So I had come back to Keith in 2020 and got him on the Skybox cards, Score 89, and the Fleer 90, but then I realized I still had a couple more that I needed. Keith is a great signer- even at his affordable rate which is used for his PARK Foundation. I figured after 4 years it was ok to give him another shot on the remaining set needs.
When the XFL rebooted for 2020, the Renegades really rolled out the red carpet to push the team and the league. They had amazing pre-games with NFL guests. The week that the Roughnecks played the Renegades, Dallas had both Everson Walls and Russell Maryland.
As a season ticket to the Roughnecks I was given complementary tickets to go to a road game against the Renegades. I went and met up with an old friend of mine. It was nice to catch up.
I didn’t have Everson’s Pro Set 1989 Cowboys card which sort of flummoxed me, but at least I got him on his Action Packed set need and this really nice Pro Set 1990 update card of him in his Giants gear.
Mike Curtis played college ball at Duke from 1962-’64.
He’d go on to establish himself as one of the greatest athletes in Duke history, playing both LB and FB.
#1 pick of the Baltimore Colts in 1965 who planned to use him exclusively at FB.
Was also selected in the 3rd round of the 1965 AFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Made the transition to MLB in 1966 and the rest became history.
Played alongside ‘The Mad Stork’ Ted Hendricks, as the team lost Super Bowl III and won Super Bowl V.
Played for Colts from 1965-’75.
Joined the expansion Seahawks for ’76, eventually finishing career after the ’77 and ’78 seasons with the Redskins.
Started 125 of 166 contests over career.
ACCOLADES:
Duke Hall of Fame
All-Pro 1968, ’69
Pro Bowl 1968, 1970-’71, ’74
Colts MVP 1974
AFC Defensive Player of the Year 1970
NOTES:
Mike Curtis was one of these sweeping cheap Ebay pickups I did at the beginning of 2020. As a not really big name, I waited this one out- and then promptly forgot to scan the card in when I got it, so it waited in limbo for a while before I tracked it down.
I could make an argument for Mike Curtis to be in the HoF, but I doubt he will ever get in, as defensive statistics weren’t well tracked or considered spectacular at the time. He was an absolute terror patrolling the middle of the field and was extremely effective covering the pass for a LB.
EPITAPH:
4/20/20- Mike Curtis passed away from CTE in St. Petersburg, FL at the age of 77.
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
N/a
22.0
9
25
289
11.5
2
38
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
