1959 Philadelphia Eagles season
| 1959 Philadelphia Eagles season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Buck Shaw |
| Owner | Happy Hundred |
| Results | |
| Record | 7–5 |
| Division place | 2nd NFL Eastern |
| Playoff finish | did not qualify |
The 1959 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 27th in the league. They improved on their previous output of 2–9–1, winning seven games.[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.
Off Season
The Eagles held training camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The first year in Hershey was 1951 and would go to 1967 to be their last.
NFL DRAFT
The 1959 NFL Draft was held on December 2, 1958 (rounds 1–4) and January 21, 1959 (rounds 5–30). The draft was 30 rounds long, and had 12 teams making picks. A total of 360 players were selected in this year draft. There was no Lottery bonus pick this year as it had run the course as all 12 teams had been given the bonus pick.
As the Green Bay Packers had the worst record, a 1-10- 1, in the 1958 NFL season they had the first draft pick and selected Randy Duncan who played Quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes was the first pick. The Packers lone win was on Sunday, October 26, 1958 38–35 over the Eagles in Green Bay.
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Cardinals both had a 2–9–1 record in the 1958 season, and that was the 2nd worst record in the league, rotated in picking 2nd or 3rd in each round. Both of these teams defeated during the season the eventful Eastern Division champion New York Giants during the regular season. The Eagle 1st round pick, 2nd in the draft, was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for Norm Van Brocklin. The Eagles' first pick in the draft was in round 2 with the 15th pick.
In this year's NFL Season the Eagles and Packer would both improve to 7–5–0. Then in 1960 the Eagles and Packers would meet in the 1960 NFL Championship Game in Philadelphia.
Player Selections
The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick.[2] It is possible the Eagles' pick ended up with this team via another team that the Eagles made a trade with. Not shown are acquired picks that the Eagles traded away.
| = Pro Bowler [3] | = Hall of Famer |
| Rd | Pick # | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Pick Taken By Chicago Bears | ||
| 2 | 15 | J. D. Smith | Tackle | Rice Owls |
| 3 | 26 | Wray Carlton | Back | Duke Blue Devils |
| 4 | 39 | Jim Grazione | Quarterback | Villanova Wildcats |
| 5 | 51 | Nick Mumley | Tackle | Purdue Boilermakers |
| 6 | 62 | Al Benecick | Guard | Syracuse Orange |
| 7 | 75 | Pick Taken By Los Angeles Rams | ||
| 8 | 86 | Wilmer Fowler | Back | Northwestern Wildcats |
| 9 | 99 | Gene Johnson | Back | Cincinnati Bearcats |
| 10 | 110 | Rollie West | Back | Villanova Wildcats |
| 11 | 123 | Art Powell | Wide Receiver | San Jose State Spartans |
| 12 | 134 | Howard Keys | Tackle | Oklahoma State Cowboys |
| 13 | 147 | Dick Stillwagon | Back | Purdue Boilermakers |
| 14 | 158 | Jack Smith | Tackle | Clemson Tigers |
| 15 | 171 | Jim Poteete | Center | Mississippi State Bulldogs |
| 16 | 182 | Ken Paduch | Tackle | Auburn Tigers |
| 17 | 195 | Bill Craig | Tackle | Villanova |
| 18 | 206 | Jim Benson | Back | Georgia Tech |
| 19 | 219 | Alan Miller | Back | Boston College |
| 20 | 230 | Jim Payne | Guard | Clemson |
| 21 | 243 | Bob Salerno | Guard | Colorado |
| 22 | 254 | Jim Bowie | Tackle | Kentucky |
| 23 | 267 | Dick Williams | End | Southern |
| 24 | 278 | Gerry Benn | Tackle | Oklahoma State |
| 25 | 291 | Dick Jamieson | Quarterback | Bradley |
| 26 | 302 | Jim Burks | Tackle | Virginia Tech |
| 27 | 315 | Lowell Jenkins | Tackle | Wisconsin |
| 28 | 326 | Leo Sexton | End | Auburn Tigers |
| 29 | 339 | John Stolte | Tackle | Kansas State Wildcats |
| 30 | 350 | Angelo Mosca | Tackle | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
- 30th round pick Angelo Mosca already choose to play in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 1958 season after 3 years at Notre Dame and his SR year at Wyoming Cowboys[4]
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 27, 1959 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 24–14 | |
| 2 | October 4, 1959 | New York Giants | W 49–21 | |
| 3 | October 11, 1959 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 28–24 | |
| 4 | October 18, 1959 | at New York Giants | L 24–7 | |
| 5 | October 25, 1959 | at Chicago Cardinals (Bloomington, MN) | W 28–24 | |
| 6 | November 1, 1959 | Washington Redskins | W 30–23 | |
| 7 | November 8, 1959 | at Cleveland Browns | L 28–7 | |
| 8 | November 15, 1959 | Chicago Cardinals | W 27–17 | |
| 9 | November 22, 1959 | Los Angeles Rams | W 23–20 | |
| 10 | November 29, 1959 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 31–0 | |
| 11 | December 6, 1959 | at Washington Redskins | W 34–14 | |
| 12 | December 13, 1959 | Cleveland Browns | L 28–21 | |
Standings
| NFL Eastern Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | ||
| New York Giants | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 8–2 | 284 | 170 | W4 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 6–4 | 268 | 278 | L1 | |
| Cleveland Browns | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 6–4 | 270 | 214 | W1 | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | 5 | 1 | .545 | 6–4 | 257 | 216 | W1 | |
| Washington Redskins | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 2–8 | 185 | 350 | L5 | |
| Chicago Cardinals | 2 | 10 | 0 | .167 | 2–8 | 234 | 324 | L6 | |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Playoffs
With a 7–5–0 record, and a 2nd-place finish, in the 1959 season the Eagles failed to make it to the 1959 NFL Championship Game. The game was held December 27, 1959, in a rematch of the 1958 NFL Championship Game which is called "The Greatest Game Ever Played".
1959 Roster
(All time List of Philadelphia Eagles players in franchise history)
| = 1959 All-Star Selection [5] | = Hall of Famer |
- + After name means 1st team selection
| NO. | Player | AGE | POS | GP | GS | WT | HT | YRS | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck Shaw | 61 | COACH | 1958 record 7–5–0 | Eagles Lifetime 9–14–1 | NFL Lifetime 80–53–5 | 2 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | ||
| 50 | Darrel Aschbacher | 24 | G | 11 | 0 | 220 | 6–1 | Rookie | Boise State,Oregon |
| 33 | Billy Ray Barnes | 24 | HB | 12 | 0 | 201 | 5–11 | 2 | Wake Forest |
| 60 | Chuck Bednarik | 33 | LB-C | 12 | 0 | 233 | 6–3 | 10 | Pennsylvania Quakers |
| 36 | Dick Bielski | 27 | E-FB | 12 | 0 | 224 | 6–1 | 4 | Maryland Terrapins |
| 40 | Tom Brookshier | 28 | DB | 12 | 0 | 196 | 6–0 | 6 | Colorado Buffalos |
| 78 | Marion Campbell | 30 | DE-DT-MG-G-T | 11 | 0 | 250 | 6–3 | 5 | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 67 | Stan Campbell | 29 | G | 12 | 12 | 226 | 6–0 | 7 | Iowa State |
| 21 | Jimmy Carr | 26 | DB-LB-HB | 12 | 0 | 206 | 6–1 | 4 | Charleston (WV) |
| 63 | Tom Catlin | 28 | LB-C | 12 | 0 | 213 | 6–1 | 6 | Oklahoma Sooners |
| 45 | Paige Cothren | 24 | K | 7 | 0 | 201 | 5–11 | 2 | Mississippi |
| 74 | Jerry DeLucca | 23 | T-DT | 12 | 0 | 247 | 6–2 | Rookie | Middle Tenn. State Blue Raiders |
| 65 | Jerry Huth | 26 | G | 10 | 0 | 226 | 6–0 | 3 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons |
| 27 | Gene Johnson | 24 | DB | 12 | 0 | 187 | 6–0 | Rookie | Cincinnati Bearcats |
| 9 | Sonny Jurgensen | 25 | QB | 12 | 0 | 202 | 5–11 | 2 | Duke Blue Devils |
| 73 | Ed Khayat | 24 | DT-DE-T | 9 | 0 | 240 | 6–3 | 2 | Tulane Green Wave |
| 43 | Walt Kowalczyk | 24 | FB-DB | 12 | 0 | 208 | 6–0 | 1 | Michigan State Spartans |
| 61 | Tom Louderback | 26 | LB-C-G | 12 | 0 | 235 | 6–2 | 1 | San Jose State |
| 80 | Ken MacAfee | 30 | E-TE | 4 | 0 | 212 | 6–2 | 5 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 75 | Jim McCusker | 23 | T | 12 | 0 | 246 | 6–2 | 1 | Pittsburgh Panthers |
| 25 | Tommy McDonald | 25 | FL-HB-SE-WR | 12 | 0 | 178 | 5–9 | 2 | Oklahoma Sooners |
| 29 | John Nocera | 25 | LB | 12 | 0 | 220 | 6–1 | Rookie | Iowa Hawkeyes |
| 70 | Don Owens | 27 | DT-T | 12 | 0 | 255 | 6–5 | 2 | Southern Miss Golden Eagles |
| 32 | Joe Pagliei | 25 | FB | 7 | 0 | 220 | 6–0 | Rookie | Clemson Tigers |
| 26 | Clarence Peaks | 24 | FB | 12 | 0 | 218 | 6–1 | 2 | Michigan State Spartans |
| 53 | Bob Pellegrini | 25 | LB-G | 12 | 0 | 233 | 6–2 | 3 | Maryland Terrapins |
| 87 | Art Powell | 22 | SE-DB-WR | 12 | 0 | 211 | 6–3 | Rookie | San Jose State Spartans |
| 44 | Pete Retzlaff | 28 | E-HB-TE | 10 | 0 | 211 | 6–1 | 3 | South Dakota State Jackrabbits |
| 72 | Jess Richardson | 29 | DT | 12 | 0 | 261 | 6–2 | 6 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 22 | Lee Riley | 27 | DB | 12 | 0 | 192 | 6–1 | 4 | Univ. of Detroit-Mercy Titans |
| 66 | Joe Robb | 22 | DE-LB | 12 | 0 | 238 | 6–3 | Rookie | TCU Horned Frogs |
| 30 | Theron Sapp | 24 | FB-HB | 12 | 0 | 203 | 6–1 | Rookie | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 76 | J.D. Smith | 23 | T | 11 | 11 | 250 | 6–2 | Rookie | Rice Owls |
| 68 | Bill Striegel | 23 | G-T-LB | 12 | 0 | 235 | 6–2 | Rookie | Pacific |
| 11 | Norm Van Brocklin | 33 | QB | 12 | 12 | 190 | 6–1 | 10 | Oregon Ducks |
| 83 | Bobby Walston | 31 | E-HB-K | 12 | 0 | 190 | 6–0 | 8 | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 51 | Chuck Weber | 29 | LB-DE-G | 12 | 0 | 229 | 6–1 | 4 | West Chester Golden Rams |
| 88 | Jerry Wilson | 23 | DE | 12 | 0 | 238 | 6–3 | Rookie | Auburn Tigers |
| 37 Players Team Average | 26.1 | 12 | 220.1 | 6–1.2 | 2.8 |
Post Season
Before the start of the 1960 Season, but after the 1960 NFL Draft, on March 19, the NFL had an expansion draft for the Dallas Cowboys. The Philadelphia Eagles lost, Dick Bielski a Tight End, Gerry Delucca an Offensive Tackle, and Bil Striegel a Linebacker.
Honors and Awards
Pro Bowl Selections – East Team
- Norm Van Brocklin – QB
- Billy Barnes – HB
- Tommy McDonald – Flanker
- Marion Campbell – DT
- Tom Brookshier – CB
League Leaders[6]
- Norm Van Brocklin finishes 2nd in Pass Attempts with 340
- Norm Van Brocklin finishes 2nd in Pass Completions with 191
- Norm Van Brocklin finishes 2nd in Passing Yards with 2617
- Norm Van Brocklin finishes 3rd in Passing Yards per Attempt Avg with 7.70
- Norm Van Brocklin finishes 3rd in Passing Touchdowns with 14
- Tommy McDonald finishes 2nd in Pass Receptions with 47
- Tommy McDonald finishes 3rd in Pass Receiving Yards with 846
- Tommy McDonald finishes 2nd in Pass Receptions Touchdowns with 47
- Tommy McDonald finishes 2nd (tied with 8) in Punt Return for a Touchdown with 1
- Tommy McDonald finishes 2nd in Kickoff Returns with 24
- Art Powell finishes 2nd in Kickoff Returns Avg. 27.1
References
- ↑ 1959 Philadelphia Eagles
- ↑ http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1449
- ↑ Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.
- ↑ http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/m/mosca_angelo.htm|Angelo Mosca page on www.cflapedia.com
- ↑ Players are identified as a 1959 Pro Bowl selections.
- ↑ http://www.databasefootball.com/leagues/leagueyear.htm?lg=nfl&yr=1959
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