HOF Spotlight: Y.A. Tittle

Name: Y.A. Tittle
Position: Quarterback
Pro Career: 1948 – 1964
Team Affiliation(s): Baltimore Colts, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants
College: Louisiana State
Induction Class: 1971
HOF Profile: Click Here
 
 

Brief Bio: A model of perseverance, Y.A. Tittle played 14 years of professional football before he finally tasted the sweetness of consistent victory. Tittle compiled impressive personal statistics during his stints in Baltimore and San Francisco, yet championship caliber competition eluded him. When he was traded to the New York Giants in 1961, that all changed. Despite not winning the overall NFL championship, Tittle led the Giants to divisional titles in each of his first three seasons in New York. In all, Tittle was named the NFL’s MVP in 1961 and 1963, All-NFL in 1957, 1961, 1962, and 1963, and played in seven Pro Bowls.

Career Stats: 178 games played; 2,118 for 3,817 passing (55.5%); 28,339 passing yards; 212 passing TDs; 221 INTs; 999 rushing yards; 33 rushing TDs.

Featured Card: 1950 Bowman #5. Y.A. Tittle’s official rookie card coincides with his debut in the NFL as the Baltimore Colts were still in the AAFC for his first two professional seasons. This undersized (by today’s standard) set featured airbrushed colors on B&W photography. Current market prices are generally over $200 but only a few exceed $500. There is one PSA 9 listed for a staggering $40,000. One note of caution for this cards is that there have been reprints produced, so be sure you know exactly what you’re buying, especially if shopping online.

NOTE: You can find all of my Hall Of Fame Spotlight Features by clicking the HOF Spotlight banner above.

HOF Spotlight: Andy Robustelli

Name: Andy Robustelli
Position: Defensive End
Pro Career: 1951 – 1964
Team Affiliation(s): Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants
College: Arnold College
Induction Class: 1971
HOF Profile: Click Here
 
 

Brief Bio: Perhaps the epitome of draft sleepers, Andy Robustelli went from being a 19th-Round pick to a Hall of Famer. When the Rams didn’t have room for him as an offensive end, he went all out on the defensive side of the ball and became one of the greatest D-Ends to ever play the game. A superb pass rusher, Robustelli was named to seven Pro Bowls and seven All-NFL teams. In 1962 as a member of the Giants, he was awarded the NFL’s top player by the Maxwell Club, an honor typically bestowed upon offensive studs. Despite playing for the losing team in six championship games, Robustelli did taste success with his two league championship victories, including 1951 as a highly involved rookie. Robustelli recently passed away at the age of 85.

Career Stats: 175 games played; 22 fumble recoveries; 2 fumble recovery TDs; 1 receiving TD; 2 INTs; 2 INT TDs.

Featured Card: 1952 Bowman #85. As a member of the 1951 Champion L.A. Rams, Andy Robustelli didn’t have to wait long to get his official rookie card. The 1952 Bowman set was released with two variations, a large and small set. Based on current market prices, the large set seems to be the more popular amongst collectors. The prices for this particular card tend to run in the $50 – 150 range. As always, there is a token much-higher-than-anything-else listing with a sticker price $1,750 for a PSA 8. This card comes from one of the more desirable and recognizable vintage football card sets and would be a great addition to a HOF focused collection.

NOTE: You can find all of my Hall Of Fame Spotlight Features by clicking the HOF Spotlight banner above.

HOF Spotlight: Vince Lombardi

Name: Vince Lombardi
Position: Coach
Pro Career: 1959 – 1967, 1969
Team Affiliation(s): Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins
College: Fordham
Induction Class: 1971, posthumously
HOF Profile: Click Here
 
 

Brief Bio: If there is one HOF inductee that needs no introduction, it is Vince Lombardi. The coaching mastermind that started his career too late and had it ended too early, Lombardi became and remains a symbol of competitive excellence with a surprisingly short tenure. When he took over as head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers, the franchise was down on its luck and was practically forgotten. When he retired as head coach just 9 year later, the Packers had won six divisional and five NFL championships and had taken Super Bowls I and II en route to being one of the premiere teams in the league. Two years later, Lombardi nearly did the impossible again when he transformed the Washington Redskins from a hapless squad into a winning team in just one season. Lombardi never got the chance to fully realize his success with his second venture however as cancer proved a tougher opponent than any NFL team and he succumbed to the illness at just 57 years old. In all, Lombardi never had a losing season and to this day remains the namesake of the Super Bowl championship trophy.

Career Stats: 105-35-6 coaching record (.728); 9-1 postseason coaching record (.900).

Featured Card: 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces #86. Despite a legendary career and obvious name recognition even over 40 years after his death, Vince Lombardi does not have an actual rookie card. He has been featured in numerous legends sets and even on vintage team cards as head coach. This card was chosen as an example of a modern set that does not have a cut signature or jersey/jacket swatch. Lombardi is obviously a cornerstone of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and should be a cornerstone of any HOF inductee collection, regardless of the collection’s sub-focus (autos, jerseys, RCs, etc.).

 

HOF Spotlight: Bruiser Kinard

Name: Frank “Bruiser” Kinard
Position: Tackle
Pro Career: 1938 – 1944, 1946 – 1947
Team Affiliation(s): Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers, New York Yankees
College: Mississippi
Induction Class: 1971
HOF Profile: Click Here
 
 

Brief Bio: If you were to look up “scrappy” in the dictionary, I have a feeling you’ll find a picture of Frank “Bruiser” Kinard. Undersized for a lineman, even in his pre-WWII era, Kinard played with an intensity and skill that far exceeded his slight frame. He was a 60-minute man from day one and only once took a day off due to injury, and that was only after doctor’s orders. Kinard built a solid reputation as a formidable blocker and a devastating tackler. His grit and will to win led him to All-NFL honors in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1944. After a leave from professional football for military service, Kinard returned to the newly formed AAFC and was named all league again in 1946, becoming the first player to be such honored in both leagues.

Career Stats: 73 games played; 1 reception TD; 1/1 FG; 27/30 PATs; 1 fumble recovery TD; 1 INT

Featured Card: 1955 Topps All-American #66. While Frank “Bruiser” Kinard does not have an official rookie card featuring him in NFL garb, he was included in the 1955 Topps All-American set as a two-time All-American from Ole Miss. As part of a popular set, there are quite a few current listings on eBay for this card. Most seem to fall into a $25 – 100 range. There are two over-the-top asking prices that top $1,000 (including one that also socks you for $10 shipping), both of which are PSA 9s. If graded vintage is not your bag, there are also some junk wax era HOF-focused sets and modern cut signature sets from which to choose if you are building a HOF inductee collection.

 

NOTE: You can find all of my Hall Of Fame Spotlight Features by clicking the HOF Spotlight banner above.

HOF Spotlight: Bill Hewitt

Name: Bill Hewitt
Position: End
Pro Career: 1932 – 1939, 1943
Team Affiliation(s): Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Phil-Pitt
College: Michigan
Induction Class: 1971, posthumously
HOF Profile: Click Here
 
 

Brief Bio: Of all of the original “iron men” of the gridiron, Bill Hewitt was perhaps the trickiest. He was consistently one of the fastest defensive ends off the line, giving him the nickname “The Offside Kid,” constantly foiled the opposition’s offensive schemes, and regularly devised trick plays of his own. Perhaps the most famous involved a jump pass from fullback and fellow HOFer Bronko Nagurski that Hewitt in turn lateraled to another end, Bill Karr, who would then race to the end zone. It was this play that lifted the Bears over the Giants in the first ever NFL Championship game in 1933. Hewitt was a force from day 1 in the league, winning All-NFL honors as a rookie. He went on to win the same honor four more times. Despite his standout play on both sides of the ball, Hewitt is perhaps best known for his stubborn refusal to wear a helmet. He only conceded for his final year in the league when a new NFL rulebook mandated he don the protective gear.

Career Stats: 101 games played; 103 receptions; 1,638 receiving yards; 23 receiving TDs; 3 passing TDs; 1 rushing TD; 1 fumble recovery for TD.

Featured Card: 1985 Football Immortals #53. Despite his stellar playing career, Bill Hewitt does not have an official rookie card, mostly due to his career ending in the pre-WWII era, long before football card sets were an annual expectation. There have been several HOF-focused, junk wax era sets produced, with this Football Immortals being one of the first. These cards are typically in the $1 bin or can be found in lots for very minimal prices. Hewitt does not appear to have been included in any of the modern cut signature or other various high-end legends sets, so your options are pretty limited for completing a HOF inductee collection.

NOTE: You can find all of my Hall Of Fame Spotlight Features by clicking the HOF Spotlight banner above.

Heisman Highlights Updated

In taking time to persue more on the business end of First & Goal, I realize that the blog end has been pushed to the back burner. For anyone that faithfully follows this blog for late breaking news or amusing muses, I apologize.

In looking to strike a better balance, I am already working on a slate of posts for next calendar year. For now, it is just the ho-hum HOF Spotlight and Heisman Highlights, but I suppose any content is better than no content. While I was poking around these parts, I decided to upgrade the Heisman Highlight posts. I have added the official Heisman portrait to each currently published Highlight (and will do so to all future Highlights). I’ve also cleaned up the presentation a bit to make them more uniform and hopefully more appealing.

Check them out!