Dave Grayson - H of VG - August 1961

[Halas Hall]

I was reading through Charles Ross's good 2016 book on the AFL and he notes rookie defensive back Dave Grayson was in training camp with the Dallas Cowboys, then left for the Dallas Texans in the AFL. The Cowboys were not a difficult team to make in 1961, and if the Cowboys have a defensive backfield of Dave Grayson, Cornell Green, Mike Gaechter, and Mel Renfro, I think they likely win one championship in the 1960s. Does anyone know why he left the Cowboys?

Thank you.

[JohnR]

'61 Cowboys had 8 black players on the squad, and as is well known, you couldn't have an odd number of black players because that messes up the roommate pairing.
Maybe Grayson was simply let go because he was #9. Just a theory.

[Brian wolf]

It might continue to take awhile but I hope Grayson makes the HOF ...

[Jay Z]

'61 Cowboys had 8 black players on the squad, and as is well known, you couldn't have an odd number of black players because that messes up the roommate pairing.
Maybe Grayson was simply let go because he was #9. Just a theory.

The Cowboys kept 6 defensive backs in 1961. Three of them returned from 1960. Bill Butler had been traded for Dicky Moegle, an old Rice star. The Cowboys picked up veteran free agent Jimmy Harris, who'd left for the AFL, then returned because of a lawsuit.

The remaining spot was between Grayson and Warren Livingston. Both were undrafted free agents. Both were black. Of course at the time college ball was one platoon, so both played offense as well in college. Early press reports indicate that Livingston "had the edge" and I suppose the Cowboys went with that. Livingston stayed with the Cowboys through 1966.

Shorter rosters then, only 36 I think, and it sounds like Grayson was just one extra.

[Halas Hall]

Thank you all. In John Eisenberg's book The Ten Gallon War, he mentions Tom Landry thought Dave Grayson was too short, but Gil Brandt liked him and made calls to Texans coach Hank Stram.

Thanks again.

[Brian wolf]

Big mistake by Tom Landry ... then again Schramm could have gotten Paul Warfield but outsmarted his self.