Player movement in the 1950's

[Bryan]

I am reading through TJ Troup's book about the 1953-1959 time period, and I am amazed at how often the players changed teams. I would think that with the players having other off-season jobs and not making all that much money, there wouldn't be so much movement. I guess its really up to the teams' management to decide the player trades, but even then it seems like teams would get rid of guys or bring in new guys for no real reason.

Two areas where it seemed like the players were in constant flux were also the two areas where you would expect the most cohesion would be needed...the offensive line and the defensive secondary. But it seems like teams in the 1950's had revolving doors in these areas (especially the CB position). Tom Dahms was a pretty good LT for the Rams in the early 50's, Sid Gillman makes one of his bizarre personnel decisions and sends Dahms to the mediocre Packers, Dahms starts for one year, but is then sent on to the equally mediocre Cardinals, where he starts for the year, and is then sent on to the Niners. One of my questions is why were teams, especially the mediocre ones, so willing to part with players who proved to be serviceable? Dick Modzelewski starts for 2 years on a pretty weak Redskins line, but is then dealt to the Steelers, where he starts one year, and again is dealt...this time to the Giants where he becomes a minor star on the great Giants defenses.

[coachtj]

.....no doubt you are reading the book closely, and thanks for the plug bryan! let us address tom d. recognition as a ram rookie and champion in '51. eventually he is a right tackle on offense, yet also fills in on defense(he was not very swift thus a liability in pursuit), after his year in green bay in '55 he goes to the cardinals who have their only winning season in the decade with tom d. at left ...not right offensive tackle. the guy was a strong drive blocker. why did the cardinals not keep him? wow? wish I could answer that. as a 49er he becomes the starter at right o-tackle due to bob st. injury and gonzaga not being able to due the job. so 4 teams in four seasons for him. there were teams that sure could have used him in '58 at left offensive tackle....as pittsburgh starts rookie ted karras(marginal season). tom d. is just one of many examples of players in this era moving from team to team though they actually were solid players. attempting to explain the thought process for many defensive coaches and secondary play would be lengthy. tom d. had an excellent career with the raiders as a coach.

[NWebster]

The other cool / interesting aspect of the era was the more fluid movement between the NFL and CFL, be it Gene Brito, Arnie Weinmeister, Bud Grant, Eddie LeBaron, Cookie Gilchrist (a little later), Bill Glass, etc. Some real quality front line players chose to leave to the CFL, ok Cookie didn't really choose. But I think the last player to consciously CHOOSE the CFL was probably Rocket Ishmael over 20 years ago. All the aforementioned players were quality NFL players and in the case of Brito a real star. I know there are some CFL livers here, I think the world was a little more interesting when that style of cross-pollination occurred.

[Bryan]

The other cool / interesting aspect of the era was the more fluid movement between the NFL and CFL, be it Gene Brito, Arnie Weinmeister, Bud Grant, Eddie LeBaron, Cookie Gilchrist (a little later), Bill Glass, etc.

Bud Grant is interesting because he didn't really establish himself in the NFL/AFL like the other guys. I don't know much about his NFL days despite him being a HOF member. He perhaps played defense his rookie year in 1951, but in 1952 he was 3 yards short of becoming the 7th player in NFL history to have 1000 yards in a season. Then he disappeared to Canada. I don't know what his style was...was he split wide? Was he on the line? Did he have great hands? Speed? Mysterious. Its like when I read Bud Grant's autobiography and at the end I still had no feel for him as a person.

[rhickok1109]

The other cool / interesting aspect of the era was the more fluid movement between the NFL and CFL, be it Gene Brito, Arnie Weinmeister, Bud Grant, Eddie LeBaron, Cookie Gilchrist (a little later), Bill Glass, etc. Some real quality front line players chose to leave to the CFL, ok Cookie didn't really choose. But I think the last player to consciously CHOOSE the CFL was probably Rocket Ishmael over 20 years ago. All the aforementioned players were quality NFL players and in the case of Brito a real star. I know there are some CFL livers here, I think the world was a little more interesting when that style of cross-pollination occurred.

Of course, the reason for that was that CFL teams could compete with NFL teams in terms of salaries back in those days. Other things being equal, most American chose the NFL, but the threat of jumping to the CFL was a bargaining chip in salary negotiations and sometimes a player followed through on the threat of his NFL team didn't offer enough money. Those days are long gone.

[TodMaher]

Two good reasons for player movement during the 1950s:

The move from playing both offense and to defense to the era of specialization.

The Korean War and the military draft - which required draftees to serve two years. Towards the end of the 1950s it was changed to a six-month stint which most professional athletes were able to serve during the offseason.

[Shipley]

Lots of blockbuster trades involving large numbers of players too. The ones for Ollie Matson and Les Richter immediately come to mind, but I also seem to recall reading about some more low profile transactions with lots of players involved.