Tag Archives: cleveland browns

CFL, NFL

Marshall, Jim

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #134

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 10/14 RECEIVED: 12/10 (57 days)*
* Fee Enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Marshall played DE for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1957-58.
  • Generational player who helped Buckeyes win by scoring all 14 points (interception, blocked punt, and kicked 2 xp) in a game against Purdue in 1958.
  • Left school to play in the CFL for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1959.
  • In a rare transaction at the time, was swapped from the CFL-NFL trade to the Cleveland Browns, in exchange for Bob Ptacek.
  • Played the 1960 season with Cleveland, before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings along with a few other players for 2 draft picks.
  • Went on to play in an improbable 282 games over his 19 season career for the Vikings (starting 270 consecutively)- at the time NFL records.
  • Member of the famed Purple People Eaters, played in all 4 of the Vikings Super Bowl appearances.
  • At time of retirement in 1979, had played in every game in Vikings club history.
  • Finished with 130 sacks- second on the franchise’s record books.

ACCOLADES:

  • #70 retired- Vikings
  • Record- Most career fumble recoveries (30)
  • Record- Most seasons played by a defensive player (20)
  • Record- Most consecutive games played by a defensive player (289)
  • Minnesota Vikings 25th Anniversary Team
  • Minnesota Vikings 40th Anniversary Team
  • 50 Greatest Vikings
  • Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
  • Pro Bowl 1968, ’69
  • Second Team All-Pro 1964, ’68, ’69

NOTES:

Despite Jim’s resume, and being the ultimate iron man, he’s only been considered a finalist for the HoF. I’ve always considered him a HoFer in my book, and found a card that I finally wanted to get signed after I scraped up the small fee. It’s a nice autograph… a bit smudged, but I’ll take it over the crazy prices they wanted online for a certified.

NFL

Gash, Thane

Gameday 1992, #212
Fleer 1990, #42
Score Supplemental 1990, #42T

CARDS: Pacific 1991, Action Packed 1990, Score Supplemental 1990, Gameday 1992, Fleer 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 4/27 RECEIVED: 5/8 (11 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • A deep cut find out of East Tennessee State, DB Thane Gash was selected in the 7th round of the ’88 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
  • After not really seeing the field in his rookie year, Thane slotted in at FS where he quickly developed a reputation as a headhunter with a nose for the endzone.
  • In 1989, he picked up 3 interceptions (returning 2 for TDs) and led the team in tackles with 134.
  • Only had 1 pick in 1990, but duplicated his tackle feat, leading the team with another 134 tackles.
  • During the offseason in 1991, Gash herniated a disc in his neck, and was placed on IR for the entire season.
  • In 1992, joined the 49ers to replace Ronnie Lott at FS -who had left the previous season for the Raiders.
  • Gash started 3 games that year, and then retired after the 1993 season
Pacific 1991, #77
Action Packed 1990, #36

NOTES:

I had been sitting on Thane’s cards for a while. He has a stack of really good cards combined with set needs that I had wanted. Thankfully he’s a voracious signer (when he does) and he signed all 5 cards I sent to him.

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a2.0348116.2236
NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Dawson, Len (2) (1935-2022)

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #20
Topps 1970, #1

CARDS: Topps 1970, Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 4/24 RECEIVED: 5/2 (8 DAYS)
FAILURE: TTM 2010, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

See Also: Len Dawson

NOTES:

After I got Len’s autograph back in 2016, a lot of rumors started up that perhaps he was being ghost signed. I did pay a small fee for his autograph and got these back quite quickly. The biggest hang up that the TTM community had over his autograph was the fluidity of it, and how the ‘L’ and the ‘D’ were just too… loopy, almost feminine, and that they changed styles.

I could see their concerns, but regardless felt confident enough to get Len on these two set needs. My reasoning is that as people do get older their autographs do change, and that I’d seen a lot of these ‘loopy’ autographs be passed off as certified and also as authentic. I, myself was very happy to not only get these two back in a very short period of time, but also that he inscribed them with his HOF year.

EPITAPH:

8/24/22- Len Dawson was moved to hospice in the last few days, where he passed away at the age of 87.