The Hall of Very Good

As a proud member of the Pro Football Researchers Association, I should have done this weeks ago:

Here are the finalists for consideration for the PFRA’s Hall of Very Good. The Hall of Very Good is the PFRA’s list of former pro football players, coaches and others deserving of recognition but unlikely to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

This year’s finalists are in alphabetical order, along with some info about the PFRA. Finally, there is a list of those already inducted into the Hall of Very Good.

I am thrilled to see several former Los Angeles Rams on the list. Who would you vote for?

2012 Finalists

Bill Bergey

Position: Linebacker

Teams: 1969-73 Cincinnati Bengals, 1974-80 Philadelphia Eagles

Larry Brown

Position: RB

Teams: 1969-76 Washington Redskins

Ward Cuff

Position: WB-QB-HB

Teams: 1937-45 New York Giants, 1946 Chicago Cardinals, 1947 Green Bay Packers

Curley Culp

Position: DT

Teams: 1968-74 Kansas City Chiefs, 1974-80 Houston Oilers, 1980-81 Detroit Lions

Kenny Easley

Position: DB

Teams: 1981-87 Seattle Seahawks

Horace Gillom

Positions: DE-E

Teams: 1947-56 Cleveland Browns

Larry Grantham

Position: LB

Teams: 1960-62 New York Titans, 1963-72 New York Jets

L.C. Greenwood

Position: DE

Teams: 1969-81 Pittsburgh Steelers

Lester Hayes

Position: DB

Teams: 1977-81 Oakland Raiders, 1982-86 Los Angeles Raiders

Harlon Hill

Position: E

Teams: 1954-61 Chicago Bears, 1962 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1962 Detroit Lions

Winston Hill

Position: T

Teams: 1963-76 New York Jets, 1977 Los Angeles Rams

Dick Huffman

Position: T

Teams: 1947-50 Los Angeles Rams

Jack Kemp

Position: Quarterback

Teams: 1957 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1960 Los Angeles Chargers, 1961-62 San Diego Chargers, 1962-69 Buffalo Bills

George Kunz

Position: Tackle

Teams: 1969-1974 Atlanta Falcons, 1975-78 and 1980 Baltimore Colts

Eddie Meador

Position: Defensive Back

Teams: 1959-70 Los Angeles Rams

Ted Nesser

Position: Tackle-Center-Head Coach

Teams: 1920-21 Columbus Panhandles*

*Only includes years in the APFA/NFL

Duane Putnam

Positions: G

Teams: 1952-59 Los Angeles Rams, 1960 Dallas Cowboys, 1961 Cleveland Browns, 1962 Los Angeles Rams

Gene Washington

Position: WR

Teams: 1969-77 San Francisco 49ers, 1979 Detroit Lions

Ray Wietecha

Position: C

Teams: 1953-62 New York Giants

Swede Youngstrom

Position: G-T-E-C

Teams: 1920-21 Buffalo All-Americans, 1921 Canton Bulldogs, 1922-23 Buffalo All-Americans, 1924-25 Buffalo Bisons, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs, 1926-27 Frankford Yellowjackets*

*Only includes years in the APFA/NFL

The Class of 2012 will be announced by the end of the year. 

Begun in 2003, the Hall of Very Good seeks to honor outstanding players and coaches who are not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Professional Football Researchers Association was founded in 1979 as a 501(c)(3) educational organization dedicated to research into and the preservation of the history of pro football. The membership includes many of the foremost football historians and authors. The PFRA publishes a magazine, The Coffin Corner, six times each year. More information is available at www.profootballresearchers.org.

Previous Hall of Very Good enshrines are:

Class of 2011

Ken Anderson, 1971-86 – QB

Cliff Branch, 1972-85 – WR

Bobby Dillon, 1952-59 – DB

Cliff Harris, 1970-79 – FS

Harold Jackson, 1968-83 – WR

Andy Russell, 1963-76 – LB

Lou Saban, 1960-65, 1967-76 – Head Coach

Tom Sestak, 1962-68 – DT

Jerry Smith, 1965-77 – TE

Class of 2010
Robert Brazile, 1975-84 – LB  
Ed Budde, 1963-76 – G
Don Coryell, 1972-86 – Head Coach
Ox Emerson, 1931-38 – G, C, LB
Chuck Foreman, 1973-80 – RB
Bob Gain, 1952, 1954-64 – T, MG, E
Riley Matheson, 1939-48 – G, LB
Jimmy Patton, 1955-66 – DB
Drew Pearson, 1973-83 – WR
Ken Riley, 1969-83 – CB

Class of 2009
Bruno Banducci, 1944-54 – G  
Harold Carmichael, 1971-84 – WR
Blanton Collier, Browns assistant coach 1946-53 and 1962 and head coach 1963-70
Boyd Dowler, 1959-69, 71 – WR
Claude Humphrey, 1968-74, 1976-81 – DE
Ken Kavanaugh, 1940-41, 1945-50 – E
Verne Lewellen, 1924-32 – HB
Walt Sweeney, 1963-75 – G

Class of 2008
Dick Barwegen, 1947-54 – G
Randy Gradishar, 1974-83 – LB
Bob Hoernschmeyer, 1946-55 – HB
Cecil Isbell, 1938-42 – TB
Buddy Parker, 1951-64 – Coach
Spec Sanders, 1946-50 – TB
Jim Ray Smith, 1956-64 – G
Billy Wilson, 1951-60 - WR

Class of 2007:
Frankie Albert, 1946-1952 - QB
Roger Brown, 1960-1969 - DT
Timmy Brown, 1959-1968 - RB
Marshall Goldberg, 1939-1948 - B
Jim Lee Howell, 1937-1947, 1954-1960 - E
Glenn Presnell, 1931-1936 - B
Dick Schafrath, 1959-1971 - T
Jake Scott, 1970-1978 - DB
Ed Sprinkle, 1944-1955 - DE
Tank Younger, 1949-1958 - HB-FB

Class of 2006:
Charley Conerly, 1948-1961 - QB
John Hadl, 1962-1977 - QB
Chuck Howley, 1958-1973 - LB
Alex Karras, 1958-1970 - DT
Eugene Lipscomb, 1953-1962 - DT
Kyle Rote, 1951-1961 - E-HB
Dick Stanfel, 1952-1958 - G
Otis Taylor, 1965-1975 - WR
Fuzzy Thurston, 1958-1967 - G
Deacon Dan Towler, 1950-1955 - FB

Class of 2005:
Maxie Baughan, 1960-1974 - LB
Jim Benton, 1938-1947 - E
Lavvie Dilweg, 1926-1934 - E
Pat Harder, 1946-1953 - FB
Floyd Little*, 1967-1975 - RB
Tommy Nobis, 1966-1976 - LB
Pete Retzlaff, 1956-1966 - HB-E
Tobin Rote, 1950-1966 - QB
Lou Rymkus, 1943, 1946-1951 - T
Del Shofner, 1957-1967 - E

Class of 2004:
Gene Brito, 1951-1960 - DE
John Brodie, 1957-1973 - QB
Jack Butler*, 1951-1959 - DB
Chris Hanburger*, 1965-1978 - LB
Bob Hayes*, 1965-1975 - SE-WR
Billy Howton, 1952-1963 - E
Jim Marshall, 1960-1979 - DE
Al Nesser, 1920-1928, 1931 - G
Dave Robinson, 1963-1974 - LB
Duke Slater, 1922-1931 - T

Class of 2003:
Gino Cappelletti, 1960-1970 - E-K
Carl Eller*, 1964-1979 - DE
Pat Fischer, 1961-1977 - DB
Benny Friedman*, 1927-1934 - TB
Gene Hickerson*, 1958-1973 - G
Jerry Kramer, 1958-1968 - G
Johnny Robinson, 1960-1971 - DB
Mac Speedie, 1946-1952 - E
Mick Tingelhoff, 1962-1978 - C
Al Wistert, 1943-1951 - T

*Voted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame after induction into the Hall of Very Good.