Pittsburgh acquired Billy Ray Smith Sr. and rookie receiver…
Pittsburgh acquired Billy Ray Smith Sr. and rookie receiver Jimmy Orr immediately before the 1958 season. Orr exploded for 910 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie and spent three productive years with the Steelers. Los Angeles appears to have received the 1959 third-round choice used on Tom Franckhauser, with a possible additional 1960 third-rounder tied to Pervis Atkins.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1959 third round pick (#33-Tom Franckhauser; likely consideration)
- pick 1960 third round pick (#30-Pervis Atkins; possible additional consideration)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Billy Ray Smith Sr .
- player Jim Orr / Jimmy Orr
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Just before the 1958 regular season, Pittsburgh acquired tackle Billy Ray Smith Sr. and receiver Jimmy Orr from the Rams. The player side of the package and the September 24 timing are well supported. The draft compensation is less tidy in surviving records: the strongest reconstruction connects the Rams to the 1959 third-round pick, No. 33, used on Tom Franckhauser, while Pro Sports Transactions also lists a possible 1960 third-round pick, No. 30, that became Pervis Atkins. Because that second attribution is marked as possible rather than certain, it should be treated as additional potential value, not as an unquestioned fact.
What Pittsburgh Received
Orr produced immediately. Pro Football Reference credits him with 33 catches for 910 yards and seven touchdowns in 1958, a remarkable 27.6 yards per reception, and second-team All-Pro recognition. He followed with 604 yards in 1959 and 541 in 1960 before continuing a long career in Baltimore. Smith also supplied Pittsburgh with line depth. The Steelers therefore received both an instant impact receiver and another usable veteran in a deal made days before the season.
What Los Angeles Received
Franckhauser became a legitimate NFL defensive back. He played 12 games with 10 starts for the Rams as a rookie and intercepted three passes, then continued his career with Dallas and Minnesota. If the possible Atkins choice also belonged to this transaction, the Rams’ broader return was stronger still. Atkins became a productive professional receiver, although the surviving attribution of that specific choice is not firm enough to treat as settled compensation.
Final Verdict
Pittsburgh Steelers Win. Orr’s immediate All-Pro-caliber rookie season and three productive Steelers years give Pittsburgh the clearest realized value. Los Angeles still deserves credit for turning the trade into Franckhauser and potentially additional draft value, so this is not a lopsided failure. Pittsburgh earns an A-; the Rams earn a B-. The medium confidence reflects the uncertainty surrounding the possible second draft choice, not uncertainty about Orr and Smith moving to Pittsburgh.