Tag Archives: new york yanks

NFL

McCormack, Mike (1930-2013)

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2021

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played college football for the University of Kansas from 1947-50.
  • Selected by the New York Yanks in the 3rd round of the 1951 NFL Draft.
  • Team moved to Dallas in 1952 and became the Texans.
  • Conscripted into the US Army and served in Korea through ’54.
  • Became free agent upon return, after franchise folded.
  • Joined the Cleveland Browns that year initially playing on the defensive line.
  • In ’55 moved to offensive line, blocking up front for HOFer Jim Brown.
  • Became the most dominant lineman of the era, completely neutralizing HOF defenders.
  • Retired in ’62 and jumped straight into coaching.
  • After working the All-Star college game circuit, became an assistant coach with the Redskins in 1965, working there through ’72.
  • Joined rival Eagles as head coach in ’73.
  • Compiled a 16-25-1 record as head coach over 3 seasons.
  • Worked with the Bengals from ’76-’79 as an assistant coach.
  • Compiled a 9-23 record as HC of the Baltimore Colts over the next two years.
  • Spent one year as HC of the Seahawks in ’82 winning 4 games and losing 3.
  • Moved into the general manager role in 1982, helping build the Seahawks into a contender in the AFC West, through ’89.
  • Served as the Panthers first GM from 1993-97.

ACCOLADES:

  • Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor
  • Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor
  • Pro Bowl 1951, ’56, ’57, ’60-’62
  • All-Pro 1954-’62
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame

EPITAPH:

Passed away in 2012 of heart failure at the age of 83.

WLTPCT
29511.363
AFL, NFL, Pro Football HoF

Donovan, Art ‘The Bulldog’ (1924-2013)

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #AL-30

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played one year at Notre Dame before enlisting for World War II, joining the US Marines and saw intense and fierce combat on the Pacific front.
  • Returned and finished out his college time at Boston College.
  • Selected in the 1947 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, but didn’t play pro football until 1950 with the original Baltimore Colts.
  • After the Colts went out of business in 1950, experienced the blues of the sport with both the Yanks (1951) and the Texans (1952), also closing up shop after one season each.
  • It’d be in 1953 that Art joined the second iteration of the Baltimore Colts.
  • He’d go on to become one of the greatest defensive linemen of that era playing in 138 games, through 1961.
  • With a personality larger than life, Donovan made frequent appearances on late night television with Johnny Carson and David Letterman spinning tales of old.
  • He also did radio and owned a country club.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Football Hall of Fame (1968)
  • Pro Bowl (1953-57)
  • First Team All-Pro (1954-57)
  • Second Team All-Pro (1958, 1960)
  • Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor
  • Indianapolis Colts #70 Retired
  • NFL 1950s All-Decade Team

NOTES:

I remember vividly seeing Art on David Letterman during the 80s when I was a kid. I wasn’t interested in football and I had no idea why or how I was up that late, but I recall that he was very, very funny and I enjoyed his self deprecating humor and stories.

EPITAPH:

Art Donovan passed away in 2013 at the age of 89 due to respiratory disease.