Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Trippi. a Heisman Trophy runner-up at Georgia who later led the Chicago Cardinals to the franchise's most recent NFL championship in 1947, died Oct. 19, 2022 at the age of 100. He was the son of a Pennsylvania coal miner and received a scholarship to play for the Bulldogs through his connections to a Coke bottler, who was a Georgia alumnus in nearby Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Since Kingsbury is on the hot seat in Arizona, Sean Payton's name has popped up in the rumor mill as a replacement. He was a ball boy for the St Louis Cardinals when their training camp was held at Eastern Illinois in the 1980s
Dec 6, 2022
Does anyone recall Johnny Roland, who played college football at Missouri and for a few seasons with the Cards. He went on to various stints as an NFL running backs coach, including coaching Emmitt Smith when he played for the Cardinals.
Dec 23, 2022
During the Cardinals' 28 years in St. Louis, they advanced to the playoffs four times (1964, 1974, 1975, and 1982), and never hosted a playoff game. Their only postseason win came over Green Bay in the 1964 Playoff Bowl or Runner up Bowl played at the Orange Bowl in Miami a week after the championship game. Browns blanked the Colts 27-0 in the 1964 title game.
BTW, Racine, WI was the original home of the Cardinals.
Dec 30, 2022
In 1964, the Bidwills were disappointed with the progress of the new downtown stadium in St Louis and considered moving the Cardinals(NFL) to Atlanta but didn't. Years later the St Louis Hawks(NBA) moved to Atlanta.
In 1967, Charley Johnson, the Cards starting QB, was summoned to active duty in the Army which opened the door opened the door for Jim Hart, an undrafted free agent out of Southern Illinois University.
Jan 11, 2022
Kliff Kingsbury (2019-2022): 28-37-1
Steve Wilks (2018): 3-13
Bruce Arians (2013-2017): 49-30-1
Ken Whisenhunt (2007-2012): 45-51 Lost to the Steelers in SBXLIII
Dennis Green (2004-2006): 16-32
In September of 1920, Paddy Driscoll signed with the Racine Cardinals, and he became head coach and quarterback. He led them through three decent seasons before focusing exclusively on being their QB. He played college ball at Northwestern.
It gets goofier. The team played on Racine Avenue in Chicago and was renamed the "Chicago Cardinals" in 1922 after a team from Racine, Wisconsin (the Horlick-Racine Legion) entered the league. That season the team the Cards moved to Comiskey Park.
Jan 23, 2023
Shifting to the baseball Cards. I came across the name Brooks Lawrence, while reading about the 1957 baseball season. Cards gave up on him quickly after he went 15-6 in 1954 and traded him to Cincy. He went 19-10 in 1956 for the Reds and there's been chatter, pro and con, that his MGR Birdie Tebbets sandbagged him from getting his 20th win because he was black. However, he finished his playing career with Cincy in 1960 and later worked for the Reds in scouting, minor league player development, and also radio and television.
Feb 4, 2023
I forgot that Bud Wilkinson gave the NFL a try but didn't do well in two seasons(1978-79) as the HC of the Cards.
Feb 13, 2023
Conrad Dobler died yesterday, and I recall thinking he was done when the Cards traded him to the Saints in 1978 to play for Dick Nolan. I'm mildly surprised he lived to be 72.
Feb 18, 2023
RIP, Tim McCarver who played for Cards and a few other teams during a long career. He was known as the preferred catcher for Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton. Also, he had a long career as a broadcaster in his post-playing days.
March 19, 2023
Just cuz I like talking sports history. Here's another San Fran college Kid. Ollie Matson(Chicago Cardinals (1952–1958) and later with the Rams, Lions and Eagles. When he retired in 1966, his 12,799 career all-purpose yards were second only to Jim Brown.
He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972. I have a faint recall of my uncles chatting about him often during Sunday afternoon family beer parties.
April 11, 2023
Ex-Cards HC Kingsbury is headed to USC to be a QB guru.
I had his football card: Sonny Randle: Cardinals WR: 1959–66
Pro Bowl: 1960–62, 1965, All-Pro: 1960
Nov 21,2023
Well, "philosophical differences" got Mike Schildt a ticket out St Louis, but after a few seasons hanging out with the Padres, he's their new MGR. He replaces Bob Melvin who left SD last month to be the MGR of the Giants.
Jan 1, 2024
Roger Wehrli began his NFL career in 1969 after playing at Mizzou. NFL Draft1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19. He had 40 interceptions in his career and inducted into the HoF in 2007.
Roger Staubach claimed that Wehrli is where the term “shutdown corner” originated.
Also recall he was solid punt returner.
Jan 30, 2024
Reading Jim Bottomley's(Cardinals) bio. Hornsby, player/MGR, and Branch Rickey bickering all season, but rolled the dice on aging Grover Cleveland Alexander who the Cubs didn't want anymore. GCA was 39 and liked his booze.
He won two games in the 1926 World Series and closed up GM 7 in relief while Babe Ruth(Yanks) was thrown out trying to steal second.
Feb 11, 2024
I finished the book on Sunny Bottomley(1B). Impressive RBI(1422) total and batting AVG(.310). Low on HRs(219). Solid fielding 1B. My vote=NO to HoF.
I can see why it took so long for him to make the HoF. In the early 1970s there were plenty of other shaky inductees.
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