Least we Forget - Cardinal QB, Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry

[SissyBoyFloyd]

As a 31-year-old "rookie" quarterback for the St. Louis Cardinals, he fumbled six times in the 1961 season opener -- which the Cardinals somehow managed to win 21-10 over the New York Giants. No player has ever fumbled more times in an NFL debut.

Etcheverry went on to start 12 more games over the next two seasons for Cardinals teams that finished 7-7 and 4-9-1, respectively, before retiring and returning to Canada as a coach.

 

[NJCardFan]

What, no love for Shawn Halloran or Sammy Garza?

 

[MrYeahBut]

The Rifle was an uncle of a good friend of mine... he gave me this jersey for Christmas a couple years back.

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[Harry]

He was a big time QB in the CFL. The Cards made a big deal out of signing him but he was past his prime and his supporting cast was lacking. He was game & tough. He deserved a better fate.

 

[MrYeahBut]

@SissyBoyFloyd

The Rifle will be inducted into the Carlsbad, NM Hall of Fame. His birth city. My friend, his nephew, got this invitation.

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[JeffGollin]

What was the line of succession? The much-hyped Etcheverry followed by Charley Johnson followed by Jim Hart.

 

[NJCardFan]

What was the line of succession? The much-hyped Etcheverry followed by Charley Johnson followed by Jim Hart.

Actually, it went something like this(starting in 1960):

John Roach
Sam Etcheverry/Ralph Gugliemi
Charlie Johnson/Sam Etcheverry
Charlie Johnson('63-'65)
Charlie Johnson/Terry Nofsinger
Jim Hart('67-'68)
Charlie Johnson/Jim Hart

It was pretty much Hart after 1969 with the exception of 1972 when Hart had injury problems so the starters were him, Gary Cuozzo and Tim Van Galder. Once Coryell came in in '73, it was exclusively Hart, with the exception of a handful of starts, until '81 when Lomax came in and split time with Hart until Hart was sent packing in 1984. The rest is history. As you can see we've had quite the QB carousel in our years since moving from Chicago.

 

[JeffGollin]

Actually, it went something like this(starting in 1960):

John Roach
Sam Etcheverry/Ralph Gugliemi
Charlie Johnson/Sam Etcheverry
Charlie Johnson('63-'65)
Charlie Johnson/Terry Nofsinger
Jim Hart('67-'68)
Charlie Johnson/Jim Hart

It was pretty much Hart after 1969 with the exception of 1972 when Hart had injury problems so the starters were him, Gary Cuozzo and Tim Van Galder. Once Coryell came in in '73, it was exclusively Hart, with the exception of a handful of starts, until '81 when Lomax came in and split time with Hart until Hart was sent packing in 1984. The rest is history. As you can see we've had quite the QB carousel in our years since moving from Chicago.

Didn't Hart get his break when C Johnson broke his leg running down one of the sidelines?

 

[NJCardFan]

Didn't Hart get his break when C Johnson broke his leg running down one of the sidelines?

According to Wiki, Charlie Johnson had to fulfill an ROTC commitment and the starting job went to Terry Nofsinger but the next season Hart was tabbed the starter which he kept until being replaced by Neil Lomax.