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The new class of 2003
will be traveling to Canton, Ohio, to receive
their very well earned place in the Hall
of Fame. The pro football hall of fame opened
in September 1963 and since then over 217
hall of famers have been awarded with a
place in NFL History. This upcoming August
will be no exception. Running back Marus
Allen from the Raiders and the Chiefs, Elvin
Bethea from the Houston Oilers, Joe DeLamielleure
former Bills and Browns guard, receiver
James Lofton from the Green Bay Packers,
and former Kansas Chief’s head coach
Hank Stram will become part of America’s
National Football League narration.
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Marcus
Allen
Running Back
6-2, 210
NFL career: 1982-92,
Los Angeles Raiders; 1993-97, Kansas
City Chiefs. 16 seasons, 222 games.
Notes: Raiders’
first-round draft pick (10th player
overall) 1982 draft. All-America pick
and 1981 Heisman Trophy winner, NFL
rookie of the year in strike-shortened
1982 season. ... Excelled as runner,
receiver, blocker. ... Rushed for 191
yards and 2 TDs in 1984 Super Bowl,
named game’s MVP. ... Gained 1,000-plus
yards in a season three consecutive
years. ... Rushed for career-best 1,759
yards in 1985. ... First player in NFL
history to rush for 10,000-plus yards
and catch passes for 5,000 more. ...
Considered one of the game’s best
goal line and short-yardage runners.
... Gained 12,243 yards rushing, 5,411
yards receiving, and scored 145 touchdowns
during career. ... At time of retirement
held single-season record for most rushing
and receiving yards combined (2,314),
second in consecutive 100-yard games,
and was third in career combined yardage.
... All-Pro 1982 and 1985. ... All-AFC
1982, 1984, 1985 and 1993. ... Named
to six Pro Bowls: 1983, 1985-88, 1994.
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Elvin Bethea
Defensive End
6-2, 260
NFL career: 1968-83
Houston Oilers. 16 seasons, 210 games.
Notes: Oilers’
third-round draft pick (77th player
overall) 1968 draft. ... Durable,
didn’t miss a game until breaking
arm Nov. 13, 1977. ... When he retired,
held three team records relating to
career service: most seasons (16),
most career regular season games played
(210), most consecutive regular season
games played (135). ... Saw action
in eight Oilers playoff games. ...
Although not an official NFL statistic
until 1982, unofficial 105-career
sack total still ranks as team best,
as are the 16 sacks in 1973. Led team
in sacks six times. ... Recorded 4
sacks and fumble recovery in best
single game performance vs. San Diego
in 1976. ... Even though 1974 was
first year such statistics were compiled
by Oilers, his 691-career tackles
still among best in franchise history.
... Selected to play in eight Pro
Bowls, 1970, 1972-1976, 1979-80. ...
All-AFC 1971-72, 1974, 1978. ... All-Pro
(second team) 1973, 1975, 1978-79.
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Joe DeLamielleure
Guard
6-3, 254
NFL career: 1973-79,
1985 Buffalo Bills. 1980-84 Cleveland
Browns, 13 seasons, 185 games.
Notes: All-America
and three-time All-Big Ten performer
at Michigan State. Bills’ first-round
pick (26th player overall) in 1973 draft.
Won All-Rookie honors. ... Durable,
played in 185 consecutive games. Starter
from the first game as rookie and started
every game for eight seasons in Buffalo
before being traded to Cleveland in
1980. ... Most honored member of the
Bills’ famed “Electric Company”
offensive line. Effective pass blocker
who rarely allowed opponent to disrupt
team’s pass plays. ... Best known
as lead blocker for O. J. Simpson, NFL’s
first 2000-yard rusher, 1973. ... Selected
All-Pro and All-AFC 1975-80. Named to
six Pro Bowls, 1976-81. NFL Players
Association named him Offensive Lineman
of the Year, 1975. Named to NFL’s
1970s All-Decade Team.
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James Lofton
Wide Receiver
6-3, 192
NFL career: 1978-86
Green Bay Packers; 1987-88 Los Angeles
Raiders; 1989-92 Buffalo Bills; 1993
Los Angeles Rams; 1993 Philadelphia
Eagles. 16 seasons, 233 games.
Notes: An Academic
All-America at Stanford as well as an
accomplished track star. Selected by
Green Bay in first round (sixth player
overall) of 1978 NFL Draft. ... Nine
times he recorded more than 50 receptions
in a season. ... Was the first NFL player
to score a touchdown in three different
decades. ... In 16 seasons, he caught
764 passes for 14,004 yards —
an NFL record at the time of his retirement
— and 75 touchdowns. ... Lofton’s
43 games with 100-plus receiving yardage
was third best at time of retirement.
... Led Packers in receptions each year
except one (1979). Six times he gained
more than 1,000 yards receiving in a
season. ... At age 35 became the oldest
NFL player to have more than 1,000 receiving
yards in a season. ... Named All-Pro
four times, All-NFC three times, and
was selected to play in eight Pro Bowls.
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Hank Stram
Coach
NFL career: 1960-74
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs; 1976-77
New Orleans Saints. 17 seasons, 238
games.
Notes: Regular season
record: 131-97-10. Postseason record:
5-3, Overall record: 136-100-10. ...
Hired as first head coach of Dallas
Texans (Texans moved to Kansas City,
renamed Chiefs, 1963) of new American
Football League, 1960. ... Won 1962,
1966, 1969 AFL championships. ... Led
Chiefs to two Super Bowl appearances,
losing to Green Bay in 1967 Super Bowl,
beating Minnesota in 1970 Super Bowl.
... Only coach in AFL history to take
a team to two Super Bowls. ... Recorded
most wins by a team during 10-year history
of AFL. ... Led 1971 Chiefs to AFC Western
Division championship. ... Developed
“moving pocket,” using talents
of quarterback Len Dawson, devised “two
tight end offense” and “stack
defense.” ... Excellent evaluator
of talent, five Stram-coached Chiefs
players are members of Hall of Fame.
... Named AFL coach of the year in 1968. |
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