Can you identify these Chiefs players?

[Connie Jo]

Can any of you identify these Chiefs players? Bobby Bell posted this photo on his Facebook page. Most post era 1960's fans don't know who these guys are, of course. There was only 3 of us in the thread discussion who came close to identifying these Chiefs. I'm fairly confident I was able to indentify all, with exception of the last to the right.

I thought at first it was Johnny Robinson, but remembered Johnny has having curlier hair, dimples, sort of a movie star look, haha...so doubted it was him rather possibly EJ Holub. Someone said it was indeed Johnny, but then Johnny's nephew confirmed it is not him in the photo. My second guess was possibly EJ Holub, but JR's nephew says it's not him either. My most recent speculation is Jim Lynch, but no one's confirmed it is Jim Lynch. This is one of those feelings ya get when ya lose something, can't find it...stays with you until resolved, hahaha.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs054.ash2/36083_163934723633553_100000510799364_499757_74050 62_n.jpg

[Connie Jo]

Okay then! Bobby Bell clarified for us that this photo is his 1963 Draft Class, which the at the time of their Draft, the NFL still considered them the Dallas Texans. The Class of 1963 is listed as the Dallas Texans on nfl.com. Which seems wrong, but oh well, haha.

I was wrong on the first man...he is Stone Johnson (RIP). His story is tragic. Stone Johnson was an Olympic sprinter and kick returner who suffered a broken vertebra in a pre-season game against the Raiders and died about two weeks later. Stone wore #33 and while he never played a regular season game for the Chiefs, they retired his number. :(

I had all correct with exception of the first & last, the others were easy to identify.

So far we've identified correctly left to right as: Stone Johnson, Jerrell Wilson, Dave Hill, Buck Buchanan, Ed Budde, Bobby Bell...we've yet to identify the last man, but we're eliminating possibilities one by one, hahaha. :)

[GlennBree]

great! Just great Connie Jo! Now it's gonna bug the H#LL out of me! Ggrrrr...
(LOL)

[Connie Jo]

LOL Yeah, it's been bugging me too. Bobby posted this pic a couple days ago, and it's been sorta like playing Chiefs Trivia for a few of us on his FB photo page ever since, LOL. I told him it's like when you lose something & can't find it, it drives ya crazy till ya do! He at least then gave us a clue the pic was his Draft Class. We had assumed, wrongly...it was either an AFL Championship, Super Bowl I or IV photo of the starting defense. That was my fault, cause I noticed many of them in the pic wearing rings, lol. Must be college rings, not AFL related, haha. :)

[N TX Dave]

great! Just great Connie Jo! Now it's gonna bug the H#LL out of me! Ggrrrr...
(LOL)
Well here is the 1963 draft and Lynch was not there.
Rd.Player1Buck Buchanan1Ed Budde2Walter Rock3Don Brumm4Daryl Sanders5John Campbell7Bobby Bell8John Sklopan9Jan Barrett10Curt Farrier11Lindy Infante11Jerrel Wilson13Dennis Ward14Stone Johnson14Preacher Pilot15Joe Auer16Mel Profit17Billy Moore18Bill Freeman20Lowell Vaught21Ernie Boghetti22John Maczuzak23Bob Yaksick24Dave Hill25John Hughes26Tumley Todd27Billy Clay28Gordon Scarborough

[Connie Jo]

Thanks Dave. :) I've tried googling some of the defense draftee's from that year I'm unfamiliar with, but many photo's aren't clear, and not many, if at all. Bobby has to know who he is, lol. I think he want's us to do some history homework, hahahaha. :)

[chiefnut]

i will consult my 1969 team photo when i get home tonight

[Big Daddy Tek]

WOW. RIP Stone Johnson. This guy died from an injury caused while playing in a Chiefs uniform and I never heard of him. Thats a shame. We should know about Stone like we know about Lenny, like we know about DT and like we know about Gonzo.

[AkChief49]

WOW. RIP Stone Johnson. This guy died from an injury caused while playing in a Chiefs uniform and I never heard of him. Thats a shame. We should know about Stone like we know about Lenny, like we know about DT and like we know about Gonzo.
.......and Joe Delaney

[chiefnut]

.......and Joe Delaney
and Mack Lee Hill

[Connie Jo]

i will consult my 1969 team photo when i get home tonight

Thanks, but this photo isn't from 1969 as most of us thought when Bobby first posted it...this is a photo of Bobby's draft class in 1963.


WOW. RIP Stone Johnson. This guy died from an injury caused while playing in a Chiefs uniform and I never heard of him. Thats a shame. We should know about Stone like we know about Lenny, like we know about DT and like we know about Gonzo.

I totally agree! I felt ashamed I didn't know who he was, nor his tragic story. As far as Joe Delaney & Mack Lee Hill...I think most old school Chiefs fans are familiar with their names, stories, and even faces. That's not the case with Stone Johnson (RIP), and I find that such a shame indeed.

I'm sure his fatal injury wasn't intentional, and the Raider responsible likely carried a horrible burden of guilt. Still, I'd be lying if I said learning of Stone Johnson & his tragic loss of life during a game against the Raiders didn't make me despise them a wee bit more. :(

[N TX Dave]

I have been looking at the stats for the 63 draft because the last guy is shorter than Stone so he is probably under 6 foot tall. If I could find that info it might help but being on vacation makes it hard but today is cold and rainy so I am not gettin out very early haha.