1965: The Giants' Baby Bulls Backfield

[bighitterdalama]

The BigHitter began his now legendary fanship of our beloved New York Giants in 1965. That season saw the inception of the shortlived "Baby Bulls" backfield. Second year RBs Steve Thurlow and Ernie Wheelwright were joined by rookies Tucker Frederickson, Chuck Mercein, and Ernie Koy.

All five players were amazingly similar in size: 6'1"-6'3", 220-235 lbs. All five were straight-ahead, bull rushing fullback types. All five also showed good pass catching abilities. Without further research, I can only speculate as to why Giants' head coach Allie Sherman suddenly fell in love with this type player. Perhaps he felt the need to replace Giant great Alex "Big Red" Webster, who had retired following the 1964 season. 


The Baby Bulls


Tucker Frederickson

The Giants obviously percieved Tucker Frederickson to be the cream of the crop, selecting him with the #1 overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft. He paid immediate dividends, rushing for 659 yards (a credible number in that day and age), while catching 24 passes for 177 yards. He made the Pro Bowl that year as a rookie. A pre-season knee injury knocked him out for the entire 1966 campaign. He returned in 1967, but the injury hobbled his running ability. He did become a favorite receiver of Fran Tarkenton later in his career. Tucker retired after the 1971 season.   



http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=FREDETUC01


Ernie Koy

Ernie Koy rushed for 174 yards in limited playing time in 1965. He also became the Giants full-time punter, averaging 41.2 yards/kick on 55 punts. He went on to have a creditable career as a Giant running back, with a season-high 704 yards rushing in 1967. He remained the Giants' primary punter through 1969. He retired following the 1970 season.



http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=KOYERN01


Chuck Mercein

Chuck Mercein saw limited time carrying the ball for the Giants in 1965, totalling just 55 yards on 18 carries. He had his best year as a pro in 1966. Filling in for the injured Frederickson, he ran for 327 yards on 94 carries and caught 27 passes for 156 yards. Shipped off to the Packers during the 1967 season, he did little during the remainder of a career that ended with the Jets in 1970. Mercein did produce a short NFL historical blip by making a notable contribution to the Packers' famous come-from-behind game winning "Instant Replay" drive during their 1967 "Ice Bowl" playoff victory over the Cowboys.



http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MERCECHU01


Steve Thurlow

Steve Thurlow was the Giants second leading rusher in 1965, carrying the ball 106 times for 440 yards. Oddly, with Frederickson out for the entire season, the Giants shipped their #2 1965 rusher to the Redskins at the beginning of the 1966 campaign. He showed limited success for the Skins, retiring after the 1968 season.



http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=THURLSTE01


Ernie Wheelwright

Ernie Wheelwright had been the Giants leading rusher in 1964, having carried the ball 100 times for 402 yards. Frederickson's 1965 arrival seriously curtailed Ernie's playing time, limiting him to just 96 yards on 24 carries. He was picked up by the Falcons in the 1966 expansion draft. After running for 458 yards on 121 carries for the Falcs in '66, he was shipped to the Saints during their inaugural campaign of 1967. He played sparingly for the Saints thru 1970, retiring after that season. 



http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WHEELERN02


BigHitter

[retrojint]

Good review, Da Lama.  In Mercein's photo, is that against the Skins?  It so I wonder if the guy wearing the Csonka-like, bull hook attachment is DT Joe Rutgens, the guy who always played with his shirt hanging out of his pants?  And the photo of Koy looks weird.  Different facial appearance than he usually looked, as I recall. 

John Morrison thought Wheels was the prototype for Jacobs.  When he first saw him play, he thought he was going to be another Jim Brown.  Tucker had knee problems when he was still in school.  By the end of his Giants' career he had a tough time jogging.  I remember watching him at the benefit basketball game at Fordham, circa 75.  He was playing with guys like Art Shamsky from the Mets.  John Sterling popped his Achilles in that pick up game.  He was the best of that group that you just featured Brian.