MEL GRAY The Cardinals' 1971 draft class will long be remembered for the selection of future Hall of Fame offensive lineman Dan Deirdorf in the second round, but sixth-round pick Mel Gray left his mark as one of the finest players in Cardinal history and among the most talented at his position during 12 seasons in the NFL as a dazzling game-breaking wide receiver. In the early 1970s the Cardinal offense featured quarterback Jim Hart, tight end Jackie Smith, and running back Johnny Roland; the next step was to upgrade the wide receiver spot. The club selected Jim Livesay, a record-breaking receiver from the University of Richmond, in the third round, but then looked into their own backyard for the next receiver, Gray from the University of Missouri. It proved to be a selection that paid impressive dividends as Gray was one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league during the Cards' run of success under head coach Don Coryell in the mid 70s. A native of Fresno, California, Gray selected Missouri with the intention of pursuing his career as a track standout, and squeezing in football as time permits. While in Columbia, Gray was a sprint champion and won seven of nine 100-yard crowns on the Drake-Kansas-Texas relay circuit. He was named the outstanding performer in the 1970 meet with first-place finishes in the 100- and 220-yard dashes, first in the long jump, and added a third place showing in the triple jump to personally account for a record 38 points. Though just 5-9 and 170 pounds, Gray combined that speed and agility with unmatched durability on the football field to set Mizzou single-season records as a junior with 705 receiving yards, nine touchdowns, and an eye-popping 27.1-yard average-per-catch. Armed with a 4.3 clocking in the 40-yard dash, Gray authored a brilliant rookie season with the Cardinals as he averaged 24.7 yards on 30 kickoff returns and 29.7 yards receiving with 18 receptions for 534 yards, including long-range scoring plays of 80, 64, 60 and 57 yards. After injuries limited him to just seven games in 1972, Gray bounced back in 1973 with 29 catches for a 17.7-yard average and seven touchdowns, including three scoring grabs in a 35-27 win over the N.Y. Giants on Oct. 28 in Busch Stadium. In 1974, "Air Coryell" hit new heights as Hart, Smith, Gray, and running back Terry Metcalf carried the club to a 10-4 record. Gray's team-best 19.7-yard receiving average and six touchdowns helped secure the club's first NFC East title and his first of four consecutive Pro Bowl selections and a pair of all-pro honors. The 1975 season saw the Cardinals post an 11-3 record and Gray enjoy career-bests with 48 receptions for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns, but perhaps the trademark of the season was his "Phantom Catch" in a win over the Washington Redskins. Though it was the shortest scoring catch of his career—one yard—it caused the most furor, as officials huddled together for several minutes before declaring the controversial reception a touchdown as the Cards won the game 20-17 in overtime. Ironically, that reception involved a former Cardinal, defensive back Pat Fischer, who played in St. Louis from 1961-67 before ending his career with George Allen's "Over-The-Hill-Gang" in Washington. Gray again posted impressive receiving statistics each of the next two years with 36 catches for a 19.1-yard average in '76, 38 catches for a 20.6-yard average in '77, adding five touchdowns each season. By the time he finished his career with the Cardinals in 1982, Gray's production placed him among the leaders on the club's all-time receiving list with 351 receptions (third) for 6,644 yards (second) with 45 touchdowns (second) and an impressive 18.9-yard career average-per-catch. In addition, he departed the NFL with a streak of 121 consecutive games catching a pass, at the time second in league history to 127 games by Harold Carmichael.