1958-59 Offseason

Retirements

RB Billy Gould - Chicago, IL
College: Northern Illinois State
Teams: Chicago Hogs (1953-1958)
AFL Championships: 1 (1954)
All-AFL: 4 (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956)
All-Star: 5 (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958)
Awards: Most Valuable Player (1954, 1955), Offensive Player of the Year (1953, 1956), Rookie of the Year (1953), AFL Championship MVP (1954)
Creator: idm

In a shock to pretty much everyone, Gould is hanging up his cleats after only 6 years in the AFL. He made the most of that short time, earning every single award possible as well as reviving the Hogs’ chances at a title by taking them there and winning one in his second year. He nearly didn’t make the league; playing on the newly-formed team at Northern Illinois State didn’t attract any scouts from the AFL and he thought his dream of playing football professionally was over. A chance meeting with Johnnie Hendrix, then-RB coach and one of the first players to break the color barrier in any league, brought him onto the Hogs as a special teamer. He made his mark in his second game, and his luck continued when then-starter Brian Bruce suffered a broken jaw and took over as the starter. Nicknamed “the Golden Boy”, he was not the fastest back in the game, but his ability to change directions seemingly on a whim made his runs so fluid and made defenders look silly. It seemed like he was destined to play like this for a long time, but an attempted leap over a defender left him with an injury to his leg that sidelined him for the entire 1957 season. He got back up to respectable numbers when he got back on the field full-time again, but he was forced to take on a larger workload with QB Nathan Aldenberg also going down with a season-long injury of his own. The further strain on his injured leg left him with no other option than to walk away at his peak than to potentially lose his leg with another injury. Gould in his short time left his mark on the league, showcasing that anyone can succeed in the league and seems to be paving the way for more black athletes to take their chance at pro football. 

OL Chester Garrett - Dublin, OH
College: Ohio
Teams: Cleveland Crows (1950-1952), Washington Federals (1953-1958)
AFL Championships: 2 (1953, 1956)
All-AFL: 6 (1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)
All-Star: 7 (1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958)

If you were to point out a player that was the prototypical offensive linemen, it would be Chester Garrett. Garrett had high hopes to open his pro career after a standout few years at the University of Ohio, signing with Cleveland with the promise of immediately starting on the line with his prowess. Unfortunately for him, he suffered a hip injury in his second game as a pro that sidelined him the rest of 1950. After playing all of 1951 and earning his first of many all-league honors, the newly-relocated Washington Federals made a stunning move by acquiring both him and star wideout Joseph Atkins in an attempt to immediately right the ship that was the Columbus Buckeyes. He immediately found a place as the anchor on the fledgling Federals line, where he never missed another game from him being traded to his retirement, playing 78 straight games between those 8 years. Garrett was also named to 7 straight All-Star teams and 5 straight All-AFL honors and won two titles as well, all with the Federals. He could have played for another couple of years, but he instead retired to become an offensive line coach and assistant with Washington. When scouts are set to look out for an interior lineman for their team, they better hope they get one as good as Garrett. 

WR Joseph Atkins - San Francisco, CA
College: California State
Teams: Cleveland Crows (1951-1952), Washington Federals (1953-1958)
AFL Championships: 2 (1953, 1956)
All-AFL: 4 (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957)
All-Star: 5 (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)

Atkins looked like he was going to be the top receiving threat in Cleveland when he signed with them. A receiver of his stature may not have been the fastest player alive, but he was able to leap high above defenders for spectacular catches and wow the crowd. His prowess was well-anticipated, but he could not develop a connection with QB Ronnie Hart and the Crows were looking to get rid of players in an attempt to shed payroll. Atkins was one of the casualties, as he was packaged with OL Chester Garrett to go to the Federals, who needed someone to be their top receiver. Washington also selected Darius Sanderson as his complement, and he finally found a connection with QB Johnnie Sellers all the way to a surprise championship win for the first-year Federals. Atkins kept up the production, making 5 straight All-Star games and being named to 4 All-AFL teams between his prime years of 1953 and 1957. He could not keep up with the faster defenders that have come into the league in recent years, and had the option for another 2 years with the Federals. He opted not to re-sign and instead retired at the top of his career instead of feeling himself deteriorate over the years. That certainly would help him with his legacy later on, as Washington’s commentators have begun to describe any gravity-defying catch by their receivers as “pulling a Joseph Atkins”. 

RB Perry Ferguson - Boston, MA
College: Massachusetts State
Teams: Cleveland Crows (1951-1952), Cincinnati Rivermen (1953-1958)
AFL Championships: 2 (1955, 1957)
All-AFL: 3 (1955, 1956, 1957)
All-Star: 4 (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)

A man of his word, Ferguson put in one last year with the Rivermen after wanting to retire after the Rivs’ 1957 title, but they fell short in a division semi-final loss to St. Louis. Ferguson was the focal point of the Massachusetts State Panthers offense, propelling them to a Roses Bowl appearance and got him signed to Cleveland. His presence did not help the Crows out, and traded away the young back to in-state rival Cincinnati for practically nothing. The Crows quickly regretted that decision, as Ferguson would quickly develop into one of the league’s best running backs. Getting into a backfield with playmakers like Alfred Dunn and Lester Parker certainly doesn’t hurt, effectively becoming the battering ram when the Rivermen needed a few yards to gain. His contributions took the Rivermen to three straight championship games between 1955 and 1957, helping Cincinnati win two of those. Being named to 3 straight All-AFL teams and 4 straight All-Star games helps his resume as well, making his trade to Cincinnati a story of what could have been in Cleveland. He’ll go down as Cincinnati’s best running back since their inception, but it could have been better if the Rivs were able to have him ride off into the sunset as they both had wanted.

QB Roy Woodward - Beavercreek, OH
College: Ohio
Teams: Detroit Knights (1947-1954), New York Lions (1955-1956), Philadelphia Rattlesnakes (1957-1958)
All-Star: 1 (1957)

Woodward had shown promise in his first few years in Detroit, taking the Knights back to the MWFC title game in his first year as a pro, where they ultimately fell short to the Hogs. That seemed to be the peak of his career, as when the Knights moved over to the AFL, they completely fell flat. Woodward went from an up-and-coming starter to someone who struggled as the playcaller, even if that was mostly a result of the coaching staff that refused to change with him. He was deemed as a scapegoat, and was left unprotected in the first expansion draft. Needing a veteran QB to help prop them up against the other AFL teams, the Lions selected him when the Knights selections came around. Woodward would only have a worse team around him, and after two years he was traded to Philadelphia, who believed that he could mentor their first round selection, QB Raymond Oram, to become a starter like Woodward was in his early pro years. His last year would finally bring him a winning season for the first time in nearly a decade, getting him an All-Star nomination, along with the quarterback sent over in the trade for the Lions in Freddie Hughes. Seeing that he was going to be replaced by Oram and with no teams wanting to start an unnecessary competition for a starting QB, Woodward called it a career after 12 seasons between the MWFC and AFL. Woodward’s career will be marred by what he could have been, having the skills to become one of the top quarterbacks in the league but didn’t reach that potential until it was too late. 

LB Jerry Flowers - Minneapolis, MN
College: Minnesota State
Teams: Minneapolis Bears (1947-1948), Detroit Knights (1949-1953), Chicago Hogs (1954-1958)
AFL Championships: 1 (1954)
All-AFL: 2 (1951, 1952)
All-Star: 2 (1952, 1953)

Flowers didn’t have to go far after graduating from Minnesota State, effectively staying on campus to play two years with the MWFC’s Minneapolis Bears before getting traded to the Knights. He quickly became the top linebacker within their core, being named to two All-AFL teams while Detroit quickly fell into a death spiral. Chicago took advantage of his talents after they shockingly lost to the newly-relocated Federals and were looking to do anything to get back on top. Flowers may not have had the same kind of season as he had with Detroit, but his presence was enough to get the Hogs back to the championship game and win his first (and only) title. For scouts, Flowers’ abilities as a linebacker could be seen as the prototype for middle linebacker position, acting as an effective leader and jack-of-all-trades kind of defense player that can do anything asked of him. Despite his decline in play after winning the championship, Chicago still relied on him to lead the middle of the defense until he decided to end on his terms after 12 total seasons of play, a measure of his longevity in an incredibly physical era of play. 

DB Clarence Newman - Waldorf, MD
College: Calvert
Teams: Chicago Hogs (1949-1958)
AFL Championships: 3 (1951, 1952, 1954)
All-AFL: 2 (1953, 1954)
All-Star: 1 (1954)

Despite not being considered a flashy kind of player that you would expect for a defensive back, Clarence Newman quietly became one of the AFL’s top secondary players in its early years. He was a bit more on the average side for a defensive back, but his leadership more than added to his jack-of-all-trades type of playerstyle, and as a result made him a staple in the Chicago secondary. He was able to go toe-to-toe even with the best receivers despite not having their size or speed, and even being on the marquee Hogs didn’t make him a household the way Eric Forbes or Alfred Walton were able to. He was a crucial part of the team that won three AFL championships, though praise was more directed towards the stars of each of those teams rather than Newman himself. His efforts did eventually get recognized, being named to two All-AFL teams in 1953 and 1954 and getting an All-Star nomination in 1954. Newman got displaced in his final years as a pro, with Chicago drafting younger defensive backs that would inevitably replace him, though he did not expect that time to come so soon. He thought he would have another short contract to sign to, but he became a depth piece and knew he wouldn’t be a starter anywhere else in the league. He is aiding his coach once more, becoming a defensive backs coach with the Hogs to help get that defense back to the menacing and feared unit it was when he was captaining it.

S Tom Silva - Southfield, MI
College: Michigania (Ann Arbor)
Teams: Cincinnati Rivermen (1949-1952), Tri-Cities Hawks (1953-1958)
All-AFL: 2 (1951, 1952)
All-Star: 2 (1952, 1953)

Silva had made a name for himself at the smaller Michigania College for being the wall in the backfield that could lay out any player that came his way. Cincinnati signed him out of college, and quickly established himself as the man to beat in the secondary. However, Silva was soon forced to compete with the up-and-coming Virgil Romano for the starting safety position, and seeing the writing on the wall asked the Rivermen for a trade so he could remain the top player in the secondary instead of becoming a role player. The Hawks were ready to pick up his services, sending their first round pick (that eventually became DL J.J. Worthington) and WR Chris Marks. If Tri-Cities were to look back on that trade nowadays, they wish they had backed off from taking him. It seemed good at first, as he made another All-Star game and looked to pair well with the young Tom Meltzger in the backfield. Yet again, Silva was outpaced by the younger safety, though this time Meltzger was sent away when the Hawks started to lose faith in being able to win. Silva was still in charge of the backfield, though he never developed past his peak that he became in Cincinnati. Ironically, he would become more of a team player when his ability to lay out other players affected how he played, playing more conservatively instead of aggressively pursuing the hit. He would leave the Hawks when his contract expired, and instead joined the Buffalo Hammers as a defensive backs coach.

 

Other Retirements

OL Jackie Holder - Colorado Springs, CO - Oklahoma
Teams: Chicago Hogs (1951-1958) - AFL Championships: 3 (1951, 1952, 1954) - All-Star: 1 (1956)

One of the Hogs’ key signings in the inaugural AFL rookie class, Holder quickly established himself as the unsung anchor of the feared Chicago offensive line. He would have been the top offensive linemen on any other team, since he was constantly in the shadow of players like Bill Armstrong and Steven Holland. He may have only made a single All-Star game with giants standing quite literally beside him, he still made his time count. He will look to continue the legacy of phenomenal Chicago offensive lines, as he will join the team as an assistant offensive line coach.

RB Brian Bruce - Charlotte, NC - Virginia Commonwealth
Teams: Chicago Hogs (1951-1953), Tri-Cities Hawks (1954-1958) - All-Star: 1 (1952)

Despite being a fairly solid running back in his limited time, Bruce will likely be known for two things: the player who got facemasks implemented into the league and because of said jaw injury led to Billy Gould’s stardom. He seemed to be the replacement for the aging Johnnie Hendrix in Chicago, but Detroit S Charlie Fischer hit the crest of his helmet to Bruce’s jaw and kept him out of the league for a year. Gould usurped him in the meantime, and he was traded to the Hawks for a first round pick. He would be a solid starter for the 5 years he was in Davenport, but was never the same after his injury.

LB Alex Lee - Linden, NJ - New Jersey State
Teams: Pittsburgh Shamrocks (1950-1958) - All-AFL: 1 (1952) - All-Star: 1 (1952)

When the Shamrocks first joined the league, Lee was their top guy on defense who wasn’t on the line. He made the first All-Star team and was named All-AFL in their first year, but was quickly usurped by Rookie of the Year winner Barry Moore in the linebacking core. When the Shamrocks were selling years later, Moore left the team and Lee was once again put in charge. He was a commanding force for Pittsburgh’s front seven, but did not live up to the season he had in his first AFL year. 

LB Gene Archer - Sandusky ,OH - Toledo State
Teams: Tri-Cities Hawks (1952-1954), Boston Dragons (1955-1958)

Archer was a good rotational piece for both the Hawks and the Dragons, but will most likely be more remembered for his off-the-field contributions compared to how he played on the field. He became the first president of the APFA after spearheading the effort for there to be a player’s union to represent the player’s interests. His contract in Boston expired after the 1958 season, and he suspected his contract was not renewed due to being the union president. He still expects to continue to lead the union in the meantime and has expressed becoming a lawyer to better represent the players, but will look to legal action in the interim for what he deems as wrongful termination. 

DB Thomas Finch - Youngstown, OH - University of Ohio
Teams: Columbus Buckeyes/Washington Federals (1950-1958) - AFL Championships: 2 (1953, 1956)

Finch was a key depth piece to the two titles the Federals won after they moved out of Columbus, but Finch’s retirement means something more significant. With him out of the league, the last player who played on the original Columbus Buckeyes team is no longer. Finch managed to prove himself useful when the team was crumbling around him, but remained a key bench player throughout his time. While there will still be players who had played for the Buckeyes that will remain the league for more time, the last original Buckeye has exited the league.

Coaching Changes

Although he started out with a strong 1955 outing with the Hammers, HC Vincent Merritt seemed to be coaching himself out of a job over the next three seasons. With the East effectively up-ending itself in that time frame and the Hammers went from front-runners to basement dwellers. Merritt was shown the door after a disappointing 1958 season, going 20-27-1 in 4 years with the team with a single playoff appearance to show for his time. Chicago also let go of OC Leslie Gustafson after a single year after their already putrid offense got even worse under his oversight. Three other coordinators decided to retire after only a few years with each of their teams. Garry Jefferson retired as Boston defensive coordinator after only two years at the position, Lyle Beach set up the Knights for the future in his 3 years as offensive coordinator in Detroit, and Randolph Fields won a title with the Federals in his first year as offensive coordinator, bowing out after two more years. 

Most of the teams decided to hire internally instead of find an outside candidate, fearing more losses due to the upcoming expansion set to begin next year. Buffalo was the quickest to make a decision, promoting DC Hugh Harrison to the head coaching position after spending the past year as DC. Merritt must have known his time with the Hammers was fleeting, and hired Harrison last year as one last favor due to their time coaching together on the Hawks. Harrison was previously the head coach for Tri-Cities from 1954 to 1957 where he had a 17-28-1 record. Hired to the now-vacant DC position is Calvin Frost, where he had been the DC for St. Louis State for the past two years but he had served under Harrison from 1954 to 1956. Several sportswriters in Buffalo are fearing for the worse if the team is deciding to become the second-rate version of the Hawks, meaning the Hammers would be unlikely to reach back to their height in the first half of the decade. The only two teams not to hire internally both hired from the same place; Boston hired Elmer Morton as their new DC and Chicago hired OC Brent Livingstone, both having last coached as coordinators at Chicago Christian. To round up the remaining hires, Detroit promoted assistant Hank Sweeney to their offensive coordinator, and Washington gave QB coach Jack Stucky their offensive coordinator position.

OUT
BOS DC Garry Jefferson (Retired)
BUF HC Vincent Merritt (Fired)
BUF DC Hugh Harrison (Promoted to HC)
CHI OC Leslie Gustafson (Fired)
DET OC Lyle Beach (Retired)
WAS OC Randolph Fields (Retired)

IN
BOS DC Elmer Morton (Was Chicago Christian DC)
BUF HC Hugh Harrison (Was BUF DC)
BUF DC Calvin Frost (Was St Louis St DC)
CHI OC Brent Livingstone (Was Chicago Christian OC)
DET OC Hank Sweeney (Was DET Ast. OC)
WAS OC Jack Stucky (Was WAS QB Coach)

Trades

Chicago was desperate for a running back with the surprise retirement of Billy Gould. Even though they already have the first overall pick to take a suitable replacement and RB Arthur Busch has been serviceable as the main power back, the Hogs felt like they needed something substantial to get back in the playoff race. They went knocking at nearly every team’s door, desperate for an offer to get any sort of top back. They eventually reached Philadelphia, where they asked for Neal Earnhardt’s availability after rejecting an offer for Mickey Greene. The Rattlesnakes set Earnhardt’s price high to stave off the Hogs, but they were surprised when Chicago agreed to the terms. The Hogs would send over two picks (a 3rd round pick this year and a 2nd rounder next year) as well as sending over Arthur Busch in exchange for Earnhardt. Other AFL teams were shocked that Earnhardt was even available, but to the Rattlesnakes it was a deal that they could not pass up. The Hogs did not like Busch as a feature back, and wanted someone who could actually take a majority of the rushing load like Gould had. For the Rattlesnakes, they needed a change of pace running back, and knew that the competition between Greene and Earnhardt would not last long. For now it seems like a win-win for both sides, but Chicago paid a hefty price to get the top back they wanted. 

Detroit was searching for someone to aid in their defense to potentially get them back to a title. Their search would end up with them going back to Pittsburgh and picking up the other one of the Shamrocks’ defensive line in Roy Forbes. He will reunite with DL Archie Webber, who was convinced to stay for one final year in hopes of finally winning a championship. Detroit will send over DL Raymond Stone, who is getting sent back to Pittsburgh after the Shamrocks traded him away to acquire the pick that would become QB Aksel Kahr, LB Sean Hitchcock, and a 5th round pick for Forbes’ services. The Knights’ defensive line was young and needed another veteran like Forbes to lead the way, and hopefully he and Webber will reconnect like they had in the past to elevate the Knights to the title they desire. The main prize for Pittsburgh was Stone, who will slot in immediately as a starter after they realized how well he was doing in Detroit. 

With an East division that is now even tougher to win, Boston felt like they needed to do something in order to keep up with the New York's or Philadelphia's or Washington's. Their one main area of weakness was their corner back room, which desperately needed some form of youth to reinvigorate. They went out looking to see if any team would take on a corner, and Cleveland was still looking to get rid of players to potentially play for the future. The Dragons liked DB Fred Alliston, and came back with a deal that seemingly benefits both sides. Cleveland needed experience at the corner position, and took on veteran DB Gene Fisher and Boston’s 3rd round pick next year. They also swapped players in the ASPFL both teams expect to start in the near future, with Cleveland acquiring WR Dale Allen from Long Island to add to their receiving core, while Boston acquired OL Howard Steiner from Concord to add some more youth to their offensive line.