More 44�.
Buddy Parker &
the draft, blah, blah, blah�.
By Swissvale72
Would have been an article�but Main Page is down�
Had some communication the other day with my old friend, Hesske. �More compelling than my having read about, heard about the late �50s-early �60s era Steelers, Hesske went to games at Forbes Field, was in Big Daddy�s presence, etc. �A wee bit my elder, Hesske has direct memories of some of the items of which I write.
My remembrance of the circumstances of Buddy Parker�s departure were fairly on target. �It was, in fact, after the conclusion of the �exhibition� (pre-season wasn�t in the lingo yet) that Raymond �Buddy� Parker hit the road.
Seems that the Rooneys had tired of him as well, and some of his practices, among them his penchant for trading draft choices. �I didn�t realize however, until further review in the Steelers Media Guide, the dichotomy that existed between the Parker drafts, and the latter-day Steelers who made their mark by drafting effectively, year after year, including the all-time draft of 1974 that produced FOUR Hall-of-Famers.
I did remember the �65 draft, my first, Buddy Parker�s last, in which Roy Jefferson (Lord Jeff), selected in the 2nd round was the Steelers only choice until Round #7. �I was admittedly surprised, however, to discover that this was an Annual event. �Consider the Parker drafts:
1957:� Maybe Parker arrived in town too late to put his mark on this one. �Traded only our 4th & 8th picks.� Remember, there were 20 rounds in those days.
1958:� Traded picks #4,5,7,8
1959:� Here it starts�..Steelers FIRST pick was in round #8 (gee�bet that generated a lot of excitement among the populace!)
1960:� Had a pick in round #1�then none until round #7 (Pirates win the World Series on October 13th��a week later�..)
1961:� Steelers select
Myron Pottios on Round #2�.don�t pick again until
selecting
1962:� Choose Bob Ferguson of the Ohio State Fuckeyes in the 1st round (lasted 2 seasons with the Steelers), then don�t pick again until Round #7
1963:� First choice is in Round #8
1964:� An aberration�..choose Pitt DB, Wilkinsburg native Paul Martha in Round #1, switch second round picks, trade away pick in Round #10�.that�s it!!
1965:� Where we
started�.Roy
Parker leaves at this point, but his legacy continues�..don�t know the extent to which the few years following represented his action directly�.or merely his influence.
1966:� Trade away picks #4, 5, 6,8�.draft all time-bust, Dick Leftridge, RB, WVU in Round #1�.with the 4th or 5th pick overall, if memory serves me well. �Leftridge has less than a dozen NFL carries, again if memory serves me well. �Steelers select Emerson Boozer in Round #7�.signs with the Jets.
1967:� Trade picks in rounds 1, 3,5,6,7 (to be fair, picked up picks in rounds 3 & 6).
1968:� Traded picks in rounds, 3, 4, 6,7�did pick up some picks as well.
1969:� CHUCK NOLL�.#1-Joe Greene, #2-Terry Hanrattty, #3-Jon Kolb, #10-L.C. Greenwood
Lastly, the only pre-Noll draftees having any impact on the Super Bowl teams were a pair of 16 round picks, both having their NFL careers sandwiched around their military service
1968 #16 rounder Rocky Bleier of Notre Dame
1963 #16 rounder Andy Russell of
Oh�.last thought�of 16 Steeler coaches all-time, the only ones beside Chuck Noll & Bill Cowher winning records were Jock Sutherland, in a two-year-stint�and�.Raymond �Buddy� Parker.
Things you think about with your team not in the playoffs�.