 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||
|
Notebook Gathering of hall of famers adds weight to ceremonyPosted: Sunday August 03, 2003 8:20 PMCANTON, Ohio (AP) -- One by one, 115 of the greatest football players of all time walked across the stage. Elvin Bethea couldn't believe he was one of them. The former Houston Oilers defensive end waited 15 years to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But he said that finally receiving his gold jacket wasn't his favorite moment of the weekend. "The greatest feeling was seeing those guys come across that stage and each one of them shook our hands," Bethea said of Saturday night's Hall of Fame dinner. "That was my highlight." This is the second time in three years that the Hall of Fame has invited back all of its living members. They came back for a millennium celebration in 2000 and this year for the Hall of Fame's 40th anniversary. Joe Namath, Lawrence Taylor and Don Shula received some of the loudest ovations when they were introduced to the rain-soaked crowd of 8,500 Sunday in Fawcett Stadium. Former Chiefs Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier and Jan Stenerud also got cheers from the strong contingent of Kansas City fans, who booed Al Davis. The returning hall of famers make up roughly half of the 221 players enshrined in Canton. "Just to look at the names that are on that list and to say that hey I am one of them now -- that is unbelievable to me," Bethea said.
Allen's greatest momentMarcus Allen knows that many fans recall his 74-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII when they think of his 16-year career. But for Allen, that is not his career-defining play. "Personally, some of my most memorable runs were ones that I had to make 10 guys miss just to get back to the line of scrimmage," said the former Raiders and Chiefs running back. "If you really take pride in playing a total game, things that most people don't see you're extremely proud of." The run, which is still a Super Bowl record, capped a 191-yard rushing performance that led Los Angeles over Washington 38-9. Allen was the MVP. He is the 52nd player elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
Tight classJoe DeLamielleure had more than 700 family and friends in town for his induction. The ex-Bills and Browns guard said he was trying to challenge former Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly, who had about 2,000 in attendance for last year's ceremony. DeLamielleure said that he has grown especially tight with this year's class. The inductees shared an emotional moment Saturday when they all embraced Hank Stram after the 80-year-old former Chiefs head coach was helped across a stage to get his gold jacket. "If you didn't get emotional watching Hank Stram walking up and down that stage, you don't have a heart," he said. DeLamielleure said he was struck by how football is an extension of family, noting that Allen chose his father and James Lofton picked his son as presenters. But DeLamielleure, who said reading the sports pages was part of his daily routine as a youth, chose to honor retired Buffalo News columnist Larry Felser by making him his presenter. "People like Larry Felser are the eyes and ears of Buffalo since 1959," he said. "He's got grandchildren. They deserve to see what their grandpa has done for the last 30 to 40 years."
O.J. phonesO.J. Simpson, who was not listed among the 115 hall of famers who returned to Canton, phoned DeLamielleure after the guard was selected to the 2003 class in January. DeLamielleure was part of the Buffalo "Electric Company" line that opened holes for Simpson in 1973 to become the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
"I said, 'Well, without you, I wouldn't have been there,'" said DeLamielleure, recalling the brief phone call. "He said, 'Well, maybe the feeling's mutual.'"
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
