[Note: this piece was updated after its original posting] Thanks to the suggestion of Marty Ogelvie of Cowboys Cards (great site for Cowboys history), we have a second nominee for Most Obscure Player of 1961. The original winner was defensive back Don Bishop, but there was a second player equally deserving of the recognition.
Dicky (also spelled Dickey) Moegle was an All-American running back at Rice University during the 1950s. In the 1954 Cotton Bowl between Rice and Alabama, Moegle set a record with 265 rushing yards, which stood until Missouri’s Tony Temple rushed for 281 in 2008.
Moegle was then drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and played both ways for three seasons. His finest season on defense came in 1957, when he had eight interceptions. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 1958 and was less productive in 1959.
He played for Pittsburgh in 1960 (recording six interceptions that year) before being picked up by Dallas for the 1961 season. In that trade, Dallas gave up safety Billy Butler and tackle Dick Klein. He started at free safety for Dallas in 1961, picking off two passes. However, during training camp in 1962, Tom Landry informed Moegle that the team had decided to put Moegle on waivers. The safety instead decided to quit, moving back to Houston to run a hotel.
That was his final season as a pro, retiring at age 27. A Dallas Morning News article referred to Moegle as “old horse” who decided to leave “the stable.”
For more on Dicky Moegle, see:
Dallas Morning News article (1961): New Cowboy: Dicky Moegle
Dallas Morning News article (1962): An Old Horse Leaves the Stable
One Comments to “MOP Award, Honorable Mention: Dicky Moegle”
[...] kickholder wrote a fantastic post today on “MOP Award, Honorable Mention: Dickey Moegle”Here’s ONLY a quick extractHe started at free safety for Dallas in 1961, picking off two passes. That was his final season as a pro, retiring at age 27. For more on Dickey Moegle, see:. Wikipedia. Cowboys Cards. Database Football. College Football Hall of Fame … [...]