1961 Topps Football Cards
There are 198 cards in the 1961 Topps football card set. The first series, cards 1-132, contains only NFL players; the second series, cards 133-198, contains only AFL players. The price guides value second series commons higher than first series commons, but in reality it is easier to find second series cards in high grades. Packs of both first series and second series cards included "flocked sticker" inserts.
I have not seen an uncut sheet of 1961 Topps football cards, but the 132-card first series would have fit an even two times on a full 264-card sheet, and the 66-card second series would have fit an even four times. Hence there are no short prints or double prints in either series.
One oddity in the 1961 Topps set is that most of the Houston Oilers are pictured in pink uniforms. The Oilers actually wore light blue. The set also has one "first": it is the first football card set to include "in action" or "highlight" cards.
Rookie cards of Pro Football Hall of Famers in the 1961 Topps set: Henry Jordan, Don Maynard, Jim Otto, Johnny Robinson.
| Image | Set | # | Card Title/Players | Pro Team | Position | College | Honors | Notes | Grades available at Nearmint Sports Cards |
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1961 Topps | 1 | John Unitas | Baltimore Colts | quarterback | Louisville | Pro Football Hall of Fame 1979, Ravens Ring of Honor 2002 | ||
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1961 Topps | 2 | Lenny Moore | Baltimore Colts | halfback | Penn State | Pro Football Hall of Fame 1975, Ravens Ring of Honor 2002 | ||
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1961 Topps | 3 | Alan Ameche | Baltimore Colts | fullback | Wisconsin | College Hall of Fame 1975, Heisman Trophy 1954 | ||
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1961 Topps | 4 | Raymond Berry | Baltimore Colts | end | SMU | Pro Football Hall of Fame 1973, Ravens Ring of Honor 2002 | ||
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1961 Topps | 5 | Jim Mutscheller | Baltimore Colts | end | Notre Dame | |||
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1961 Topps | 6 | Jim Parker | Baltimore Colts | guard, tackle | Ohio State | College Hall of Fame 1974, Outland Trophy 1956, Pro Football Hall of Fame 1973, Ravens Ring of Honor 2002 | ||
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1961 Topps | 7 | Gino Marchetti | Baltimore Colts | defensive end | San Francisco | Pro Football Hall of Fame 1972, Ravens Ring of Honor 2002 | ||
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1961 Topps | 8 | Gene Lipscomb | Baltimore Colts | defensive tackle | ||||
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1961 Topps | 9 | Baltimore Colts Team | Baltimore Colts | |||||
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1961 Topps | 10 | Bill Wade | Chicago Bears | quarterback | Vanderbilt | Wade had the NFL's longest pass completion in 1961, a 98-yard play to Bo Farrington. | ||
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1961 Topps | 11 | Johnny Morris | Chicago Bears | halfback | UC Santa Barbara | Rookie card | ||
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1961 Topps | 12 | Rick Casares | Chicago Bears | fullback | Florida | ex+ | ||
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1961 Topps | 13 | Harlon Hill | Chicago Bears | end | North Alabama | Since 1986, the Harlon Hill Trophy has been awarded to the Division II College Football Player of the Year. | Vg-ex | |
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1961 Topps | 14 | Stan Jones | Chicago Bears | guard | Maryland | College Hall of Fame 2000, Pro Football Hall of Fame 1991 | ex | |
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1961 Topps | 15 | Doug Atkins | Chicago Bears | defensive end | Tennessee | College Hall of Fame 1985, Pro Football Hall of Fame 1982, Saints Hall of Fame 1995 | ||
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1961 Topps | 16 | Bill George | Chicago Bears | linebacker, guard | Wake Forest | Pro Football Hall of Fame 1974 | ||
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1961 Topps | 17 | J.C. Caroline | Chicago Bears | defensive back | Illinois | College Hall of Fame 1980 | ||
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1961 Topps | 18 | Chicago Bears Team | Chicago Bears | The Bears played the CFL's Montreal Alouettes in an exhibition game in 1961. | ||||
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1961 Topps | 19 | Big Time Football Comes to Texas | The game pictured here was played on Dec 4, 1960, in New York. L.G DuPre scored three touchdowns for the Cowboys, and the game ended in a 31-31 tie. | |||||
| L.G. Dupre | Dallas Cowboys | halfback | Baylor | ||||||
| Walt Kowalczyk | Dallas Cowboys | fullback, defensive back | Michigan State | ||||||
| Eddie LeBaron | Dallas Cowboys | quarterback | Pacific | College Hall of Fame 1980, Commanders Ring of Fame | |||||
| Dick Modzelewski | New York Giants | defensive tackle | Maryland | College Hall of Fame 1993, Outland Trophy 1952 | |||||
| Tom Scott | New York Giants | defensive end | Virginia | College Hall of Fame 1979 | |||||
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1961 Topps | 20 | Eddie LeBaron | Dallas Cowboys | quarterback | Pacific | College Hall of Fame 1980, Commanders Ring of Fame | ||
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1961 Topps | 21 | Don McIlhenny | Dallas Cowboys | halfback | SMU | McIlhenny played 3 games for the Cowboys in 1961, then finished the season with the San Francisco 49ers. | ||
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1961 Topps | 22 | L.G. Dupre | Dallas Cowboys | halfback | Baylor | |||
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1961 Topps | 23 | Jim Doran | Dallas Cowboys | end, defensive end | Iowa State, Buena Vista | Doran was the first Dallas Cowboy to be chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was the Cowboys' only Pro Bowl selection in 1960, the team's first season. | ||
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1961 Topps | 24 | Bill Howton | Dallas Cowboys | end | Rice | Packers Hall of Fame 1974 | ||
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1961 Topps | 25 | Buzz Guy | Dallas Cowboys | guard | Duke | Rookie card Guy's full name was Melwood Norman Guy. |
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