Some of these guys are getting impossible to get, so I’ve had to rely more and more on my ability to identify authentic and fake autographs through eBay. -I absolutely hate it.
I had forgotten that I had acquired Lee from a private acquisition sometime way, way back in 2014. I disliked the Upper Deck 1993 so much that I delayed posting it and had forgotten I’d already written up a snapshot of Lee in 2016.
Chipping away the Fleer 90 and Pro Set 89 were two I were after. Strangely I don’t remember seeing these two cards in the wild. It’d be years later I’d get a Fleer 90 box for like 10 bucks. Smelled like cigars, but hey, I knew what his card looked like. Still have the Action Packed, Gameday 92, and I think a Score Supplemental floating around out there to get autographed though.
You know I sat on Leslie’s autograph that I had gotten through a friend for quite sometime thinking I’d pick O’Neal up on something later on. That time came and past and of course right after I posted it this year, this Fleer 1990 I needed popped up. I couldn’t resist at just 3 bucks.
Undrafted he’d sign with the Chargers in 1968 but not make the squad.
In 1969 Dempsey joined the Saints, where he’s probably most favorably remembered for hitting an NFL record 63 yard field goal.
During his first season in New Orleans he led the league with 41 field goal attempts and a 55 yard long.
In both ’70 and ’71 he’d also have 63 and 54 yard field goals that’d lead the league.
Before the 1971 season, Dempsey signed with the Eagles, playing with the team through the ’74 season.
The Rams would sign Tom in 1975, where he’d hit a career high 80.8% field goals.
He’d play for the Oilers in 1976 for 5 contests, before heading over to Buffalo to close out his career.
Since retirement, Tom has battled much adversity.
In 2005, he was flooded out by Hurricane Katrina.
Then in 2013 he revealed that he was battling dementia.
ACCOLADES:
New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame
Pro Bowl 1969
All Pro 1969
George Halas Award 1971
Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame
NOTES:
The NFL actively updated rules while and after Tom played. They felt because he had a flat front to his shoes (due to a birth defect) that he was able to hit longer field goals than other players. His 63 yard field goal record stood for over 40 years- before the NFL loosened kicking rules for footballs in the 2020’s.
EPITAPH:
4/4/20- After being diagnosed with COVID late in March, Tom passed away a few days later, during the early days of the pandemic at the age of 73
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
