Happy 80th birthday to Hoyle Granger! Granger was a running back for six years with the Houston Oilers and one with the New Orleans Saints. Playing for Houston, he gained over 1000 yards from scrimmage in three straight seasons, 1967 to 1969. He was named an American Football League All-Star in 1967 and 1968.
A fun fact: On September 9th, 1968, Granger became the first pro football player to score (in the regular season) in the Houston Astrodome. Alas, the Oilers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 26-21.
Today’s card of the day is Granger’s rookie card, a 1970 Topps. Oddly, though he led the AFL with 1494 yards from scrimmage in 1967, it took Topps three more years to put him on a card. He also appeared on a 1969 Glendale Stamp and a 1971 Topps card.
