| Paul Tagliabue was flying back from the 1999 Pro Football
Hall of Fame induction weekend and was thinking about how to make the next year's
enshrinement — the first of the millennium — a special one. Dozens of Hall of
Famers flocked to Canton every summer, but many stars hadn't been back in quite a while.
Those who did make it back were usually celebrating the anniversaries of their induction,
which resulted in little interaction among members from different classes. So, on the
flight, Tagliabue came up with an idea of how to make a magical weekend even more
spectacular.
His idea didn't involve just a handful of stars, it involved the entire galaxy.
"It occurred to me as we kicked off the 21st century that we should really have
all the Hall of Famers back," Tagliabue said. "So we invited every Hall of Famer
back, as a guest of the league, to recognize in a special way the tremendous impact that
these men made on our game over the decades."
A year later, the NFL is billing Tagliabue's idea as "Pro Football's Greatest
Reunion." One hundred eleven of the 136 living Pro Football Hall of Famers will be
present July 28-31 in Canton, Ohio, when the Hall of Fame enshrines its newest class. The
reunion is believed to be the largest gathering of members from any sports hall of fame at
any one time.
The guest list is a "who's who" of pro football, a list in which only last
names are necessary. From Ditka to Dawson, Graham to Groza, Namath to Noll, they'll all
arrive in Canton to celebrate the first century of NFL football and to look forward to the
future of the league.
"This upcoming weekend in Canton has been the subject of much conversation at the
19th hole since we got the invitations a couple of months ago," said 1992 inductee
John Mackey, a former tight end with the Baltimore Colts who regularly attends golf
outings with fellow Hall members. "The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the greatest club
in sports. I'm proud to be a part of it."
With the passing of Sid Luckman, Marion Motley and Walter Payton the past few years,
the idea to have such a reunion took on added urgency. Sid Gillman, a member of the class
of '83, is the oldest Hall of Famer (88 years old) planning to attend, while Otto Graham
and Steve Van Buren will represent the class of '65, the earliest class represented. The
only surviving member of the inaugural '63 class, QB Sammy Baugh, will not attend because
he won't go anywhere "if he can't get back to his ranch before sundown." The
class of '64 does not have any surviving members.
"To realize that there are only 136 living members of this team, the word that
comes to Dan Fouts is humility," said Fouts, a '93 inductee. "I'm not sure I'm
worthy to be in this Hall of Fame. But I am."
The reuniting of teammates from different classes is expected to be the highlight of
the weekend, which will include the enshrinement ceremonies, autograph sessions, a golf
tournament, the interactive NFL Experience and the Hall of Fame game between the 49ers and
Patriots. The Browns are the most represented team with 11 members attending the
festivities.
"I'm looking forward to being in Canton with some of my Baltimore teammates like
Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti and Raymond Berry, as well as some of the players that tried
to tackle me," Mackey said.
The Hall of Famers are all staying in the same hotel, an arrangement that should make
for some interesting conversations among members of different classes. Each member likes
to argue that his respective class is the best, so imagine the argument that might take
place between Fouts (1993: Larry Little, Chuck Noll, Payton and Bill Walsh) and Jim Brown
(1971: Bill Hewitt, Frank Kinard, Vince Lombardi, Andy Robustelli, Y.A. Tittle and Norm
Van Brocklin)?
Or how about Fred Biletnikoff (1988: Mike Ditka, Jack Ham and Alan Page) debating with
Bob Griese (1990: Buck Buchanan, Franco Harris, Ted Hendricks, Jack Lambert, Tom Landry
and Bob St. Clair)?
The Hall of Fame weekend, which will kick off the NFL's "Century
Celebration," should produce more than enough stories and memories. The festivities
will surely be special for the fans, but even more special for the 111 honored guests.
"It means a great deal to all the members of the Hall of Fame who partake in the
greatest weekend that you could possibly imagine," Fouts said. "Only a Hall of
Famer could tell you what it means to them."
Chiefs LB Willie Lanier, an '86 inductee, attached added significance to Fouts'
statement.
"[The Hall of Fame] is part of who you are," Lanier said. "It gives you
a chance to be that who you are and that which you will be."
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Click here for feature on the Hall of Fame Class of
2000
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