.jpg) Mutscheller in June 2010 | |||||||||
| No. 84 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1930-03-31)March 31, 1930 Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | April 10, 2015(2015-04-10) (aged 85) Towson, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Beaver Falls | ||||||||
| College | Notre Dame | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1952: 12th round, 134th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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James 'Bucky' Mutscheller (March 31, 1930 – April 10, 2015) was an American professionalfootball player who was atight end for nine seasons with theBaltimore Colts of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish.
Mutscheller was born on March 31, 1930, inBeaver Falls, Pennsylvania.[1] He played football, basketball, and baseball atBeaver Falls High School.[2] In the first football game of the 1947 season, Mutscheller had a 49-yardtouchdownreception and 77-yard touchdownrun in a game against Erie East High School, played before 7,000 spectators.[3]
His high school nickname was "Bucky". In 1976, he was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
Mutscheller played three seasons of football atUniversity of Notre Dame under coachCollege Football Hall of Fame head coachFrank Leahy[4] from 1949 to 1951. He was a member of the1949 national championship team. Mutscheller played bothdefensive end andoffensive end for theFighting Irish. His principal role was on defense for the 1949 national championship team, having only two pass receptions (eighth on the team); withHeisman Trophy winnerLeon Hart Notre Dame's main receiver that season, setting a school record with 19 receptions. As a junior in 1950, only one player surpassed Mutscheller in minutes played (Jerry Groom who played almost 60 minutes per game). Mutscheller led Notre Dame in pass receptions as a junior and senior. As a junior he set Notre Dame records for most receptions (35) and receiving yards (426). He also had seven receiving touchdowns. He had 20 receptions for 305 yards as a senior, but was hampered by injury. Mutscheller served as team captain his senior year.[2][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Mutscheller was selected to play in theEast-West Shrine Game, but suffered a knee injury in Notre Dame's final game of the season against theUniversity of Southern California, and had to be replaced.[13] As a senior, the United Press named him second-team end on its All-Midwest team.[14]
After college, Mutscheller served in theUnited States Marine Corps. He played organized football while a Marine for theQuantico Marines Devil Dogs. The Quantico Marines competed against collegiate teams, as well as other military teams. Mutscheller caught three touchdown passes in a November 1952 game againstHoly Cross. His Quantico Marine football teammates included, among others, future NFL playersRay Wietecha,[15]Jim Weatherall,[16] andKen Huxhold.[17][18][19][20] In December 1952, he was selected to theArmed Forces Press Service (AFPS) All-Star Team at offensive end.[21] He spent two years in the Marines, reaching the rank of lieutenant or captain, and was at times stationed inKorea andJapan.[2][6][22]
Mutscheller was drafted by the NFL'sNew York Yanks in the 12th round of the January 1952 NFL draft (134th overall). They selected future Hall of Fame defensive endGino Marchetti[23] in the second round. Mutscheller never played for the Yanks both because he was in the Marines in 1952, and the Yanks ceased to exist as an NFL team before the 1952 season began.[2][24][25][26][27]
In 1952, the newly formed Dallas Texans purchased the defunct Yanks from the NFL.[28] The Texans played one year in the NFL (1952), without Mutscheller, before also failing financially.[29][28] At the urging of NFL CommissionerBert Bell,Carroll Rosenbloom purchased the Texans and established the team as theBaltimore Colts in 1953. Among the Texans players moving to Baltimore were future Hall of Fame defensive linemen Gino Marchetti andArt Donovan,[28][30] and running backBuddy Young, who would go on to become the NFL's first African American executive.[31][28]
Mutscheller signed with the Texans in June 1952, but did not play for them in 1952 as he was in the Marines.[32] He was on the Texans' reserve list when Rosenbloom purchased the Texan assets. Mutscheller signed on to play for the Colts in February 1954, for $5,000 a year; joining the team after his military service ended at the beginning of August 1954. Future Hall of Fame Colts head coachWeeb Ewbank intended to use Mutscheller as a receiver.[6][33][34]
At the end of training camp in 1954, Ewbank was considering cutting Mutscheller from the team, but first asked his veteran players to rate Mutscheller. Both Donovan and Marchetti supported keeping Mutscheller with the Colts, Marchetti saying "'He was too valuable to let go'".[22] Mutscheller joined the Colts in 1954 and played his entire career in Baltimore (1954-61), missing only one game during his eight year career.[1][22] He was the Colts startingtight end, playing on the right side of the line, for seven seasons (1955-61).[35]
As a rookie in 1954, Mutscheller played very little and started only three games. He played at defensive end primarily, and had only one reception on the season, for 49 yards.[36][34] In 1955, he was moved to tight end on offense and caught 33 passes for 518 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the Colts in all three categories.[37] He was tied for fifth in the NFL in touchdown receptions.[38] Future Hall of Fame receiverRaymond Berry, and 1954Heisman Trophy winnerAlan Ameche also joined the Colts in 1955 (Ameche leading the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns).[39][40][41][42]
In 1956, he had 44 receptions for 715 yards and six touchdowns; again leading the Colts in all three categories.[43] He was fourth in the NFL in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, fifth in receptions, and 10th in yards per reception (16.3).[44] 1956 was also legendary Hall of Fame quarterbackJohnny Unitas's first year with the Colts, starting in seven games.[45][46] Hall of Fame runner and receiverLenny Moore likewise joined the Colts in 1956.[47][48]
The Colts had their first winning record in 1957, 7–5.[49][50] Unitas led the NFL in passing attempts, yards, yards per pass and touchdowns; and Berry led the team with 47 receptions, Moore had 40 and Mutscheller was tied withL. G. Dupre at 32.[50] In 1957, Mutscheller was chosen to play in thePro Bowl for the first and only time. TheNewspaper Enterprise Association andUnited Press International named him second-team All-NFL.[51]
The Colts were 1958 NFL champions. Berry led the team, and the league, with 56 receptions; Moore had 50 and Mutscheller had 28.[52] Moore’s 18.8 yards per reception was seventh best in the NFL, and Mutscheller’s 18 yards per reception was eighth.[53]
Mutscheller was a key part of the1958 NFL championship game between the Colts and theNew York Giants, known as "the Greatest Game Ever Played". It was the first NFL championship game to be decided insudden death overtime, with the Colts winning 23–17 on a game-ending one-yard run by Alan Ameche. It was a close, captivating and dramatic game, viewed by 45 million people, and had an enormous impact on the popularity of professional football in the United States. Mutscheller had a "pivotal" reception on the play preceding the final touchdown.[54][8]
Along with Mutscheller at tight end, the Colts offense included Unitas at quarterback, Berry at wide receiver, Moore at running back and flanker and Ameche at fullback, among others. The final drive of overtime started at the Colts 20 yard line. Unitas moved the team down the field with passes to Berry and two long runs by Ameche, until the Colts were inside the Giants' ten yard line. Unitas surprisingly threw a pass for six yards to Mutscheller, who slid on the icy field and went out of bounds at the Giants' one yard line, setting up the final touchdown run. On Ameche's touchdown run itself, as a blocker Mutscheller and right tackleGeorge Preas opened the space through which Ameche ran. Overall, Mutscheller had three receptions for 46 yards that day. Unitas would later tease Mutscheller about trying to make him a hero by catching the game-winning pass, but Mutscheller went out of bounds one yard short and lost his chance at fame (with Mutscheller later being happy it was Alan Ameche, and not him, who would appear onthe Ed Sullivan Show to be honored for the victory).[55][56][8]
In 1959, the Colts defeated the Giants again in theNFL Championship Game, 31–16. Berry again led the NFL in receptions (66), Moore had 47 and Mutscheller 44.[57][58] Mutscheller was third in the NFL in touchdown receptions (8), fifth in receptions, and eighth in receiving yards (699).[59] He had five receptions for 40 yards in the championship game.[58]
Mutscheller had knee problems that reduced his effectiveness in 1960 and 1961.[60] In 1960, Mutscheller missed his only game as a Colt, and started only nine games. Toward the end of the 1960 season, he was described byCameron Snyder ofThe Baltimore Sun as among the "walking wounded".[61] He had 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns.[62][1][63] 1961 was his last year in the NFL. He started all 12 games, with 20 receptions for 370 yards and two touchdowns.[1] Mutscheller retired in April 1962, not satisfied that he could perform any longer to the standards he expected of himself.[64][60]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theNFL championship | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1954 | BAL | 12 | 3 | 1 | 49 | 49.0 | 49 | 0 |
| 1955 | BAL | 12 | 12 | 33 | 518 | 15.7 | 48 | 7 |
| 1956 | BAL | 12 | 12 | 44 | 715 | 16.3 | 53 | 6 |
| 1957 | BAL | 12 | 11 | 32 | 558 | 17.4 | 66 | 8 |
| 1958 | BAL | 12 | 12 | 28 | 504 | 18.0 | 54 | 7 |
| 1959 | BAL | 12 | 12 | 44 | 699 | 15.9 | 40 | 8 |
| 1960 | BAL | 11 | 9 | 18 | 271 | 15.1 | 43 | 2 |
| 1961 | BAL | 12 | 12 | 20 | 370 | 18.5 | 45 | 2 |
| 95 | 83 | 220 | 3,684 | 16.7 | 66 | 40 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1958 | BAL | 1 | 1 | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 32 | 0 |
| 1959 | BAL | 1 | 1 | 5 | 40 | 8.0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 8 | 86 | 10.8 | 32 | 0 | ||
During his Colts' career (1954-61), Mutscheller amassed 220 catches, 3,685 receiving yards, and 40 touchdowns.[1] Raymond Berry, Mutscheller's Hall of Fame teammate for seven years and later an NFL head coach,[65] said he never saw Mutscheller drop a pass. Berry found Mutscheller honest, of the highest character, and a total team player, never driven by his ego.[66][22] As a tight end, he was considered sure-handed and a fierce blocker.[22] Mutscheller's wife Joan reported after his death that Mutscheller's proudest moment as a football player came when his block in the 1958 championship game helped open up a hole in the Giants' defensive line for Ameche to score the game-winning touchdown.[22]
In 1976, Mutscheller was inducted into the inaugural class of the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.[2] In 2007, he was inducted into the Western Chapter of thePennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame,[67] and in 2008, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.[68]
After retiring, he served as a color commentator forCBS during televised Colts games, alongside play-by-play broadcasterChuck Thompson, until replaced by Lenny Moore in 1968. He also had a weekly column about the Colts in theBaltimore News American.[64][69]
In 1956, Mutscheller began working as an insurance salesman in Baltimore, and continued in that business almost until his death over 50 years later.[22]
He died of kidney failure on April 10, 2015 inTowson, Maryland at age 85.[70][22] He was survived by his wife of 59 years, Joan Mutscheller, four sons and four grandchildren.[22]