This is Herschel's base card from the set. This card already resides in the Hoard, as well as being uploaded on the TCDB, but it was still cool to pull.
In addition to Herschel's card, I found three Hall of Famers, and one of a guy who was very similar to Walker, but for injuries and other reasons, never lived up to his potential.
The Pro Football HOFers are:
Derrick Thomas, who played his entire career for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was considered one of the best pass rushers of all time. Sadly, he lost his life from injuries sustained in a high speed car crash. He was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Next is:
Another guy who spent his whole time in the league with one franchise. Howie Long, the great defensive end with the Raiders. Long made 8 Pro Bowls, was Defensive Player of the Year and was elected to the Hall in 2000.
Then I got a prolific quarterback, who like Walker, spent a long time in a league other than the NFL.
Warren Moon, who was highly decorated coming out of college, yet went undrafted by the NFL, went into the Canadian Football League, and led his Edmonton Eskimos to five straight Grey Cup(their Super Bowl) victories.
Moon went on to a long, successful stint with the Houston Oilers. He was elected to the Hall in 2006.
Finally, I pulled a guy who was built like, and played, in a very similar way to Herschel.
That is:
Marcus Dupree was a huge running back with blazing speed, just like Walker. He actually broke Walker's national high school record for touchdowns by one, with 87.
Dupree's college recruiting was a national spectacle, just as Walker's had been. Marcus decided on Oklahoma, after being courted by Heisman winner, Billy Sims.
Like Herschel at Georgia, Dupree had a brilliant freshman season in 1982, but he clashed with head coach, Barry Switzer, who wasn't happy with Dupree's weight gain and lack of conditioning.
Marcus transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi, but because he violated NCAA rules, he was told he would have to sit out the rest of the '83 season, plus the '84 season.
At that point, Dupree entered the USFL, again mirroring Walker's career path. He played with the New Orleans Breakers, and had several good games, and was popular with the hometown fans as a southern guy who made good.
However, when the team transferred to Portland, Dupree became injured more often, finally sustaining what many believed was a career ending knee injury.
Marcus worked hard to get into shape after being out of football for several years. He lost 100 pounds, and the L.A. Rams decided to take a chance on him.
The card above shows him during his time with the Rams. He showed some flashes of his past talent, but by then, it was nearing the end of the road.
Barry Switzer said in his book, Bootlegger's Boy, that Dupree was the best running back, talentwise, he had ever seen, better than Sims, Walker, Jackson or anyone else.
After seven packs, I still haven't found any striped wild cards.
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