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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Abe Woodson: An innovator in Cardinals secondary

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It’s always a pleasure to reblog stories written by Mark Tomasik over at retrosimba.com.

This week, Mark wrote about former Fighting Illini star Abe Woodson, who was an All-Pro performer for the San Francisco 49ers and was later traded to the Cardinals for John David Crow.

Woodson played two years for the Cardinals as a return specialist and cornerback. He intercepted four passes and recovered a fumble in 13 starts with the Big Red.

Abe Woodson: An innovator in Cardinals secondary

Big Red Flashback: Pat Tilley Calls it a Career

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On July 28, 1987, the St. Louis Cardinals said goodbye to one of their greatest players.

Wide receiver Pat Tilley failed his physical examination after reporting to training camp at Eastern Illinois University.

Pat Tilley celebrates on the sideline in 1978

“I’ve got a pretty screwed up back,” the 34-year-old told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I’ve got a ruptured disc that was removed by surgery. I’ve also got a herniated disc. Put those two together and the chances of me ever playing again are very slim.”

‘It’s been almost a year since my operation and I’m still unable to do any activity beyond jogging, and even jogging aggravates my back. I don’t see my back ever improving to the point that I could be able to go out on the Busch Stadium AstroTurf and let Lawrence Taylor hit me.”

Tilley didn’t officially retire until after the season due to some contract formalities.

“There are certain things that have to be done through proper channels with a player who has an injury like mine,” Tilley said.

Tilley played 11 seasons in the NFL. He was the team’s 4th round draft choice in 1976 out of Louisiana Tech. From 1978 through 1982, he led the Cardinals in receiving and finished his NFL career with 468 receptions for 7,005 yards. He scored 37 touchdowns.

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How Al “Bubba” Baker Revitalized His Career with the Cardinals

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On July 19, 1983, the St. Louis Cardinals upgraded their pass rush when they traded defensive tackle Mike Dawson to the Detroit Lions for veteran defensive end Al “Bubba” Baker.

Dawson was the Cardinals’ No. 1 draft pick in 1976 and started 84 of 88 games in St. Louis. He had 31.5 sacks in seven seasons with the Big Red.

Baker was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Lions in 1978, after setting an unofficial NFL record with 23 sacks in a single season. In his five years in Detroit, the 6-foot-6, 260-pounder started 67 games and had 75.5 sacks.

The Jacksonville, FL native was the Lions’ second-round draft pick in 1978 out of Colorado State University. He earned All-Pro honors in his rookie year and Pro Bowls in his first three seasons in the league.

Baker was one of the Lions’ most popular and colorful players. Not only could he sack the opposing quarterbacks, but his cheering, hugging, and hand-slapping style quickly made him a fan favorite in Detroit.

But his open unhappiness about his contract and a falling out with head coach Monte Clark led to the trade.

“I’d get four sacks and he’d (Clark) look at me like that’s still not enough and say, ‘you could have done better,'” Baker said in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch interview. “I decided this is a real screwed-up game. I hated football. I just wanted Monday to come because that was the day we got paid.”

“He was unhappy here, and it was time to move on,” Lions’ director of player personnel, Tim Rooney, told the Detroit Free Press. “He may be happier elsewhere.”

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How Bill Triplett Breathed Life into Cardinals’ Ground Game

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Great story by Mark Tomasik on the career of former St. Louis Cardinals running back Bill Triplett and how he overcame a serious health issue and led the team in rushing in 1965.

Triplett started the season opener at the new Busch Stadium in 1966, but after an ineffective first half, he was benched in favor of rookie Johnny Roland. It was Triplett’s last start in St. Louis. He was traded to the New York Giants in the offseason.

How Bill Triplett breathed life into Cardinals’ ground game
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Luis Sharpe’s Bold Move: From Cardinals to Showboats

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On April 17, 1985, the St. Louis Cardinals suffered their first major defection to the rival United States Football League.

Left tackle Luis Sharpe signed a reported four-year, $2.3 million deal to join the Memphis Showboats.

The USFL was a spring/summer league that started in 1983. The league had successfully picked off NFL talent and paid top dollar for college stars like Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly, and Reggie White.

Sharpe was the Cardinals’ number one draft pick in 1982 out of UCLA and was named to the All-Rookie Team after his freshman season. In the three years preceding Sharpe’s arrival, the club had a composite record of 17-31. In his first three seasons in St. Louis, the team never had a losing campaign and posted an overall mark of 22-15-1.

Head coach Jim Hanifan often said he thought Sharpe was the best offensive tackle in the NFL

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Remembering Luis Sharpe: A Life Beyond Football

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Former St. Louis Cardinals number one draft pick, Luis Sharpe, has died. He was 65.

The Big Red selected Sharpe with the 16th pick in the 1982 NFL draft. The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 1987 to 1989 and played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Cardinals organization. He also played a season in the USFL with the Memphis Showboats.

Sharpe was born in Havana, Cuba, on June 16, 1960. He and his family fled Cuba for Detroit for a better life when he was six years old.

“We were following the American dream,” Sharpe said in a 1982 interview with the St. Louis Post Dispatch. “My father moved to Detroit and worked in an auto factory.”

At Southwestern High School in Detroit, Sharpe earned All-American honors in sports and academics. He was recruited by over 200 schools and chose UCLA, where he began on the defensive line but soon switched to offense. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said.

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Doug Marsh: From Father-Son Football Bond to the NFL

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Bo Marsh introduced his son, Doug, to the game of football when he was eight years old.

“I’d never throw it where he could catch it,” recalled Bo in a 1980 interview with the John Sonderreger of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. “I’d throw it high or low and he’d ask me if that’s the best I could throw. I’d ask him if that’s the best he could catch. I told him anybody can catch it when it’s on the numbers.”

“He’s a football fan—period,” Doug said of his father. “He never pushed me into the game; he just asked me if I wanted to play. You know, a father wanting to get closer to his son.”

The young Marsh would later become a high school All-American at Akron East High, playing both tight end and defensive end. He was recruited as a linebacker by Ohio State’s Woody Hayes, but Doug wanted to play offense.

Enter the University of Michigan. Marsh signed with the Wolverines, where he played tight end from 1976 to 1979. He was named first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American after leading the team in receiving in his senior season with 33 receptions for 612 yards.

Bo Marsh bought a motorhome after Doug enrolled in Michigan, and the family only missed five games over the course of four years.

“We’ve followed Doug all along,” Bo said. “We’ve always been sort of sports chasers anyway and we always took the kids with us.”

Doug’s numbers at Michigan caught the attention of the St. Louis Cardinals, who had been trying to fill a hole at tight end since the retirement of Hall of Famer Jackie Smith and the sudden death of J.V. Cain.

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The Legacy of Emmitt Thomas with the Cardinals

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On February 19, 1981, the St. Louis Cardinals hired Emmitt Thomas as the team’s wide receiver coach.

The NFL Hall of Famer played cornerback for 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (1966-78). He finished his career with a franchise-record 58 interceptions.

At the time, Thomas was the youngest member of the Big Red coaching staff and just the second black coach in the team’s history.

“We’ve been trying to encourage the situation (hiring black coaches) for years,” team owner Bill Bidwill told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We’ve made some offers to people over the years. If we can find qualified people to coach, people who are good teachers, we’re going to hire them.”

“If the individual is a damn good coach,” said Jim Hanifan, who recommended Thomas to Bidwill, “I don’t care if he’s orange or green, or black or white, I want him.”

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