Big Red Legends Bring St. Louis Football Memories Back to Life

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The football Cardinals left St. Louis almost 40 years ago, but the memories they forged during their 28-season stay in the LOU live on in the minds and hearts of their fans.

That was evident recently when dozens of enthusiastic Big Red devotees filled a room at the Missouri Athletic Club West and listened raptly as a quartet of former Cardinals players stoked those memories with their rich stories. 

Johnny Roland, Jim Otis, Eric Williams and Tom Ackerman (Photo courtesy of Missouri Athletic Club)

The event, “Big Red Sports Talk Happy Hour,” was presented by the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in collaboration with the MAC. KMOX Radio personality Tom Ackerman was the moderator.

The panel consisted of Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith, running back Johnny Roland, fullback Jim Otis and linebacker Eric Williams. Three other former Big Red players—defensive tackle Bob Rowe, defensive end Ron Yankowski and kicker Mike Wood—also were in attendance.

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Remembering “Mr. Everything” Jerry Stovall

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They called Jerry Stovall “Mr. Everything” because on a football field he could do almost anything.

During three varsity seasons at LSU (1960-62), Stovall excelled as a running back, receiver, safety, punter, and kick returner. After his senior season in ‘62, he was a unanimous pick to the All-America team as a halfback, named the Southeastern Conference’s most valuable player, and finished as runner-up to Terry Baker in the Heisman voting.

“Jerry Stovall was one of the great all-around players of his era and a tremendous representative of LSU and the game of college football,” said Archie Manning, speaking as chairman of the National Football Foundation. “There simply wasn’t much he couldn’t do on a football field.”

Stovall, who also played multiple roles in nine NFL seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (1963-1971), passed away on August 31, 2026 after a long battle with heart disease, according to Saturday Down South. He was 85.

A native of West Monroe, LA, Stovall compiled impressive numbers at LSU: 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns as a rusher; 462 yards as a receiver; seven interceptions as a safety; and nearly 700 yards on special teams. He once held the school record for punting yards average in a season (42.1).

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Raymond Berry: The Opponent Who Inspired Larry Wilson’s Greatness

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In Larry Wilson’s first preseason game in 1960, he was burned by the legendary Raymond Berry, a humbling experience that propelled Wilson to work harder and transition from cornerback to a Hall of Fame safety.

Berry passed away on May 25 at the age of 93. The Hall of Fame wide receiver played 13 seasons with the Baltimore Colts.

The Unforgiving Preseason Welcome

Wilson was drafted as a halfback by the Chicago Cardinals in the 7th round out of Utah after the 1959 season.

The Cardinals offered no bonus but a $ 9,500 salary contingent on him making the team. He almost didn’t.

Wilson lasted only one practice at running back.

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From Packers to Cardinals: Donny Anderson’s NFL Journey

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Few players in professional football carried the nickname “The Golden Palomino” with as much flair as Donny Anderson. A versatile running back with blazing speed, a knack for catching passes, and a reputation for toughness, Anderson enjoyed a distinguished career in both college and professional football. Although he is often most closely associated with the Green Bay Packers, Anderson’s later years with the St. Louis Cardinals demonstrated his leadership and adaptability as a veteran player.

Born on May 16, 1943, in Borger, Texas, Anderson grew up in a football-rich environment and quickly became known for his athletic ability. He starred at Stinnett High School before attending Texas Tech University, where he became one of the most electrifying players in college football.

At Texas Tech, Anderson excelled as a runner, receiver, punter, and kick returner. His all-around ability made him one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive weapons during the early 1960s. He received All-American honors twice (1964 and 1965) and was a three-time all-Southwest Conference halfback (1963–65). Anderson held many of Texas Tech’s football records and finished fourth in the 1965 Heisman Trophy race. He is a member of the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.

Anderson entered professional football with enormous expectations. In 1965, he signed a historic contract with Green Bay after being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. There were reports that he turned down almost $900,000 from the AFL Houston Oilers before signing with the Pack.

“I want to play the best and right now I think the best is in the National League,” Anderson said after signing a reported six-year, $650,000 contract. “This may not be true in five years or 10, but I’m going to play right now and I want to play the best. Money wasn’t the main factor.”

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Bob Rowe: From Walk-On to NFL Star

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Bob Rowe had dreamed of being a professional football player ever since he was a kid.

“Most kids forget ambitions of being a pro football player about the time they suffer their first split lip,” Rowe said in a 1970 story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Seeing blood may give them ideas of being a doctor.”

Bob Rowe in 1974 (Photo by Herb Weitman)

But not Rowe.

“I always had my sights on playing pro ball.”

His dream came true when the St. Louis Cardinals selected the 245-pound defensive tackle in the 2nd round of the 1967 NFL Draft.

“I was sort of surprised going that high,” the modest Rowe said in a 1970 interview in the The Flint Journal. “There were a lot of good linemen available, like Bubba Smith, and I just hoped to be drafted.

“I’ve always been a Lions fan ever since I was a kid,” the Michigan native said. “I sort of hoped they would draft me.”

Rowe was a standout in both football and basketball at Flushing (MI) High School, but no scholarship offers came his way. Determined to keep playing, he enrolled at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to pursue his college football dream.

“I was a walk-on,” he said.

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Stormy Bidwill, Former Cardinals Owner, Dies at 97

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Charles “Stormy” Bidwill Jr. passed away on November 3. He was 97 years old.

Charles Jr. and his younger brother Bill were adopted by Charles and Violet Bidwill, owners of the Chicago Cardinals. He went on to attend Georgetown University, where he earned his law degree.

Prior to the 1960 NFL season, Violet Bidwill, who inherited the team after Charles Sr.’s death in 1947, moved the Cardinals from Chicago to St. Louis. The brothers assumed control of the team after their mother’s sudden passing in 1962.

The Cardinals saw immediate success on the field after the boys took over, winning 18 games over the next two seasons and coming within half a game of hosting the 1964 NFL Championship. However, tensions between the two grew in the years that followed.

As his nickname implied, Stormy was emotional and outspoken, while Bill was quiet and reserved—the two couldn’t have been more different. For the most part, however, they kept their differences private and out of the public eye.

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Willis Crenshaw, St. Louis Sports Star, Dies at 84

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St. Louis native and former Cardinals running back Willis Crenshaw passed away on Monday at the age of 84.

Crenshaw grew up in St. Louis’ Central West End, where he became a standout two-sport athlete at Soldan High School before continuing his football career at Kansas State University. The Cardinals selected him in the ninth round of the 1963 NFL Draft, and he went on to spend six seasons with the Big Red (1964–69) as a versatile offensive threat who could run, block, and catch. He finished his NFL career with the Denver Broncos in 1970.

In a 2022 interview with Dennis Dillon, Crenshaw was asked what it was like performing in front of friends and family at Busch Stadium during his time in St. Louis.

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Ron Yankowski: A Quiet Force of the 1970s Cardinals

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Throughout the 1970s, the Cardinals’ defensive front saw plenty of change—but one steady presence anchored it all: Ron Yankowski.

“Yank” started 87 games while capably handling both tackle and end duties. Though he spent much of his career outside the spotlight, he quietly delivered consistent, dependable play year after year.

“I’m used to my status,” he said in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story in 1979. “I never have been one for saying a lot. I don’t need the recognition.”

“My first seven years, I was a starter. Then, all of a sudden, I was a backup. I had to stop and think for a minute. I had to recognize what they wanted me to do to help the team. Then, I tried to do it the best I could.”

“I wanted to be satisfied with myself each week when I picked up my paycheck.”

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Why the Cardinals Traded OJ Anderson

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O.J. Anderson burst onto the NFL scene with authority.

On September 2, 1979, the rookie running back from the University of Miami stormed through the Dallas Cowboys for 193 yards in his professional debut. His electrifying 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Big Red a 21–19 lead over the defending NFC champions—and left even legendary Cowboys coach Tom Landry in awe.

“He’s gonna be a star,” Landry said afterward. “He’s gonna gain lots of yards this season. He can outrun all of us. He proved that today.”

Though the Cardinals finished a disappointing 5–11, Anderson delivered one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. He was the unanimous NFL Rookie of the Year, NFC Offensive Player of the Year, and a first-team All-Pro. He set or tied nine NFL marks and nine team records, finishing the year with 1,605 rushing yards—just five shy of Walter Payton’s league-leading total.

Anderson remained the Cardinals’ offensive centerpiece for years to come, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in five of his first six seasons (the exception being the strike-shortened 1982 campaign, when he gained 587 yards in just eight games). In 1981, barely halfway through his third season, he became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

By 1985, injuries began to take their toll. Anderson battled through a nagging right leg injury and missed seven games that season.

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From Dreams to the NFL: The Journey of Cardinals Linebacker Eric Williams

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They called him ‘Dirty Red’—a name that stuck not just because of his hair, but because of the way he played: rough, relentless, and with zero apologies.

“I like any name that sounds violent,” Williams said in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch interview in 1978. Sometimes they call me ‘Filthy,’ sometimes ‘Red’ and sometimes ‘Dirty Red.’ Anything they call me is all right with me.”

If you’ve ever met Eric Williams, you’d learn that he is a soft-spoken, easygoing guy. But once he strapped on a helmet, he morphed into a relentless force—ferocious, focused, and utterly fearless.

“Off the field, I’m this happy-go-lucky guy that you’re talking to. On the field, I’m crazy. In the game, I’m ready for four quarters of violence. A linebacker has to destroy people. A linebacker has to put fear in people’s hearts—like Willie Lanier and Dick Butkus did. I pattern myself after them.”

Williams overcame many odds on his journey to the NFL. He lost his dad at a young age, overcame a heart murmur, and found a father figure in his high school football coach who kept him on the straight and narrow and never let him quit.

He was introduced to football at a Kansas City Boys Club as a young boy in the 1960s. However, his real training ground was the street. He battled kids who were older, tougher, and twice his size.

“That’s how I got my toughness. They kind of knocked me around a bit.”

It was at Kansas City Central High School, where Williams blossomed under the guidance of his head coach, Charlie Lee.

Lee moved Williams from running back to linebacker and ensured Williams was academically ready for college. Later, Lee advised the young football player against leaving USC after he didn’t see the field during his freshman year.

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