CARD: Wild Card World League 1992 ACQUIRED: EBay, 2023 FAILURE: TTM 2010, 2011, 2020, C/o The Chiefs
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Willie Davis caught 63 passes for 1292 yards over his college career for Central Arkansas.
He holds the school all-time record for longest reception with a 99 yard TD.
He’d go undrafted in 1990, but be signed to the Chiefs practice squad.
Willie was allocated to the Orlando Thunder of the World League in 1992 by the team to give the young receiver more seasoning.
With future NFL veteran Scott Mitchell at QB, Davis caught 20 passes and a 51 yard TD in his first professional action.
The Chiefs, impressed by what they saw opted to give Willie some playtime in their offense.
Willie became one of the World League’s success stories, catching 36 passes for 756 yards later that year.
His best season perhaps came the following year when he caught 52 passes for 909 yards and 7 TDs.
He played for the Chiefs through 1995.
With Houston Oilers WR Haywood Jeffires demanding more money to stay with the team, the franchise opted to go in another direction and signed Willie Davis to essentially replace him.
Willie played with the Oilers from 1996-98, transitioning with the franchise to Tennessee in 1997.
Willie returned to the Chiefs after a few years away from the sport and joined the team’s front office, where he serves as the team’s front office scout of the southwest.
ACCOLADES:
Central Arkansas Hall of Fame (2001)
NOTES:
I finally gave up on trying to get Willie through the mail after 3 attempts through the Chiefs over the last 12 years. He signed sporadically for others and just didn’t respond to me. Whether or not it was an intentional snub or not or just the fact he may not want to sign his true rookie card, I am not sure. -So I just decided to haggle with an EBay seller who had some World League autographs that looked legitimate enough to me to close the deal.
He’d anchor down his CB spot, posting 3 picks and 12 PBUs, enroute to an appearance in World Bowl II.
After the season concluded, he was resigned by the Seahawks and saw limited action posting 4 tackles and a forced fumble.
Malcolm joined the CFLUSA initiative, as a member first of the Sacramento Goldminers in 1993.
He immediately became entrenched as starter, and had 18 PBU and 3 picks in 18 games that season.
His 18 PBUs set a franchise mark.
When the franchise moved to SA, so did Frank, where he had 3 interceptions for 113 yards and 2 TDs, including a 67 yarder in 1995.
After a season off and the end of the CFLUSA plan, Malcolm returned to the CFL as a member of the Edmonton Eskimos in 1997.
He’d play there through 1998, retiring after the season.
After a three year hiatus he returned to the Esks with a vengeance in 2002.
His 2002 seasons remains one for the record books when Malcolm notched 7 picks for 263 yards and FIVE TDs.
His 5 return TDs is a franchise, if not a football record for a single season.
After the 2006 season, Malcolm retired and began coaching football in the Houston area.
ACCOLADES:
2004 All CFL
NOTES:
After two attempts to get Malcolm, I haggled with an EBay seller over this card to knock this autograph out. Malcolm here has quite an interesting story winding his way through Spring football history to the CFL, and then there, taking a 3 year hiatus and still coming back- in form no less, and dominating the competition. His single season 5 TD mark is an incredible feat at any level of competition, and his career 8 TDs is nothing to sneeze at either.
CARD: Pro Set 1991 World League Insert ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home SENT: 5/31 RECEIVED: 6/10 (10 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Played college football at Penn State from 1959-1961 where he was starting QB for the Nittany Lions.
Completed 48.2% of his passes for 1619 yards, 15 TDs, and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 318 yards and 3 TDs on 104 carries.
Played briefly in the NFL for the Redskins in 1962, and the Jets in ’63.
Jumped into coaching working in the college ranks as a positional coach for West Virginia (TE 64-65) and Oklahoma (WR/OC 66-83).
Started out as OC at Florida in ’84, but quickly took the reins as HC, coaching there through ’89.
Posted a 40-18-1 record over career with Gators.
After a year off, returned to coaching as OC of the WLAF Orlando Thunder in ’91.
Recommended and quickly reunited with his former college QB Kerwin Bell.
Orlando became well known for its explosive Spread offensive formations.
Became head coach of the Thunder in ’92, leading the franchise to World Bowl II, claiming an 8-2 record.
After a year’s stint with the AFL Charlotte Rage in ’94, returned to the rebooted World League in 1995, coaching with the Rhein Fire.
Coached through 2000, compiling a 34-26 record, winning two World Bowl Championships (1998, 2000).
Came back stateside in 2001, as head coach of the XFL Orlando Rage posting an 8-2 record.
Coached RBs with the Dallas Cowboys in 2002.
Returned home to Penn State in 2004 as OC and RB coach, working with the Nittany Lions through 2011.
ACCOLADES:
SEC Coach of the Year (1984)
NFL Europe Coach of the Year (1998, 00,
XFL Coach of the Year (2001)
Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame
NOTES:
Galen didn’t have any cards of himself made. I considered making one, but at the time I was artistically uninspired, so after arming up with a few World League helmet cards, I decided to fire one off to him. Now, my big thing recently is getting coaches to draw me up a play. I also peppered him with questions about the spread offense and his time in the World League. Although he didn’t give me any insight into his time in the WLAF/ NFLE, he did author two plays for me. They are run plays, but I’m very happy nonetheless he took the time to put these together.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
