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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/28/the-ollie-matson-trade-55-years-later/
The Ollie Matson trade, 55 years later
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 28, 2014
Fifty-five years ago today, an NFL team whose General Manager would soon be league commissioner traded nine players for a future Hall of Fame tailback.
And you thought the Trent Richardson trade was a big deal.
The year was 1959. The Los Angeles Rams, led by G.M. Pete Rozelle, traded seven players, a 1959 second-round pick and a player to be named later to the Chicago Cardinals for Ollie Matson.
Rozelle and the late Matson (second from left at right) had history together. Matson was a star fullback at the University of San Francisco, whose 1951 team went undefeated, while Rozelle was the school’s sports information director. Two other future Hall of Famers — tackle Bob St. Clair and defensive end Gino Marchetti — also played for the 1951 Dons. However, this exceptionally skilled club wouldn’t play in a bowl game; according to the school, the team rejected an invitation to the 1951 Orange Bowl that was conditional on the club’s African-American players — Matson and Burl Toler — not playing.
The Cardinals’ first-round pick in 1952 — the same year in which he won bronze and silver medals in track at the Olympics — Matson never played on a first-place team in his 14-season NFL career, and only twice did he play on teams with winning records. The Cardinals struggled in his six seasons on the field, and the Rams were 11-39-2 in his four seasons (1959-1962).
In the end, the trade didn’t lead to great success for either club. The Chicago Cardinals would move to St. Louis in 1960. Their next postseason appearance would be in 1974. The Rams, meanwhile, would next make the postseason in 1967, one season after Matson had wrapped up his NFL career with Philadelphia. Overall, Matson would rack up 12,844 combined yards and 73 TDs, and he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
The trade for Matson, who passed away at age 80 in 2011, remains one of the biggest from a player count standpoint in NFL history.
Now, imagine something like this in the Twitter era.
http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1980s/eric_dickerson.aspx
Largest Trades in NFL History
(Based on number of players or draft choices involved)
Herschel Walker
18 - Oct. 13, 1989 - RB Herschel Walker from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas also traded its third-round choice in 1990, its tenth-round choice in 1990, and its third-round choice in 1991 to Minnesota. Minnesota traded LB Jesse Solomon, LB David Howard, CB Isaac Holt, and DE Alex Stewart along with its first-, second-, and sixth-round choices in 1990, its first-and second-round choices in 1991, its first-, second-, and third-round choices in 1992 to Dallas. Minnesota traded RB Darrin Nelson to Dallas, which traded Nelson to the San Diego Chargers for the Chargers' fifth-round choice in 1990, which Dallas then sent to Minnesota.
Don Shula
15 - Mar. 26, 1953 - T Mike McCormack, DT Don Colo, LB Tom Catlin, DB John Petitbon, and G Herschell Forester from the Baltimore Colts to the Cleveland Browns for DB Don Shula, DB Bert Rechichar, DB Carl Taseff, LB Ed Sharkey, E Gern Nagler, QB Harry Agganis, T Dick Batten, T Stu Sheets, G Art Spinney, and G Elmer Willhoite.
15 - Jan. 28, 1971 - LB Marlin McKeever, first- and third-round choices in 1971, and third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth, and seventh-round choices in 1972 from the Washington Redskins to the Los Angeles Rams for LB Maxie Baughan, LB Jack Pardee, LB Myron Pottios, RB Jeff Jordan, G John Wilbur, DT Diron Talbert, and a fifth-round choice in 1971.
Ollie Matson
12 - June 12, 1952 - Selection rights to Les Richter from the Dallas Texans to the Los Angeles Rams for RB Dick Hoerner, DB Tom Keane, DB George Sims, C Joe Reid, HB Billy Bagget, T Jack Halliday, FB Dick McKissack, LB Vic Vasicek, E Richard Wilkins, C Aubrey Phillips, and RB Dave Anderson.
10 - Mar. 1, 1959 - HB Ollie Matson from the Chicago Cardinals to the Los Angeles Rams for T Frank Fuller, DE Glenn Holtzman, T Ken Panfil, DT Art Hauser, E John Tracey, FB Larry Hickman, HB Don Brown, the Rams' second-round choice in 1960 (Mike McGee, G, Duke, 14th overall) and a player to be delivered during the 1959 training camp (turned into 1960 fourth-round draft choice: Silas Woods, E, Marquette, 38th overall).
10 - Oct. 31, 1987 - RB Eric Dickerson from the Los Angeles Rams to the Indianapolis Colts. The rights to LB Cornelius Bennett from Indianapolis to the Buffalo Bills. Indianapolis RB Owen Gill and the Colts' first- and second-round choices in 1988 and second-round choice in 1989, plus Bills RB Greg Bell and Buffalo's first-round choice in 1988 and first- and second-round choices in 1989 to the Rams.
Blockbuster Trade on Halloween 1987
One of the largest trades ever made in National Football League history occurred on Halloween Day in 1987. The marquis name in the three-way deal between the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Indianapolis Colts was Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.
In all, the deal involved 10 players and draft choices. Only four other deals in NFL annals ever had more players involved.
Here's a breakdown of the trade made on October 31, 1987:
RAMS
TRADED
Eric Dickerson, RB
RECEIVED
Greg Bell, RB
Owen Gill, RB
Buffalo No. 1 – 1988 (Gaston Green, RB, 14th overall)
Indianapolis No. 1 – 1988 (Aaron Cox, WR, 20th overall)
Indianapolis No. 2 – 1988 (Fred Strickland, LB, 47th overall)
Buffalo No. 1 – 1989 (Cleveland Gary, RB, 26th overall)
Indianapolis No. 2 – 1989 (Frank Stams, LB, 45th overall)
Buffalo No. 2 – 1989 (Darryl Henley, DB, 53rd overall)
COLTS
TRADED
Owen Gill, RB
Rights to Cornelius Bennett, LB
No. 1 - 1988
No. 2 - 1988
No. 2 - 1989
RECEIVED
Eric Dickerson, RB
BILLS
TRADED
Greg Bell, RB
No. 1 – 1988
No. 1 – 1989
No. 2 – 1989
RECEIVED
Rights to Cornelius Bennett, LB
The Ollie Matson trade, 55 years later
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 28, 2014
Fifty-five years ago today, an NFL team whose General Manager would soon be league commissioner traded nine players for a future Hall of Fame tailback.
And you thought the Trent Richardson trade was a big deal.
The year was 1959. The Los Angeles Rams, led by G.M. Pete Rozelle, traded seven players, a 1959 second-round pick and a player to be named later to the Chicago Cardinals for Ollie Matson.
Rozelle and the late Matson (second from left at right) had history together. Matson was a star fullback at the University of San Francisco, whose 1951 team went undefeated, while Rozelle was the school’s sports information director. Two other future Hall of Famers — tackle Bob St. Clair and defensive end Gino Marchetti — also played for the 1951 Dons. However, this exceptionally skilled club wouldn’t play in a bowl game; according to the school, the team rejected an invitation to the 1951 Orange Bowl that was conditional on the club’s African-American players — Matson and Burl Toler — not playing.
The Cardinals’ first-round pick in 1952 — the same year in which he won bronze and silver medals in track at the Olympics — Matson never played on a first-place team in his 14-season NFL career, and only twice did he play on teams with winning records. The Cardinals struggled in his six seasons on the field, and the Rams were 11-39-2 in his four seasons (1959-1962).
In the end, the trade didn’t lead to great success for either club. The Chicago Cardinals would move to St. Louis in 1960. Their next postseason appearance would be in 1974. The Rams, meanwhile, would next make the postseason in 1967, one season after Matson had wrapped up his NFL career with Philadelphia. Overall, Matson would rack up 12,844 combined yards and 73 TDs, and he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
The trade for Matson, who passed away at age 80 in 2011, remains one of the biggest from a player count standpoint in NFL history.
Now, imagine something like this in the Twitter era.
http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1980s/eric_dickerson.aspx
Largest Trades in NFL History
(Based on number of players or draft choices involved)
Herschel Walker
18 - Oct. 13, 1989 - RB Herschel Walker from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas also traded its third-round choice in 1990, its tenth-round choice in 1990, and its third-round choice in 1991 to Minnesota. Minnesota traded LB Jesse Solomon, LB David Howard, CB Isaac Holt, and DE Alex Stewart along with its first-, second-, and sixth-round choices in 1990, its first-and second-round choices in 1991, its first-, second-, and third-round choices in 1992 to Dallas. Minnesota traded RB Darrin Nelson to Dallas, which traded Nelson to the San Diego Chargers for the Chargers' fifth-round choice in 1990, which Dallas then sent to Minnesota.
Don Shula
15 - Mar. 26, 1953 - T Mike McCormack, DT Don Colo, LB Tom Catlin, DB John Petitbon, and G Herschell Forester from the Baltimore Colts to the Cleveland Browns for DB Don Shula, DB Bert Rechichar, DB Carl Taseff, LB Ed Sharkey, E Gern Nagler, QB Harry Agganis, T Dick Batten, T Stu Sheets, G Art Spinney, and G Elmer Willhoite.
15 - Jan. 28, 1971 - LB Marlin McKeever, first- and third-round choices in 1971, and third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth, and seventh-round choices in 1972 from the Washington Redskins to the Los Angeles Rams for LB Maxie Baughan, LB Jack Pardee, LB Myron Pottios, RB Jeff Jordan, G John Wilbur, DT Diron Talbert, and a fifth-round choice in 1971.
Ollie Matson
12 - June 12, 1952 - Selection rights to Les Richter from the Dallas Texans to the Los Angeles Rams for RB Dick Hoerner, DB Tom Keane, DB George Sims, C Joe Reid, HB Billy Bagget, T Jack Halliday, FB Dick McKissack, LB Vic Vasicek, E Richard Wilkins, C Aubrey Phillips, and RB Dave Anderson.
10 - Mar. 1, 1959 - HB Ollie Matson from the Chicago Cardinals to the Los Angeles Rams for T Frank Fuller, DE Glenn Holtzman, T Ken Panfil, DT Art Hauser, E John Tracey, FB Larry Hickman, HB Don Brown, the Rams' second-round choice in 1960 (Mike McGee, G, Duke, 14th overall) and a player to be delivered during the 1959 training camp (turned into 1960 fourth-round draft choice: Silas Woods, E, Marquette, 38th overall).
10 - Oct. 31, 1987 - RB Eric Dickerson from the Los Angeles Rams to the Indianapolis Colts. The rights to LB Cornelius Bennett from Indianapolis to the Buffalo Bills. Indianapolis RB Owen Gill and the Colts' first- and second-round choices in 1988 and second-round choice in 1989, plus Bills RB Greg Bell and Buffalo's first-round choice in 1988 and first- and second-round choices in 1989 to the Rams.
Blockbuster Trade on Halloween 1987
In all, the deal involved 10 players and draft choices. Only four other deals in NFL annals ever had more players involved.
Here's a breakdown of the trade made on October 31, 1987:
RAMS
TRADED
Eric Dickerson, RB
RECEIVED
Greg Bell, RB
Owen Gill, RB
Buffalo No. 1 – 1988 (Gaston Green, RB, 14th overall)
Indianapolis No. 1 – 1988 (Aaron Cox, WR, 20th overall)
Indianapolis No. 2 – 1988 (Fred Strickland, LB, 47th overall)
Buffalo No. 1 – 1989 (Cleveland Gary, RB, 26th overall)
Indianapolis No. 2 – 1989 (Frank Stams, LB, 45th overall)
Buffalo No. 2 – 1989 (Darryl Henley, DB, 53rd overall)
COLTS
TRADED
Owen Gill, RB
Rights to Cornelius Bennett, LB
No. 1 - 1988
No. 2 - 1988
No. 2 - 1989
RECEIVED
Eric Dickerson, RB
BILLS
TRADED
Greg Bell, RB
No. 1 – 1988
No. 1 – 1989
No. 2 – 1989
RECEIVED
Rights to Cornelius Bennett, LB