New York traded defensive back John Symank to St. Louis on…
New York traded defensive back John Symank to St. Louis on July 3, 1963 for a future high draft choice. Contemporary reporting establishes that player-for-pick structure, although surviving references do not identify the downstream selection with equal confidence. Symank played only the 1963 season for the Cardinals, while the Giants retained a future premium draft opportunity beyond his brief St. Louis tenure.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player John Symank
New York Giants Received
- pick Future high draft choice
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Contemporary reporting dated July 3, 1963 says the Giants traded defensive back John Symank to the St. Louis Cardinals for a high draft choice. The core consideration is therefore clear: St. Louis received Symank and New York received a future premium selection. The record does not need an additional unnamed asset.
Why the Exact Pick Is Treated Carefully
A surviving report describes the return as a high choice while later transaction histories have attempted to connect it to a specific draft slot. Those downstream mappings are less secure than the original player-for-pick report. The safest historical treatment is to preserve what is firmly documented without assigning New York a named draftee that cannot be tied to the trade with the same confidence.
What St. Louis Received
Symank arrived with an impressive résumé. He had played for Green Bay from 1957 through 1962, intercepted nine passes as a rookie and was part of Vince Lombardi's first two NFL championship teams. His Cardinals tenure, however, lasted only the 1963 season. That made the acquisition a short-term veteran move rather than a multi-year building block.
What New York Received
The Giants converted a player who was not central to their plans into a valuable future draft opportunity. Even without attaching a specific player to the choice, that asset retained roster-building flexibility beyond Symank's one season in St. Louis.
Final Verdict
New York receives a C+ and St. Louis a C. The Giants gain a slight edge because they acquired future draft value for a veteran whose Cardinals career was brief. The uncertainty surrounding the exact downstream selection prevents a stronger grade or a more dramatic winner.
Symank's Cardinals tenure lasted only the 1963 season, while New York retained a future high draft choice whose exact downstream identity remains historically uncertain.