Tag Archives: NFL HoF

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Lofton, James


Cards: Pinnacle 1992, SkyBox 1992.
Acquired: In person, Dallas Cowboys training camp  1994.
See Also: James Lofton (2)

In one of my more infamous moments of autograph collecting, James Lofton had signed as an interim coach with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994 and was in Austin to scrimmage the Cowboys. Knowing that I would probably only get one shot at the wide receiver I got the prime spot in the autograph alleyway that players had to walk up to get to the field, and then waited. When the players arrived, I unfolded the cardboard sign I had with me that stated,”WILL WORK FOR JAMES LOFTON’S AUTOGRAPH”.  Every player who got off the bus chuckled at me and then when James got off, (while he was being ribbed by his teammates,) walked over, smiled and gave me his autograph on the two cards here.

A player whose career literally spanned three decades of football (70’s, 80’s & 90’s) and one of only a few players to score a TD in each era, Lofton was a 8 time Pro Bowler, and a 4 time All Pro for the Packers and Bills. (Drew Hill scored in each era one game sooner for the honor of doing it first.)  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003, Lofton played Packers, Raiders, Bills, Rams and Eagles, during his career retiring at the age of 38. Lofton has coached in the NFL with both the Chargers and Raiders, and as of 2010  serves on Westwood One Radio’s Sunday Night Football broadcasts.

G 233      Rec 764    Yards 14004      Avg 18.3       Lg 80        TD 75

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Sayers, Gale (1943-2020) ‘Kansas Comet’

Cards: Upper Deck Legends 1997, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991.
Acquired: TTM 2010 c/o Sayers Corp.*
Sent: 4/28  Received: 5/26 (29 days)
* Required Donation

I had been watching this miniseries on NFL Network called “Full Color Football” and it briefly mentioned Gale and a few other players from the NFL before the AFL merger. After doing a search on the former great, I found his website and found the fee ‘reasonable’ in order to add him to my collection. I used to shrug at the idea of paying players for autographs, but as years have passed and also I realize the time it takes, the inconvenience it may cause, and how it may provide some players an income they need.

Gale Sayers is a former running back of the Chicago Bears from 1965-1971 who had a legendary career. The NFL rookie of the year had a record 22 touchdowns in his rookie year, 2,272 yards from scrimage, and tied the record for most TD’s in a game with 6. He would also set the record of 30.56 on kick returns on 91 returns, 6 of them going for touchdowns.  

The comeback player of the year in 1969, injuries ended Sayers career prematurely in 1971, and elected to the HOF in 1977, as the youngest player inducted into the Pro Football HoF at 34.  A 5 time All-Pro and 4 time Pro Bowl Selection, Sayers was named the MVP of the Pro Bowl 3 times, to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team at two position, and is a member of the 1960s All Decade Team.  

Sayers had an extremely successful career after football, was Chairman of Sayers40 Inc, and an active fundraiser for the city of Chicago and the University of Kansas.  It is noted that Sayers had two signatures. If you received a signature with a ‘$’ for the ‘S’, that was his way of him indicating that he thought you were going to resell his autograph. In his last few years he began winding down public events and signings due to the onset of dementia.

G/GsRushYdsAvgTDLg
68/659914,9565.03970
RecYdsAvgTDLg
1121,30711.7980
KRYdsAvgTDLG
912,78130.66103t
PRYdsAvgTDLG
2739114.5285t

UPDATE 9/23/20- Gale Sayers passed away this morning at the age of 77.

College Football HoF, NFL, Pro Football HoF

Newsome, Ozzie

Cards: Score 1990, Proset 1990
Acquired: TTM 2010, c/o The Baltimore Ravens
Sent: 1/13/2010    Received 2/11/2010  (29 days)

Ozzie Newsome and the Browns during the late 80’s began to have a more and more contentious relationship with Houston. While the Browns would claim that the Steelers were their true rivals, the Oilers snuck up on them starting in ’88, and under Glanville the two teams (and in fact the whole division for that matter) ignited a hated rivalry.  The Oilers and Browns would face up in the finale of 1988 and lose at Cleveland 28-23, then somehow hold on to win in Cleveland the next week in wildcard weekend 28-23.

Newsome would always manage to keep his streak alive and ended up notching 150 straight games with a catch and retired at the end of 1990 after 13 seasons with the Browns. He was inducted into the HOF in 1999. Newsome moved with the Modell franchise to Baltimore where he has become an extremely successful general manager and the first black GM in the NFL for the Ravens.

Games 198              Rec 668               Yds 7980              Avg 12.1          TD 47