marks the fastest response I have ever gotten from an autograph request, at a speedy 3 days.

G/Gs  36/0        Rec  34         Yds    575     Avg 15.7        Td  5      Lg  47
Kr  39      Yds  1035       Avg  26.5         Td 1      Lg 101t
Pr 8      Yds 54     Avg 5.4      Td 0     Lg 18

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Tittle, Y.A. “Yat” (1926-2017)

Cards: Upper Deck Legends 1997, Topps Football Archives
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o YA Tittle & Associates
Sent: 10/12   Received: 10/22  (10 days)

YA Tittle first played way, way, back in the days of the AAFC in 1948 and 1949 for the Baltimore Colts. Arguably the best things that came out of the All-American Football Conference were the Colts, Cleveland Browns.. and YA Tittle, who joined the NFL in 1950.  While with the AAFC, YA was 309/598  for 4731 yards, 30 TDs and 27 picks. He’d be named rookie of the year in 1948.

Pretty good stats for a kid from Marshall, Tx who ran out on the University of Texas, went to LSU, and had asthma.  Well the Colts- went on hiatus really, after the 1950 season, so YA signed with the San Fransisco 49ers and became a major building block for the team’s “Million Dollar Backfield”. Although he shared passing duties his first two seasons, it didn’t seem to discourage Tittle, as he threw for 20 touchdowns in 1953 in his first season as a full-time starter. He’d also play most of the 1954 season with a broken hand. Tittle was named to the ProBowl in 1953, 1954, 1957, and 1959. For his efforts in 1957 where he threw for 2157 yards, completed 63.1% of his passes, 13 touchdowns, and 220 yards rushing, YA won AP honors.  During this period Tittle would perfect one of the first specialized pass plays called, the “Alley Oop”- a jump pass he spontaneously worked on with receiver RC Owens during that season. The alley oop was the predecessor to the modern day lob pass and actually inspired the basketball play by the same name. After 10 seasons with the ‘9ers and the emergence of John Brodie, YA thought about retiring but was traded straight up for a rookie to the New York Giants in 1960.

It’d be there that Yat cemented his legacy as a legendary quarterback and Giant great. The Giants turned him loose and the renewed 35 year old Tittle took the league by storm with 3 of the best seasons of his career setting the passing touchdown record in 1962 with 33, and 1963 with 36. In a game during the 1962 season, Tittle threw an earth shattering 7 touchdown passes and 505 yards in one game. The touchdown number has never been surpassed, but tied by 4 other players including George Blanda and Sid Luckman. Tittle won the NFL MVP honor in 1963 for his 33 touchdown passes.

The amazing thing about the touchdown passing record, is that it stood for over 20 years, from an era where passing wasn’t the science it is today, and it was done in  less games.  (His passing record would be shattered by Dan Marino, and later Tom Brady.) From 61-63 Yat was named to the Pro Bowl and AP, before he had an injury plagued final season in 1964. Tittle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and lives in California. He still runs his insurance agency YA Tittle and Associates, that he started when he was still playing football.

Att  4395     Comp  2427     Yds  33070    Pct 55.2%
Td  242     Int  248     Rat 74.3
Rush 372    Yds 1245    Avg      Td 39    Lg   45

UPDATE: 10/9/17- YA Tittle passed away today at the grand old age of 90.