Hostile
The Duke
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On this date in 1960 the Dallas Cowboys began in earnest. The Cowboys did not get to Draft any players in 1960. They are the only expansion team in NFL History not to get to build through the Draft their first year in the League.
In fact, the Cowboys didn't really exist at all yet. You see when Clint Murchison and Bedford Wynn were first granted a franchise Bedford Wynn, a Texas Longhorn Alumni wanted the team to be the Steers. Tex Schramm quickly surmised that the team would be associated with castration and changed the mascot to the Rangers.
Later they would change again to Cowboys.
In those days the Draft was not held in April. The 1960 NFL Draft was held on November 30, 1959. Then on January 28, 1960 the NFL awarded franchises to the Dallas Rangers and the Minnesota Vikings. So it was too late for them to Draft for the 1960 season.
Now you might be asking why I said Dallas is the only expansion franchise not to get to Draft if Minnesota was added at the same time. The Vikings did not start playing in 1960. They began in 1961. So by then they held the 1961 Draft on December 27 & 28, 1960. Thus the Vikings got to start as all other NFL expansion teams do, with a Draft.
So how did the Cowboys come to have a team in 1960? Well, they were the 13th team in the NFL. The NFL granted the other 12 teams the right to freeze 25 players that the Cowboys could not touch. Then the rest of the players were opened up to the Cowboys to take, but they could only take 3 players from each team.
The list of available players was provided to the Rangers on March 12, 1960. They were given 24 hours to decide who they were going to take and on this date in 1960 they selected 36 players to build the very first team in franchise History.
Not everyone was excited to be coming to an expansion team. Most of the players left available were over 30. Some of them retired rather than report to the new team. Tex and Tom expected this and tried to choose guys who were native Texans whenever they could.
The rest of the team would be Undrafted Free Agents, Free Agent pickups after they were cut from another team, or trades. The makings of the team began on this date in History. In alphabetical order here are the 1960 Dallas Cowboys, position(s), where they came from, and how long they were on the team.
Gene Babb, FB/LB, 49ers, 1960-61
Bob Bercich, DB, UDFA, 1960-61
Dick Bielski, SE/FB, Eagles, 1960-61
Don Bishop, DB/WR/HB, Bears, 1960-65
Nate Borden, DE, Packers, 1960-61
Tom Braatz, LB/E, Commanders, 1960
Byron Bradfute, T, UDFA, 1960-61
Bill Butler, DB/RB, Packers, 1960
Frank Clarke, E, Browns, 1960-67
Fred Cone, FB/K, Packers, 1960
Mike Connelly, T/G/C, UDFA, 1960-68
Gene Cronin, DE/G/LB, Lions, 1960
Paul Dickson, DT/T, Rams, 1960
Fred Doelling, DB, UDFA, 1960
Jim Doran, E/DE, Lions, 1960-61 (Dallas 1st ever Pro Bowl player)
Mike Dowdle, LB/FB, UDFA, 1960-62
Fred Dugan, DE, 49ers, 1960
L.G. Dupree, RB, Colts, 1960-61
Mike Falls, G, UDFA, 1960-61
Tom Franckhauser, DB, Rams, 1960-61
Bob Fry, T/G, Rams, 1960-64
John Gonzaga, T/G/DE/DT, 49ers, 1960
Buzz Guy, G/DT/T, Giants, 1960
Wayne Hansen, LB/G/C/T, Bears, 1960
Don Healy, DT/G, Bears, 1960-61
Don Heinrich, QB, Giants, 1960
Bill Herchamn, DT, 49ers, 1960-61
John Houser, G/C, Rams, 1960-61
Billy Howton, E, Browns, 1960-63
Ed Husmann, DT/G/LB/DE, Bears, 1960
Dick Klein, T, Bears, 1960
Walt Kowalcych, FB/DB, Eagles, 1960
Eddie LeBaron, QB, Commanders, 1960-63
Woodley Lewis, DB/E, Bears, 1960
Ray Mathews, E/HB, Steelers, 1960
Don McIhenny, RB, Packers, 1960-61
Don Meredith, QB, trade w/ Bears, 1960-68
Jim Mooty, DB, UDFA, 1960
Jack Patera, LB/G, Bears, 1960-6
Duane Putnam, G/LB, Rams, 1960
Dave Sherer, E, Colts, 1960
Jerry Tubbs, LB/C, 49ers, 1960-66
Gary Wisener, DB, UDFA, 1960
1960 Dallas Cowboys photograph
In fact, the Cowboys didn't really exist at all yet. You see when Clint Murchison and Bedford Wynn were first granted a franchise Bedford Wynn, a Texas Longhorn Alumni wanted the team to be the Steers. Tex Schramm quickly surmised that the team would be associated with castration and changed the mascot to the Rangers.
Later they would change again to Cowboys.
In those days the Draft was not held in April. The 1960 NFL Draft was held on November 30, 1959. Then on January 28, 1960 the NFL awarded franchises to the Dallas Rangers and the Minnesota Vikings. So it was too late for them to Draft for the 1960 season.
Now you might be asking why I said Dallas is the only expansion franchise not to get to Draft if Minnesota was added at the same time. The Vikings did not start playing in 1960. They began in 1961. So by then they held the 1961 Draft on December 27 & 28, 1960. Thus the Vikings got to start as all other NFL expansion teams do, with a Draft.
So how did the Cowboys come to have a team in 1960? Well, they were the 13th team in the NFL. The NFL granted the other 12 teams the right to freeze 25 players that the Cowboys could not touch. Then the rest of the players were opened up to the Cowboys to take, but they could only take 3 players from each team.
The list of available players was provided to the Rangers on March 12, 1960. They were given 24 hours to decide who they were going to take and on this date in 1960 they selected 36 players to build the very first team in franchise History.
Not everyone was excited to be coming to an expansion team. Most of the players left available were over 30. Some of them retired rather than report to the new team. Tex and Tom expected this and tried to choose guys who were native Texans whenever they could.
The rest of the team would be Undrafted Free Agents, Free Agent pickups after they were cut from another team, or trades. The makings of the team began on this date in History. In alphabetical order here are the 1960 Dallas Cowboys, position(s), where they came from, and how long they were on the team.
Gene Babb, FB/LB, 49ers, 1960-61
Bob Bercich, DB, UDFA, 1960-61
Dick Bielski, SE/FB, Eagles, 1960-61
Don Bishop, DB/WR/HB, Bears, 1960-65
Nate Borden, DE, Packers, 1960-61
Tom Braatz, LB/E, Commanders, 1960
Byron Bradfute, T, UDFA, 1960-61
Bill Butler, DB/RB, Packers, 1960
Frank Clarke, E, Browns, 1960-67
Fred Cone, FB/K, Packers, 1960
Mike Connelly, T/G/C, UDFA, 1960-68
Gene Cronin, DE/G/LB, Lions, 1960
Paul Dickson, DT/T, Rams, 1960
Fred Doelling, DB, UDFA, 1960
Jim Doran, E/DE, Lions, 1960-61 (Dallas 1st ever Pro Bowl player)
Mike Dowdle, LB/FB, UDFA, 1960-62
Fred Dugan, DE, 49ers, 1960
L.G. Dupree, RB, Colts, 1960-61
Mike Falls, G, UDFA, 1960-61
Tom Franckhauser, DB, Rams, 1960-61
Bob Fry, T/G, Rams, 1960-64
John Gonzaga, T/G/DE/DT, 49ers, 1960
Buzz Guy, G/DT/T, Giants, 1960
Wayne Hansen, LB/G/C/T, Bears, 1960
Don Healy, DT/G, Bears, 1960-61
Don Heinrich, QB, Giants, 1960
Bill Herchamn, DT, 49ers, 1960-61
John Houser, G/C, Rams, 1960-61
Billy Howton, E, Browns, 1960-63
Ed Husmann, DT/G/LB/DE, Bears, 1960
Dick Klein, T, Bears, 1960
Walt Kowalcych, FB/DB, Eagles, 1960
Eddie LeBaron, QB, Commanders, 1960-63
Woodley Lewis, DB/E, Bears, 1960
Ray Mathews, E/HB, Steelers, 1960
Don McIhenny, RB, Packers, 1960-61
Don Meredith, QB, trade w/ Bears, 1960-68
Jim Mooty, DB, UDFA, 1960
Jack Patera, LB/G, Bears, 1960-6
Duane Putnam, G/LB, Rams, 1960
Dave Sherer, E, Colts, 1960
Jerry Tubbs, LB/C, 49ers, 1960-66
Gary Wisener, DB, UDFA, 1960
1960 Dallas Cowboys photograph
0-11-1
9/24/60...Lost vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-35
9/30/60...Lost vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 25-27
10/9/60...Lost @ Washington Commanders, 14-26
10/16/60...Lost vs. Cleveland Browns, 7-48
10/23/60...Lost @ St. Louis Cardinals, 10-12
10/30/60...Lost vs. Baltimore Colts, 7-45
11/6/60...Lost vs. Los Angles Rams, 13-38
11/13/60...Lost @ Green Bay Packers, 7-41
11/20/60...Lost vs. San Francisco 49ers, 14-26
11/27/60...Lost @ Chicago Bears, 7-17
12/4/60...Tie @ New York Giants, 31-31
12/11/60...Lost @ Detroit Lions, 14-23
9/30/60...Lost vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 25-27
10/9/60...Lost @ Washington Commanders, 14-26
10/16/60...Lost vs. Cleveland Browns, 7-48
10/23/60...Lost @ St. Louis Cardinals, 10-12
10/30/60...Lost vs. Baltimore Colts, 7-45
11/6/60...Lost vs. Los Angles Rams, 13-38
11/13/60...Lost @ Green Bay Packers, 7-41
11/20/60...Lost vs. San Francisco 49ers, 14-26
11/27/60...Lost @ Chicago Bears, 7-17
12/4/60...Tie @ New York Giants, 31-31
12/11/60...Lost @ Detroit Lions, 14-23
