Catfish Smith

[Saban1]

Ralph "Catfish' Smith played TE with Philadelphia for a few years and then the same position with Cleveland for a few more years. In 1969, Smith was sold to New Orleans, but did not play for the Saints. Too bad because two of his teammates with New Orleans would have been John Brewer and Carl Ward who both were teammates at Cleveland. Brewer was also a teammate of Ralph Smith in college (Ole Miss).

My question is, how did Smith end up playing for Atlanta in 1969? My guess is that he was cut by the Saints and then picked up by the Falcons. Catfish did not start for Atlanta. A rookie named Jim Mitchell became the starting tight end for the Falcons in 1969. So, Catfish Smith was the backup tight end that year for Atlanta. If Mitchell, a 4th round draft choice in 1969 for the Falcons, did not work out, then Smith probably would have been the starter that year, as he was for Cleveland in 1967.

Anyone know how he ended up playing for Atlanta?

[Jay Z]

Ralph "Catfish' Smith played TE with Philadelphia for a few years and then the same position with Cleveland for a few more years. In 1969, Smith was sold to New Orleans, but did not play for the Saints. Too bad because two of his teammates with New Orleans would have been John Brewer and Carl Ward who both were teammates at Cleveland. Brewer was also a teammate of Ralph Smith in college (Ole Miss).

My question is, how did Smith end up playing for Atlanta in 1969? My guess is that he was cut by the Saints and then picked up by the Falcons. Catfish did not start for Atlanta. A rookie named Jim Mitchell became the starting tight end for the Falcons in 1969. So, Catfish Smith was the backup tight end that year for Atlanta. If Mitchell, a 4th round draft choice in 1969 for the Falcons, did not work out, then Smith probably would have been the starter that year, as he was for Cleveland in 1967.

Anyone know how he ended up playing for Atlanta?

He was waived from New Orleans to Atlanta on September 17th.

[Saban1]

Ralph "Catfish' Smith played TE with Philadelphia for a few years and then the same position with Cleveland for a few more years. In 1969, Smith was sold to New Orleans, but did not play for the Saints. Too bad because two of his teammates with New Orleans would have been John Brewer and Carl Ward who both were teammates at Cleveland. Brewer was also a teammate of Ralph Smith in college (Ole Miss).

My question is, how did Smith end up playing for Atlanta in 1969? My guess is that he was cut by the Saints and then picked up by the Falcons. Catfish did not start for Atlanta. A rookie named Jim Mitchell became the starting tight end for the Falcons in 1969. So, Catfish Smith was the backup tight end that year for Atlanta. If Mitchell, a 4th round draft choice in 1969 for the Falcons, did not work out, then Smith probably would have been the starter that year, as he was for Cleveland in 1967.

Anyone know how he ended up playing for Atlanta?

He was waived from New Orleans to Atlanta on September 17th.

Thanks Jay Z.

Too bad because Ralph Smith not only would have been with old teammates, but New Orleans was the closest NFL city to his home in Mississippi. I can see why the Saints waived him. They were loaded with tight ends with guys like Dave Parks, Ray Poage and Jimmy Hester, so Smith evidently was considered expendable.

Catfish Smith was a good player to have in reserve because he could move right in and do a decent job at tight end, as he did at Cleveland. Cleveland sent him to New Orleans because they drafted a tight end named Charles "Chip" Glass and I believe were high on him. Plus they had Milt Morin who was a very good tight end

At Atlanta, I don't think that Jim Mitchell was that much better than Smith in 1969, if at all, but Atlanta was a young team and were building for the future, so they wanted young players that could be around for years. Smith was over 30 at that point. Mitchell was a 22 year old rookie.

Smith retired after the 1969 season and eight years in the NFL.

[Jay Z]

Thanks Jay Z.

Too bad because Ralph Smith not only would have been with old teammates, but New Orleans was the closest NFL city to his home in Mississippi. I can see why the Saints waived him. They were loaded with tight ends with guys like Dave Parks, Ray Poage and Jimmy Hester, so Smith evidently was considered expendable.

Catfish Smith was a good player to have in reserve because he could move right in and do a decent job at tight end, as he did at Cleveland. Cleveland sent him to New Orleans because they drafted a tight end named Charles "Chip" Glass and I believe were high on him. Plus they had Milt Morin who was a very good tight end

At Atlanta, I don't think that Jim Mitchell was that much better than Smith in 1969, if at all, but Atlanta was a young team and were building for the future, so they wanted young players that could be around for years. Smith was over 30 at that point. Mitchell was a 22 year old rookie.

Smith retired after the 1969 season and eight years in the NFL.

I understand why Atlanta wanted Smith. They had traded the 1968 regular, Ray Ogden, to the Bears for Jim Purnell and Rudy Redmond. They flipped Purnell to the Eagles for a package that included John Zook, so I guess that worked out okay. But that left them with just Mitchell and 1968 backup Mike Donohoe. Donohoe blew out his Achilles in early September, so that left the team with an open job.

No idea what the Saints wanted with Smith though. Dave Parks spent 1968 as a WR. Tight ends were Monty Stickles and Jimmy Hester, and Ray Ogden could play there as well. They were all back. Then the Saints wound up moving Parks to TE. So Stickles was cut in August, and Smith waived in September. This should have opened up more playing time for John Gilliam, but Gilliam had been traded to the Cardinals for a bunch of junk and a #2 DC before the 1969 draft. Gilliam immediately became a star in St. Looie, while the Saints wound up starting... Al Dodd, from their taxi squad. Dodd stuck around for a while, though Dodd's 3 career TD receptions paled in comparison to Gilliam's 48. Guess there was a reason it took the Saints 20 years to make the playoffs!

[Saban1]

Thanks Jay Z.

Too bad because Ralph Smith not only would have been with old teammates, but New Orleans was the closest NFL city to his home in Mississippi. I can see why the Saints waived him. They were loaded with tight ends with guys like Dave Parks, Ray Poage and Jimmy Hester, so Smith evidently was considered expendable.

Catfish Smith was a good player to have in reserve because he could move right in and do a decent job at tight end, as he did at Cleveland. Cleveland sent him to New Orleans because they drafted a tight end named Charles "Chip" Glass and I believe were high on him. Plus they had Milt Morin who was a very good tight end

At Atlanta, I don't think that Jim Mitchell was that much better than Smith in 1969, if at all, but Atlanta was a young team and were building for the future, so they wanted young players that could be around for years. Smith was over 30 at that point. Mitchell was a 22 year old rookie.

Smith retired after the 1969 season and eight years in the NFL.

I understand why Atlanta wanted Smith. They had traded the 1968 regular, Ray Ogden, to the Bears for Jim Purnell and Rudy Redmond. They flipped Purnell to the Eagles for a package that included John Zook, so I guess that worked out okay. But that left them with just Mitchell and 1968 backup Mike Donohoe. Donohoe blew out his Achilles in early September, so that left the team with an open job.

No idea what the Saints wanted with Smith though. Dave Parks spent 1968 as a WR. Tight ends were Monty Stickles and Jimmy Hester, and Ray Ogden could play there as well. They were all back. Then the Saints wound up moving Parks to TE. So Stickles was cut in August, and Smith waived in September. This should have opened up more playing time for John Gilliam, but Gilliam had been traded to the Cardinals for a bunch of junk and a #2 DC before the 1969 draft. Gilliam immediately became a star in St. Looie, while the Saints wound up starting... Al Dodd, from their taxi squad. Dodd stuck around for a while, though Dodd's 3 career TD receptions paled in comparison to Gilliam's 48. Guess there was a reason it took the Saints 20 years to make the playoffs!

Thanks again. Interesting stuff here.

That explains why Atlanta wanted Smith in September (Donohoe's injury). By then, the starting lineup was probably already determined, so Smith ended up playing mostly on the special teams, but was there to play tight end if needed. Catfish did play in all 14 games for the Falcons in 1969, but so did Jim Mitchell.

[Saban1]

Catfish Smith did have one former teammate (that I know of) in Atlanta. He was Bill Sabatino, a reserve defensive tackle in Cleveland in 1968.

Why the nickname Catfish? I think that I may have part of the answer here. From the information I have, there was a local sports hero during the 1930's near Ralph's home town of Brookhaven, Mississippi who was known as Catfish Smith. Well, Ralph Smith was a star in different sports (football, basketball, and I think baseball) in high school in Brookhaven during the 1950's

I guess because they both had the same last name, and were both sports heroes, they hung the same nickname on Ralph Smith. That is the way I understand the story, for what it is worth.

[rhickok1109]

Catfish Smith did have one former teammate (that I know of) in Atlanta. He was Bill Sabatino, a reserve defensive tackle in Cleveland in 1968.

Why the nickname Catfish? I think that I may have part of the answer here. From the information I have, there was a local sports hero during the 1930's near Ralph's home town of Brookhaven, Mississippi who was known as Catfish Smith. Well, Ralph Smith was a star in different sports (football, basketball, and I think baseball) in high school in Brookhaven during the 1950's

I guess because they both had the same last name, and were both sports heroes, they hung the same nickname on Ralph Smith. That is the way I understand the story, for what it is worth.

That just pushes the question back a little further. How did the original Catfish Smith get that nickname?

[Bryan]

No idea what the Saints wanted with Smith though. Dave Parks spent 1968 as a WR. Tight ends were Monty Stickles and Jimmy Hester, and Ray Ogden could play there as well. They were all back. Then the Saints wound up moving Parks to TE. So Stickles was cut in August, and Smith waived in September. This should have opened up more playing time for John Gilliam, but Gilliam had been traded to the Cardinals for a bunch of junk and a #2 DC before the 1969 draft. Gilliam immediately became a star in St. Looie, while the Saints wound up starting... Al Dodd, from their taxi squad. Dodd stuck around for a while, though Dodd's 3 career TD receptions paled in comparison to Gilliam's 48. Guess there was a reason it took the Saints 20 years to make the playoffs!

I have a book that outlines the first few years that New Orleans was in the NFL. It's not a great book, but it was interesting to me in that those early Saints years are basically ignored in most historic annals.

One thing that didn't make sense to me was the Saints first draft...their first pick in franchise history was Les Kelley of Alabama. He had been a 'between-the-tackles' FB for some good Bama teams; his senior year Kelley ran for 309 yards on 94 carries (both career highs for him), resulting in a pedestrian 3.3 yards per carry. The book never really explains why the Saints were so high on Kelley, yet it alludes to Kelley's athleticism by saying the Saints were going the Mike Curtis route and would be converting Kelley to LB. Not sure which is worse...your first pick in franchise history is a collegiate RB who gained 309 yards at 3.3 yards a pop...or your first pick is a collegiate RB who you will be converting to NFL LB. Kelley was injured his first year, hung on to a roster spot for two more years, then was out of the league after year 3.

The Saints' second pick was Bo Burris, a QB from Houston who ran Yeoman's veer option attack. Unless the Saints were planning to run the veer, I'm not sure how Burris would fit (kind of like how current NFL teams lament drafting spread option QBs from college programs). Burris actually put up some nice passing numbers in Houston's high scoring offense, so the pick makes some sense, but if the Saints had visions of making Burris the next Fran Tarkenton then its strange how Burris was immediately converted to safety. Its not really explained if this was the Saints' plan all along, or if after they saw Burris throw in camp they decided to put him on defense. Anyway, Burris was a bit more successful than Kelley in that he started one year (1968), but he, too, was out of the league after year 3. If I might say so, it appears that the Saints got freeze-dried for fools with their first draft.

[Saban1]

No idea what the Saints wanted with Smith though. Dave Parks spent 1968 as a WR. Tight ends were Monty Stickles and Jimmy Hester, and Ray Ogden could play there as well. They were all back. Then the Saints wound up moving Parks to TE. So Stickles was cut in August, and Smith waived in September. This should have opened up more playing time for John Gilliam, but Gilliam had been traded to the Cardinals for a bunch of junk and a #2 DC before the 1969 draft. Gilliam immediately became a star in St. Looie, while the Saints wound up starting... Al Dodd, from their taxi squad. Dodd stuck around for a while, though Dodd's 3 career TD receptions paled in comparison to Gilliam's 48. Guess there was a reason it took the Saints 20 years to make the playoffs!

I have a book that outlines the first few years that New Orleans was in the NFL. It's not a great book, but it was interesting to me in that those early Saints years are basically ignored in most historic annals.

One thing that didn't make sense to me was the Saints first draft...their first pick in franchise history was Les Kelley of Alabama. He had been a 'between-the-tackles' FB for some good Bama teams; his senior year Kelley ran for 309 yards on 94 carries (both career highs for him), resulting in a pedestrian 3.3 yards per carry. The book never really explains why the Saints were so high on Kelley, yet it alludes to Kelley's athleticism by saying the Saints were going the Mike Curtis route and would be converting Kelley to LB. Not sure which is worse...your first pick in franchise history is a collegiate RB who gained 309 yards at 3.3 yards a pop...or your first pick is a collegiate RB who you will be converting to NFL LB. Kelley was injured his first year, hung on to a roster spot for two more years, then was out of the league after year 3.

The Saints' second pick was Bo Burris, a QB from Houston who ran Yeoman's veer option attack. Unless the Saints were planning to run the veer, I'm not sure how Burris would fit (kind of like how current NFL teams lament drafting spread option QBs from college programs). Burris actually put up some nice passing numbers in Houston's high scoring offense, so the pick makes some sense, but if the Saints had visions of making Burris the next Fran Tarkenton then its strange how Burris was immediately converted to safety. Its not really explained if this was the Saints' plan all along, or if after they saw Burris throw in camp they decided to put him on defense. Anyway, Burris was a bit more successful than Kelley in that he started one year (1968), but he, too, was out of the league after year 3. If I might say so, it appears that the Saints got freeze-dried for fools with their first draft.

The Saints also traded away the rights to Bubba Smith to the Baltimore Colts.

[BD Sullivan]

Tom Fears comments on why Kelly and Burris were selected, courtesy of the 3/15/67 New Orleans Times-Picayune: