Tag Archives: fleer 1990

NFL

Lohmiller, Chip

Cards: Pacific 1992, Topps Stadium Club 1992, Score 1990, Score 1991, Pro Set 1993 PB, Fleer 1990
Acquired: In person, CGA Youth Golf Tournament 1993

Minnesota Golden Gopher kicker Chip Lohmiller would be taken in the second round of the 1988 draft. The Redskins were in desperate shape to locate a kicker and hadn’t had consistency at the position since Matt Moseley left. In fact the previous season 4 different players kicked extra points for the team during the 1987 season. With Lohmiller the team immediately fixed their kicking problem, and in fact made a massive upgrade at the position. The Redskins were one of those teams that weren’t embarrassed to take field goals and in the competitive and defensive NFC East, it certainly did help to have an accurate kicker with a booming leg. From 1989 -1992 Lohmiller would lead the league in field goal attempts making at least 40 attempts each season. He’d also lead the league in 1991 and 1992 hitting 31 and 30 field goals respectively. In fact in 1991 his 143 points were more than the entire Indianapolis Colts squad put up combined. Lohmiller could have probably had a long career with the Redskins and it is assumed that the team which was hemorrhaging in the new age of the salary cap made the agonizing decision to let him go. 1995 would see a short season for the New Orleans Saints- and his 1996, which would be his final, Lohmiller would finish out his career with the St. Louis Rams. Since football Lohmiller has taken up coaching and is currently a highly regarded coach at the high school level. While at the CGA Youth Golf Tournament in 1993 he’d sign all the cards I provided for him. He apparently is a great golfer with at one point a -3 handicap.

G/Gs 135/135    Xpa 309    Xpm 301   Pct 97.4%     Fga 284    Fgm 204   Pct 71.8

NFL

Butts, Marion

Cards: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990, Fleer 1990, Action Packed 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 2/3  Received: 3/26  (51 days)

The Chargers found a steal when they reached in the top of the 7th round of the infamous 1989 draft for little known Marion Butts out of Florida State. In his rookie season in 1989 he’d come in off the bench during the last 5 games rumbling for  683 yards and 9 touchdowns, including a game in which he single-handedly dominated the Chiefs rushing for 176 yards. Slipping under the radar when he was drafted, many had pegged Butts as purely a blocking fullback or perhaps special teams hitter (with his 6-1 248 frame)  however his style would define the Chargers run game for nearly 5 seasons. Marion’s sophomore season would prove that his surprising rookie season was not a fluke as he galloped for a career high 1225 yards making his first ProBowl.  Butts would follow this season up with an additional ProBowl in 1991- but would only start 8 games. With the emergence of Natrome Means, Butts would play for the Chargers through the 1993 season and finish up his career there with around 4300 yards. In 1994 Marion would hop over to play for Bill Parcells and the New England Patriots helping the team make the playoffs with his stout running and 1995 would see Marion’s final season played with the vagabond Houston Oilers where he started 2 games and retired after the season’s conclusion. Since football Butts has tried his hand at coaching the sport at the high school level.

Marion is apparently a great through the mail signer and although I had to wait sometime, he graciously signed 4 cards for me. Butts had some great cards, and the ProSet franchise really framed his running style well. The Tecmo SuperBowl franchise represented him well. One of the vaunted and feared ‘popcorn’ runningbacks, (Heyward, Mack, and Okoye also come to mind) you could literally run at or dive at Butts and he would throw you up in the air like popcorn.

G/Gs 104/73    Rush 1345   Yds  5185   Avg 3.9    Td  43    Lg  52 |
Rec  68    Yds  471    Avg 6.9   Td  1   Lg  46

NFL

Horton, Ray

Cards: Fleer 1990, Score 1990
Acquired: In Person 1990, 1993, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp.

So it all technically began with Ray Horton on that Fleer 1990 card. He was the first autograph I got in Dallas Cowboys training camp way back in 1990.  It was happy times back then, and I grabbed every card and my black sharpie before I headed out the door that morning with Josh. We’d ride the bus back and forth from North Austin or have our mothers drop us off for what turned into an all day affair. We quickly established where the best place was to get autographs- (the second fence line as the street narrowed to get onto the field) and would camp the spot to grab signatures. I think on the first day I got 7 autographs on cards and I had a hard time sleeping because I was so excited to go back the next to see who I could get. I never thought that almost 20 years later I’d pick up the hobby again and enjoy it just as much.

Ray Horton was drafted out of Washington, where he played alongside Cowboy Vince Albritton. Horton would be taken in the second round by the Cincinatti Bengals, where he’d play in SuperBowl XXIII for the Bengals, before leaving the team in Plan B for the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. Ray’s rookie season was solid in 1983, with 5 interceptions, 121 yards and a touchdown -which would be his career high. He’d record 13 interceptions with the Bengals and in 1989 would sign with Jimmy Johnson‘s woeful Cowboy team, providing solid depth and a bright spot in the secondary pulling down 6 more interceptions and then retiring after the 1992 season and ten seasons winning SuperBowl XXVII.  A nose for the endzone, Horton would have four touchdowns via interceptions and one from a fumble.

Since retiring Horton has moved right into coaching picking up almost right where he left off. He’s made stops with the Lions, Redskins, Bengals, and Steelers where he added two more rings in SuperBowl XL and XLIII. In 2011, he was named the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.

G/Gs 147/ 99      Tac N/a      Sac 3      Fum  5     Int  19     Yds 269     Avg 14.16     Td 4      Lg  65T