Somehow the coin we used found a clear place on his football card, maybe because he was such a fine receiver with the Detroit Lions.

On a day I thought of  the one and only Michael Santasieri Jr. for other reasons, word came that Gail Cogdill, a star with the Lions and the absolute best at our coin/football card game (we had imagination and no video games to deter us) had died at the age of 79.

I certainly have distant recall of the Lions’ upset win vs the eventual 1962 NFL champion Green Bay Packers, in fact the only loss dealt the “Pack” that season.

Mr. Cogdill had a great game, catching two touchdown passes from Milt Plum. It seems he made a great finger tip catch in that tilt, as though the coin were coming to his card.

Whether in the reality of the NFL games, or in “our” coin-football card games, Gail Cogdill excelled.

Now after his death, and speaking to a harsh reality of football, Mr. Cogdill’s brain and brain stem will be examined, as part of a concussion study at Boston University.

I just realized that when Cogdill is asked by God how “he”  kept making those catches, of all those coins for touchdowns in a great activity, he will not know to which God is referring.

Click below for more about Gail Cogdill.

Gail Cogdill, one of the all-time great Detroit Lions WRs, dies at 79

It was a card like, but not the one above, that somehow, defied the odds, as far too often for me vs Mr. Santasieri, the coin landed completely within the boundaries of Mr. Cogdill’s card for a touchdown.

I would not trade those memories for a football card or even much more.

Additionally I have good memories of Gail Cogdill in the NFL.