Legendary Dolphins QB Bob Griese talks cards, collecting, and his Hall of Fame career

Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese signs autographs at the Chantilly, Va., sports card show. Doug Koztoski

In a small way, appearing at the spring Chantilly, Va. sports memorabilia show was like a snapshot of college life for Bob Griese.

A College and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Griese spent his collegiate years in the mid-1960s at Purdue University, where he starred at quarterback, excelled academically, joined a fraternity, plus played some basketball and baseball. (In one baseball season, his pitching record at Purdue was 12-1.)

At the Chantilly show, Griese took a quick break from signing a variety of helmets, photos, and other items to spend a few minutes with Sports Collectors Digest.

The brief interview was more of a two-minute drill than a long, time-consuming scoring drive, but the 78-year-old Indiana native was happy to discuss his role as the star quarterback who led the 1972 Miami Dolphins to the only undefeated and untied season in NFL history.

Did you ever think 50 years ago that no other NFL team would have an undefeated season?

I didn’t think it would hold up even a few years. But the longer it goes, the more they have added games to the season. We only had 14 games during the regular season and then three in the playoffs; now they have a few more regular-season games to go undefeated. But the longer our 1972 team’s record holds up, it’s alright with me.

Other than appearing at sports memorabilia shows, how often are you reminded about the 1972 team in your daily life?

Everywhere I go. Of course, where I live in South Florida, everybody down there knows about the history of the team, especially this year. I get fan mail every week; I usually get about 10 to 15 pieces of fan mail. They find me, you can get my address. This year, the year of the 50th anniversary, I get 30 to 35 pieces of fan mail a week.

1968 Topps Bob Griese Rookie Card

Did you collect cards as a kid?

I did. I was a baseball card collector. I was a big St. Louis Cardinals fan and a big Yankee fan. I liked Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle and got their cards.

Do you collect any sports memorabilia these days?

Only the ’72 Dolphins team. We went to the Super Bowl for three straight years, winning the last two. From the ’72 team, I have saved a couple of things, not a whole lot. I have an autographed team photo, some footballs, and the helmet I wore that year.

What memories do you have about your rookie card (1968 Topps #196)?

(Laughs) I’m a small-town kid from Evansville, Indiana, and I went to Purdue and I never thought I’d be playing professional football in the NFL. I was drafted fourth (overall) in the first round (1967), but I didn’t know I was going to make it. But things turned out that I did make it, and I just worked my ass off, and when I see this picture (as he looked at his rookie card), I had not made the team yet when they took that picture in training camp.

Is your rookie card your favorite card from your career?

I like my rookie card, but my favorite is the one showing us winning the Super Bowl [1973 Topps #139] that came out the next season.

1973 Topps Miami /Washington Super Bowl

Are there a couple of your 1972 Miami teammates that you keep in touch with?

About half the team is still around. But I keep in touch with [fullback] Larry Csonka, Larry Little, our offensive guard, who lives in South Florida, [tight end] Marv Fleming, I see him a lot, [wide receiver] Nat Moore, [running back and kick returner] Mercury Morris. Every five years, we would get together and celebrate the undefeated season.

What was it about ’72 Dolphins head coach Don Shula that made him such a good coach?

That’s a good question. He was a player himself [a defensive back for seven seasons in the 1950s], so he understood where the players were coming from. But he took everything so seriously at practice. At practice, he tried to make everything like a game situation, and that was one of the big things about him.

And during a ballgame, for example, when I came off the field during a third-and-10 situation, he would say, ‘Okay, Bob, what do you like?’ And then I would give him a couple of plays I liked, and he would say, ‘Okay, let’s go with it.’ So, he trusted his players, and that was one of the big things about him. He was a leader and a great coach.

MEETING A DOLPHINS FAN

Soon after our chat, the 1990 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee signed a few more items in the backstage area and then strolled the distance of a good Griese pass (about 35-40 yards) over to the autograph pavilion, where dozens of fans waited for the NFL legend.

Griese signs Dolphins fan Jay McGuigan's helmet. Doug Koztoski

The former quarterback met each fan in line with a calm, friendly demeanor that one would expect from the Dolphin's great, even returning an occasional fist bump.

Jay McGuigan stood patiently in line to get Griese’s autograph. McGuigan stood out from most fans as he wore a Dolphins jersey with the number 72 and a name on the back that read “Undefeated.” He also clutched a heavily-signed Dolphins helmet.

Also see: Collecting Cowboys, Dolphins, and Star RBs in 1972

The collector bought the helmet years ago, and the first signature came from Shula at one of his restaurant openings in Philadelphia. McGuigan saw the coach several times over the years and said, “Every time I met him, he was nicer than the last, a true gentleman.”

Years later, McGuigan met a number of the 1972 Dolphins at a Pennsylvania memorabilia show, and they signed the helmet. About a year ago, Hall of Famer Larry Csonka finally landed on the headgear.

“I was only missing Griese to get the perfect backfield,” McGuigan said.

Finally, at the head of the line, McGuigan said hello to the quarterback who played a key role in the Dolphins 17-0 season.

Miami fan Jay McGuigan got his Dolphins helmet signed by the legendary quarterback Doug Koztoski

“Meeting your childhood idols, no matter how old you are, you find yourself feeling like a kid again, it’s exhilarating,” said McGuigan, who became a Dolphins fan on Christmas Day 1971 when Miami beat Kansas City in overtime in an AFC playoff game that still stands as the longest game in NFL history. “To talk with Griese for a few seconds, and get his autograph, was really fun.”

When it was pointed out that Griese’s favorite card is the one from the 1973 Topps set with a snapshot of the Super Bowl, a card devoid of the quarterback’s image, McGuigan said, “That’s Griese, a selfless teammate.”