Dreams come true
Eddie Robinson heads list of 25 Hall of Fame enshrinees
Posted: Saturday August 15, 1998 01:06 AM
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Robinson: "I need not tell this organization that I've waited 50 years for this night." AP |
SOUTH BEND, Indiana (AP) -- Eddie Robinson decided more than 50 years ago that he wanted to be in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Friday night, his wish came true.
"I have been restless. I have been worried, and I have said to so many people, `How can I be enshrined?'" the former Grambling State coach said during the enshrinement ceremony.
The National Football Federation made it easy for Robinson by waiving the normal three-year waiting period required for coaches before they can be enshrined into the hall, the first time that's happened in hall history.
After 55 years as head coach at Grambling State, Robinson figured he had waited long enough.
"I need not tell this organization that I've waited 50 years for this night," he joked.
The wait was well worth it, and the foundation sweetened the honor by announcing that Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had endowed a postgraduate scholarship through the National Football Federation in Robinson's honor.
Steinbrenner, a longtime friend of Robinson's, gave college football's career victory leader a thumbs-up after Robinson thanked him as a great man, a great American and a friend to America's youth.
Over his 55-year career, he compiled a 408-165-15 record, led Grambling to 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, won nine Black College National Championships and had a streak of 27 consecutive winning seasons from 1960-86.
Fellow honoree Donnie Shell said being enshrined alongside Robinson made it that much more special.
"For us, as African-American people, I think that's special he being the winningest coach and the job he's done and the years that he coached," the former South Carolina State and Pittsburgh Steelers star said.
Joining Robinson and Shell as honorees were 23 other former players and coaches.
They include: Ray Beck, Georgia Tech; Randy Duncan, Iowa; Dave Elmendorf, Texas A&M; Charlie Flowers, Mississippi; Ricky Hunley, Arizona; Alex Kroll, Rutgers; Ken MacAfee, Notre Dame; Bob Reifsnyder, Navy; Dave Rimington, Nebraska; Dave Robinson, Penn State; George Rogers, South Carolina; Danny White, Arizona State; coach Wally Butts, Georgia; coach Don James, Kent State and Washington; and coach Bowden Wyatt, Wyoming, Arkansas and Tennessee.
Enshrinees in the divisional class are: Jeff Bentrim, North Dakota State; Kenneth Dement, Southeast Missouri State; Tom Deery, Widener; Shell; Richard Ritchie, Texas A&I; Larry Pugh, Westminster; coach Chuck Klausing, Indiana (Pennsylvania) and Carnegie Mellon; coach Bob Reade, Augustana; and coach Ad Rutschman, Linfield.
Robinson was not among the class of honorees announced in January 1997, but joined them for the induction ceremony last December in New York.
Friday night's ceremony was the enshrinement, during which the honorees received their commemorating plaques and their busts were placed in the Hall of Fame.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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