Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Retro Rider wrote:Really nice work John. Here is a photo of George Halas and Vince Lombardi at the first awards dinner on 2/19/68:

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news ... /515100202

Did the N.Y. Chapter award player trophies to the MVP's? That appears not to be the case in 1969. Daryle Lamonica and Joe Kapp were presented with their film highlights from the '69 season:

Kapp & Lamonica 1969 PFWA Players Yr..jpg

s-l1600 - 2023-05-27T165941.763.jpg

Didn't the Wisconsin Chapter hand out awards as well? I remember there was mention in the Milwaukee Journal about Gary Cuozzo winning 1970 NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors at the 1971 dinner.

I have no idea what Gary Cuozzo could have been coming back from or to.

Jay Z wrote:

Retro Rider wrote:I remember there was mention in the Milwaukee Journal about Gary Cuozzo winning 1970 NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors at the 1971 dinner.

I have no idea what Gary Cuozzo could have been coming back from or to.

Dental School? Several years ago I posted a link to that event via Google News Archives. We were having a similar discussion about the PFWA Chapter Awards. It was an article from the Milwaukee Journal dated 1971. Cuozzo was presented with the CPOY award from PFWA's Milwaukee Chapter. Howard Cosell was the featured speaker. Cuozzo played sparingly in 1968 & 1969 but went 10-2 as the Vikings starter in 1970. I would post the link again but the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel is no longer available from Google News.

Retro Rider wrote: Several years ago I posted a link to that event via Google News Archives. We were having a similar discussion about the PFWA Chapter Awards. It was an article from the Milwaukee Journal dated 1971. Cuozzo was presented with the CPOY award from PFWA's Milwaukee Chapter. Howard Cosell was the featured speaker. Cuozzo played sparingly in 1968 & 1969 but went 10-2 as the Vikings starter in 1970. I would post the link again but the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel is no longer available from Google News.

Looks like they did it for two years, 1969-Sayers, Cuozzo-1970

They, like the PFWA-NY, have a couple of awards--the Starr and Lombardi, plus the Packers awards, best offensive player on packers, defense, rookie--like that

JohnTurney wrote: Looks like they did it for two years, 1969-Sayers, Cuozzo-1970

They, like the PFWA-NY, have a couple of awards--the Starr and Lombardi, plus the Packers awards, best offensive player on packers, defense, rookie--like that

Thanks John for confirming that.

JohnTurney wrote: Inch by inch seems we're getting closer...but PFWA is my suspect because
they named their Awards---Daley, Horrigan, etc . . .and it was a big to-do
and seems like they would have spent the $$ to impress the winners.

But that's just speculation.

Would you believe the Long Island Athletic Club? Ken Stabler's 1974 AFC MVP trophy doesn't mention Bert Bell but it is identical to the one's Starr, Unitas and Lamonica received:

https://www.pristineauction.com/a576065 ... tabler-LOA

Maybe they switched to conference awards in 1970.

Retro Rider wrote: Would you believe the Long Island Athletic Club? Ken Stabler's 1974 AFC MVP trophy doesn't mention Bert Bell but it is identical to the one's Starr, Unitas and Lamonica received:

You solved it.
I have all the known winners---not sure what happened in 1973 or 1972 NFC

Not sure if they didn't do it, or cannot find...well, thanks for all that work.
I was suspecting PFWA-NY, but LIAC . . . wouldn't have thought that.

Edit: Just found 1973, Hadl and Simpson
Edit 2: I think there is some reference to Brown winning it in 1972
but hard to tell...cannot imagine it was anyone else. References
to Brown wining awards from Touchdown and Quarterback Club
and listed cities . . . Washington, Columbus, New Yok, Boston, Rochester, etc
anyway, it may not be what they are referring to, but seems possible

JohnTurney wrote: You solved it.
I have all the known winners---not sure what happened in 1973 or 1972 NFC

Not sure if they didn't do it, or cannot find...well, thanks for all that work.
I was suspecting PFWA-NY, but LIAC . . . wouldn't have thought that.

It's nice to finally get that puzzle solved, thanks for furnishing a list of winners. Here's George Blanda's award from 1970 (likely the first year without Bert Bell's name inscribed on the trophy): ...And his 1970 Kansas City 101 Club AFC Offensive POY trophy (had not seen one of those before):

Retro Rider wrote: list of winners.

These minor awards are interesting. I first took notice when going through old
media guides. They would mention the postseason honors of a player
and if a guy didn't get many - maybe one from a small club
I'd want the whole list and go down that rabbit hole on microfilm.

With the Long Island club their 1966-69 are same as AP but
the AFC-NFC choices have a couple unique--Terry Bradshaw
for NFC POY.

the PFWA-NY's Kapp in 69 and Alworth in 65, shows a bit of
a different take.

JohnTurney wrote: These minor awards are interesting. I first took notice when going through old
media guides. They would mention the postseason honors of a player
and if a guy didn't get many - maybe one from a small club
I'd want the whole list and go down that rabbit hole on microfilm.

With the Long Island club their 1966-69 are same as AP but
the AFC-NFC choices have a couple unique--Terry Bradshaw
for NFC POY.

the PFWA-NY's Kapp in 69 and Alworth in 65, shows a bit of
a different take.

I totally agree. I find the minor awards interesting as well ... some media guides more informative than others. I noticed that three of the AFC winners on the Long Island list were not consensus POY picks. However, they were recognized by at least one other organization:

1971 - Otis Taylor (also won UPI)
1972 - Earl Morrall (also won Sporting News)
1975 - Terry Bradshaw (also won Football News)

One last tidbit from Wikipedia that I found interesting:

"From 1964 to 1996, the Newspaper Enterprise Association gave the Bert Bell Memorial Trophy to the NFL's most outstanding rookie."

Yet another Bert Bell trophy ... So from 1966 through 1969 we had NEA and LIAC awarding Bert Bell Memorial trophies plus the Maxwell Club's Bert Bell Award. Kind of crazy!

Photo of John Brockington and Jim Plunkett with their 1971 Bert Bell Memorial ROY Trophies:
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news ... /476642867

Retro Rider wrote:I totally agree. I find the minor awards interesting as well ...

As do I. Been a while since we had something 'new' here. Excellent stuff, RR & JT.