This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/21/2017
By 1966 George Blanda had achieved the impossible: considered washed up by the Chicago Bears, he retired from the NFL after the 1958 season. However, with advent of the rival AFL, Blanda staged a phoenix-like comeback, leading the Houston Oilers to the very first AFL Championship. Blanda did the same the following year and took home the AFL MVP Award. Then, after the ’66 season, Houston made the same mistake as the Bears and asked Blanda to retire. Once again, the ageless iron man rose to the occasion and his clutch kicking helped his new team, the Oakland Raiders, surge to the 1967 AFL Championship. This sterling silver ice bucket was presented to George Blanda by the Touchdown Club naming him the AFL’s Top Placekicker of 1967. 13” tall and 7 1/2” in diameter, the front is engraved “TOP PLACEKICKER AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 1967 GEORGE BLANDA OAKLAND RAIDERS Presented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Inc.” The ice bucket shows just slight wear and light tarnishing from age and displays perfectly. A great piece that acknowledges one of the most versatile and persistent players in pro football history.
LOA from Blanda family.