Tag Archives: players who should be in the NFL HoF

Anderson, Dick

Cards: Topps 1969, Photo memorabilia.
Acquired: CGA Youth Golf Tournament 1993, TTM 1993.


In 1993 I found out that there was a golf tournament that was at Barton Creek Country Club where a good percentage of the proceeds went to charity. It was an amazing who’s who of players from all major sports and a veritable windfall of autographs dropped into my hands over 3 days. I was so excited I did 17x 24″ drawings of each football player I knew of. On the first day I got there before 8 AM so I could get the early birds. I ran into Dick near the first green with a few other retired players. He was a beaming, friendly gentleman and signed my card. I then handed him the drawing I did and he was genuinely touched. Dick and I talked for a bit more and he noticed that I put my address down at the bottom.  He then mentioned something about a few old books he had that he didn’t need that I might want and wished me the best of luck.  A few months later I received in the mail a thank you letter from him and a copy of “But We Were 17-0” with Larry Little and his autograph inside.

Dick Anderson played his entire career for the Miami Dolphins and was one of the major foundations to the Dolphins championship runs of the 1970s.  The AFL defensive rookie of the year in 1968, Anderson was named to the Pro Bowl and All Pro in 1972 and 1973, was named NFL Defensive Player of the year in ’73 and the NFL All 1970’s team.  After football Anderson became a successful Florida State Senator, is an active Dolphin Alumni, and was inducted into the Miami Dolphin’s Honor Roll. To this day he has not been inducted into the Pro Football HOF, which could be attributed to the number of 1970’s Dolphins already enshrined, but regardless with considerations being made now for lesser defensive backs, it makes sense the writers could see fit to induct Anderson through the Senior committee.

G   121       Tac   N/a       Sac   N/a        Int  34       Yds  792           Td  4