Former Big Red Lineman Herschel Turner passes at 82

The St. Louis Football Cardinals lost another teammate this morning.

Herschel Turner, who played offensive guard and tackle, passed away at the age of 82.

The Cardinals selected 6-foot-3, 230-lb lineman in the second round of the 1964 NFL Draft out of the University of Kentucky, where he was an All-American offensive guard and tackle.

As a senior, he was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference and participated in the Blue-Gray Game and the Senior Bowl. He logged the most minutes played on UK’s 1962 squad, known as The Thin Thirty. Turner was named Sports Illustrated Lineman of the Week on November 10, 1963. He is a member of the inaugural UK Hall of Fame.

Turner played two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and was named the club’s Rookie of the Year in 1964 after starting five games on an injury-depleted offensive line. He received accolades from head coach Wally Lemm after his first start on November 22 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Herschel Turner, whom we had taken off the defensive unit and just starting working at offensive tackle last week, had a grade of well over 90. He is the best of our draft choices last year. He really wants to play.”

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Big Red Alumni Participate in the 16th Annual Jim Hart Celebrity Classic

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The 16th annual Jim Hart Celebrity Golf Classic was held at the beautiful Legends Golf Club in Eureka on Monday, June 26. The tournament benefits Sunnyhill, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to creating the best quality of life for both … Continue reading

Teammates, Friends and Family Celebrate Johnny Roland’s 80th Birthday

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This gallery contains 31 photos.

Johnny Roland celebrated his 80th birthday at Sawmill BBQ Pub & Grill in Des Peres, MO on Friday, May 26.

Big Red Draft History: 1964 NFL Draft

As we move closer to the 2023 NFL Draft (April 27-29), The Big Red Zone is looking back on each of the 28 St. Louis Cardinals drafts (1960-87). This installment focuses on the 1964 Draft, which was held on December 3, 1963 in Chicago.

1964 St. Louis Cardinals Draft Picks

From the December 15, 1963 edition of the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

After the 21-hour and 43-minute selection meeting ended around dawn on December 4, Cardinals team president Stormy Bidwill said, “We think it was a successful draft for us.” He should have rethought that thought. The Big Red couldn’t have gotten less production from the ’64 draft if their scouts had put on blindfolds and thrown darts at their draft board. Only three of their 20 picks made the team’s roster and 14—14!—never even played in the NFL.

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Big Red Alumni Gather for Annual Christmas Party

Several former St. Louis Football Cardinals alumni recently gathered in Chesterfield for the annual Christmas Party. Among those in attendance were Coach Jim Hanifan, Johnny Roland, Mel Gray, Jackie Smith, Bob Rowe, Mark Arneson, Tim Kearney, Ron Yankowski, Ernie McMillan, Eddie Moss, Mike Wood, Terry Miller, Eric Williams, Keith Wortman, Willard Harrell, Jim Otis, Herschel Turner, Tim Van Galder, Jerry Holloway, former Big Red PA announcer Jim Holder, former Mizzou and Dallas Cowboys player Howard Richards, former MIzzou and Raiders player Gus Otto, and Big Red Line cheerleader Melodee Hinkle.

JIM HART GOLF OUTING

Former Big Red greats tee off for a great cause.

It was a beautiful day for golf as many former Football Cardinal greats participated in the 11th annual Jim Hart Celebrity Golf Outing at The Legends County Club in Eureka, MO. This event benefits Sunnyhill, Inc. which provides services, programs, and opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Former Mizzou head coach Gary Pinkel served as the honorary chairman of the event and drove the ball right down the middle of the fairway on the first tee. Hart and many of his former Big Red teammates such as Mel Gray, Roger Wehrli, Tim Kearney, Tim Van Galder, Johnny Roland, and Jim Otis were in attendance.

Hart currently lives in Naples, FL and only gets back to St. Louis about once a year. We talked about his induction into the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor and was surprised to learn that he did not see Bill Bidwill during his visit. However, you could tell he was honored and humbled by the ceremony last December. We also talked about the late great Bill Wilkerson who was Hart’s college teammate at SIU-Carbondale in the 1960s.

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