1979 Topps missing cards and updated cards

1976 Topps Football card additions

 

Came to the Bucs in the allocation draft before the 1976 season and went on to start at left tackle for most of the next eight seasons. Had played his first two seasons in Pittsburgh and won Super Bowl rings with the Steelers on both occasions. Was one of the last six original Bucs left on the roster after the franchise's first eight seasons. Originally entered the league as a 5th round pick of the Steelers in 1973. 

Played most the 1976 expansion season and started three games at middle linebacker. Had made the team as an undrafted free agent out of Florida State but did not play more than the single season in Tampa Bay. Was injured in the game in Oakland and missed the final two games having been put on injured reserve. 

Looking at my Fleer team cards last night gave me an idea to produce my own set of Bucs cards.
Here are s few that I would have wished they would have made in 1979

This is a card showing the first Playoff win 

Second card showing the close loss

Rain soaked Division Clinching game

New addition to the Bucs blog

Jack Novak- Topps 1978 #294
Why Topps did a football card for him I will never know. Congrats Jack!

Thank you Bucpower.com for the following information

Played tight end during the first two seasons in franchise history and caught one TD pass in the process. Had been claimed on waivers from Cincinnati prior to the 1976 season and played that year as a blocking tight end and No.2 on the depth chart. Had caught two passes in the 1975 season for the Bengals having been a 12th round pick of theirs in the 1975 draft. Never played in the NFL again after leaving Tampa Bay

1976		1977
Games	Starts	Games	Starts
11	1	9	2

Receiving
Season	No.	Yards	Avg	LG	TD
1976	8	130	16.3	30	1
1977	2	24	12.0	15	0
Total

It has been a very long time in between posts. Here is my installment of the 1976 Topps Bucs cards.
I have only replaced the cards that I have found photos for, enjoy.
It is very interesting that cards where made of players that didn't even make the roster.

Here are some cards that should have been produced-I bring you the Bucs 1976 updated set.

Appeared in just one game during the 1976 expansion season and threw five passes as a Buc. Unfortunately he completed two of them to the San Diego Chargers and none to his team-mates. Was released shortly afterwards and never played again as a pro. Saw action in 1974 and 1975 with the Oakland Raiders but only completed 9 of 26 passes for 79 yards and two picks across the two seasons. Made the sports news in 2004 when he had a successful heart transplant. 

After the 1975 season, Hanratty was placed on waivers by the Steelers in September 1976 and picked up in October by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the only team to lose all their games at the time. As the backup quarterback to Steve Spurrier, Hanratty made a handful of appearances, and his sole start came in Week 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This would be Hanratty's final season in the NFL before retiring. 

Was obtained by the Bucs in a trade prior to the 1976 season with the Baltimore Colts having originally been their 3rd round pick in the 1975 draft

1977 Topps Buccaneers Updated

My first card in the Updated Set is Mike Washington.
Started at cornerback for the first nine seasons in franchise history and ranks second in interceptions by a Buccaneer, his record of 28 only being passed recently by Donnie Abraham. Was obtained by the Bucs in a trade prior to the 1976 season with the Baltimore Colts having originally been their 3rd round pick in the 1975 draft. Scored four touchdowns in his career, three on interception returns and one on a blocked fieldgoal return in 1978. It was his interception against Miami on Monday Night Football in 1982 that preserved the win for the Bucs and led to my becoming a Buccaneer fan(BucPower.com). 
1977 Stats 
Games-14
Ints-5
Tackles-28

The second card in the updated collection is Richard Wood.
Played the first nine seasons in franchise history and was part of the great Buccaneer defenses of that era. Known as "Batman" he was always popular with the TV media for having Batman logos on his arm pads and socks during games. Led the team in tackles three times in their first four seasons. Played the 1975 season with the Jets before coming to Tampa and finished his pro career with the 1985 Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL. Came back to the Bucs under Sam Wyche briefly as an assistant defensive coach and often appears at alumni events in the Bay area (BucPower.com)

1977 Stats 
Games-14
Ints-4
Tackles-141

The third card in the updated collection is Dave Pear.
Missed only one game in the first three seasons in franchise history and started every game he played at nose tackle. The first Buc ever to go to the Pro Bowl, he was one of the founders of the Tampa 3-4 defense that went on to be the best in the NFL the year after he was traded to Oakland. Came to the Bucs in the veteran allocation draft having originally been a 3rd round pick of the Colts in 1975. Played only a season and a half with the Raiders (BucPower.com)

1977 Stats 
Games-14
Tackles-141
Sacks-3.5

The fourth card in the updated collection is Parnell Dickinson.
Started one game at QB for the expansion Bucs and played in another seven games as back-up to Steve Spurrer. His start came against the Dolphins and was off to a perfect 4 of 4 start passing when he suffered a knee injury and was lost for the rest of the season, Was in camp the following year but did not make the roster but was re-signed at mid-season and was inactive for two games before being released again for good. Went by the nickname of "Paydirt" and now works at Raymond James Stadium employed by the NFL where his job is to check players' uniforms before each home game to ensure they meet league requirements. Never played again in the NFL after leaving Tampa Bay (BucPower.com)

The fifth card in the updated collection is Randy Hedberg
Came out of nowhere to lead the Bucs to a couple of wins in the 1977 pre-season and was immediately annointed the starter and new young hope of the second year Buccaneers. Promptly threw one interception for every nine passes he attempted, completed less than three of them and never threw a score at all. Moved on to be with Oakland and Green Bay but never threw a pass for either team. Returned home to Minot State and became head coach of his alma mater in 1982 (BucPower.com)
  
1977 Stats
Att-90
Comp-25
YDS-244
Int-10

The sixth card in the updated collection is Jeb Blount
One of three quarterbacks to start for the Bucs in 1977 with Randy Hedberg and Gary Huff, but was as unsuccessful as the other two in leading the Buc offense. Originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 2nd round of the 1976 draft, he became a Buc in September 1977 having been on the Raiders' IR list all his rookie season. Jeb was his nickname, taken from his initials of his given name, John Eugune Blount. Never played again in the NFL after leaving Tampa Bay and his career stats have got to be some of the worst for a second round pick in NFL history (BucPower.com)

1977 Stats
Att-89
Comp-37
YDS-255
Int-7

The seventh card in the updated collection is Allan Leavitt
Played in eight games during 1977 and somehow wound up as the team's leading scorer that season despite totalling only 20 points. Missed the last six games of the 1977 season through injury and then lost a training camp battle with Irishman Neil O'Donoghue the following year. Succeeded Pete Rajecki as the kicker at Georgia, Rajecki being the player who scored the first-ever points for the Buccaneers in the 1976 pre-season. Was a St.Petersburg native and went to Lakewood High School. Never played again in the NFL after leaving Tampa Bay. Now lives in Jacksonville and worked for many years as a colleague of mine at IBM. 

1977 Stats
Games-8
FG-5-10
PAT-5-5

UPDATED EXISTING CARDS FROM THE TOPPS 1977 SET

Updated  #338 Topps 1977 David Green card
Image is from the 1978 Topps football card with an added Bucco logo on the helmet.

 

Updated  #268 Topps 1977 Louis Carter card
Image is from the BucPower.com

Updated  #96 Topps 1977 Anthony Davis card
Image is from the BucPower.com

Updated  #29 Topps 1977 Leroy Selmon card
Image is from the internet

Updated  #128 Topps 1977 Gary Huff card
Image is from the 1978 Topps football card with added Bucco logo

Updated  #178 Topps 1977 Dewey Selmon card
Image is from the internet