John Corn
01-11-03, 04:18 AM
http://www.profootballhof.com/players/mainpage.cfm?cont_id=156228
Finalists for Class of 2003 Announced
Board of Selectors meet Jan. 25 to elect new class
Jan. 6, 2003 - Twelve former players, a coach, and two administrators make up the 15-man list of finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2003.
The former players include running back Marcus Allen, defensive ends Elvin Bethea and Claude Humphrey, linebackers Harry Carson and Randy Gradishar, offensive linemen Joe DeLamielleure, Bob Kuechenberg, and Gary Zimmerman, cornerback Lester Hayes, wide receivers James Lofton and Art Monk, and quarterback Ken Stabler. The coach is Hank Stram, the recommended nominee of the Hall's Seniors Committee. And the two administrators joining the list of finalists are Buffalo Bills founder/owner Ralph Wilson and former New York Giants general manager George Young.
Carson, Hayes, Kuechenberg, Lofton, Monk, Stabler, and Wilson have all been finalists in previous years. Although they have been eligible prior to this year, this is the first time that Bethea, DeLamielleure, Gradishar, Humphrey, Stram, and Young have been finalists. Allen and Zimmerman are first-time eligible candidates.
From this year's list, five players - Bethea, Carson, Gradishar, Hayes, and Kuechenberg - spent their entire NFL career with just one team.
The modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall's 39-member Board of Selectors. The board will meet in San Diego, California on Saturday, January 25, 2003, to elect the Hall of Fame Class of 2003.
Listed alphabetically, the 15 finalists with their positions, teams, and years active follow:
Marcus Allen - Running Back - 1982-1992 Los Angeles Raiders, 1993-1997 Kansas City Chiefs
Elvin Bethea - Defensive End - 1968-1983 Houston Oilers
Harry Carson - Linebacker - 1976 - 1988 New York Giants
Joe DeLamielleure - Guard - 1973-1979, 1985 Buffalo Bills, 1980-
1984 Cleveland Browns
Randy Gradishar - Linebacker - 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Lester Hayes - Cornerback - 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Claude Humphrey - Defensive End - 1968-1974, 1976-1978 Atlanta Falcons, 1979-1981 Philadelphia Eagles
Bob Kuechenberg - Guard - 1970-1983 Miami Dolphins
James Lofton - Wide Receiver - 1978-1986 Green Bay Packers, 1987-1988 Los Angeles Raiders, 1989-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1993 Philadelphia Eagles
Art Monk - Wide Receiver - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles
Ken Stabler - Quarterback - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers, 1982-1984 New Orleans Saints
Hank Stram - Coach - 1960-1974 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, 1976-1977 New Orleans Saints
Ralph Wilson - Owner - 1959 - Present Buffalo Bills
George Young - General Manager/Administrator - 1979-1997 New
York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League
Gary Zimmerman - Tackle - 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-1997 Denver Broncos
The 14 Modern-Era finalists were determined by a vote of the Selection Committee from a preliminary group of 74 players, coaches, and contributors. The 15th finalist is Stram, the Seniors Committee nominee. To be eligible for the 2003 class, Seniors Committee candidates must have completed at least 70 percent of their careers by 1978. At the annual election meeting, the Seniors Committee nominee must receive the same affirmative majority - a minimum of 80 percent - required of any candidate to be elected.
To be eligible for election, modern-era players must be retired at least five years while a coach needs only to be retired. A nominee whose major contributions came in areas other than playing or coaching, does not have to be retired to be considered.
At the 2003 election meeting (January 25), the selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist before narrowing the field to the Seniors Committee nominee and six modern-era candidates. At least four modern-era candidates must be elected but the total class, including the Seniors Committee nominee, cannot number more than seven.
Of the 2003 finalists, Stram has been eligible 25 years, Humphrey 17 years, Bethea, Gradishar, and Kuechenberg 15 years, Stabler 14 years, DeLamielleure 13 years, Hayes 12, Carson 10, Lofton five, Monk three, and Allen and Zimmerman are eligible for the first time.
The Class of 2003 will be announced at a press conference at 12 noon (PST) on Saturday, January 25, at the Super Bowl media center in the San Diego Convention Center.
Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting. At the press conference, they will present Hall of Fame Executive Director John Bankert with an envelope containing the names of the nominees elected. The Hall will contact each new member immediately after the announcement. Members of the Class of 2003 in San Diego for the Super Bowl will be asked to join the press conference. Those not able to attend will be asked to join via teleconference.
Enshrinement of the Class of 2003 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, on Sunday, August 3, 2003.
Finalists for Class of 2003 Announced
Board of Selectors meet Jan. 25 to elect new class
Jan. 6, 2003 - Twelve former players, a coach, and two administrators make up the 15-man list of finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2003.
The former players include running back Marcus Allen, defensive ends Elvin Bethea and Claude Humphrey, linebackers Harry Carson and Randy Gradishar, offensive linemen Joe DeLamielleure, Bob Kuechenberg, and Gary Zimmerman, cornerback Lester Hayes, wide receivers James Lofton and Art Monk, and quarterback Ken Stabler. The coach is Hank Stram, the recommended nominee of the Hall's Seniors Committee. And the two administrators joining the list of finalists are Buffalo Bills founder/owner Ralph Wilson and former New York Giants general manager George Young.
Carson, Hayes, Kuechenberg, Lofton, Monk, Stabler, and Wilson have all been finalists in previous years. Although they have been eligible prior to this year, this is the first time that Bethea, DeLamielleure, Gradishar, Humphrey, Stram, and Young have been finalists. Allen and Zimmerman are first-time eligible candidates.
From this year's list, five players - Bethea, Carson, Gradishar, Hayes, and Kuechenberg - spent their entire NFL career with just one team.
The modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall's 39-member Board of Selectors. The board will meet in San Diego, California on Saturday, January 25, 2003, to elect the Hall of Fame Class of 2003.
Listed alphabetically, the 15 finalists with their positions, teams, and years active follow:
Marcus Allen - Running Back - 1982-1992 Los Angeles Raiders, 1993-1997 Kansas City Chiefs
Elvin Bethea - Defensive End - 1968-1983 Houston Oilers
Harry Carson - Linebacker - 1976 - 1988 New York Giants
Joe DeLamielleure - Guard - 1973-1979, 1985 Buffalo Bills, 1980-
1984 Cleveland Browns
Randy Gradishar - Linebacker - 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Lester Hayes - Cornerback - 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Claude Humphrey - Defensive End - 1968-1974, 1976-1978 Atlanta Falcons, 1979-1981 Philadelphia Eagles
Bob Kuechenberg - Guard - 1970-1983 Miami Dolphins
James Lofton - Wide Receiver - 1978-1986 Green Bay Packers, 1987-1988 Los Angeles Raiders, 1989-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1993 Philadelphia Eagles
Art Monk - Wide Receiver - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995 Philadelphia Eagles
Ken Stabler - Quarterback - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers, 1982-1984 New Orleans Saints
Hank Stram - Coach - 1960-1974 Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, 1976-1977 New Orleans Saints
Ralph Wilson - Owner - 1959 - Present Buffalo Bills
George Young - General Manager/Administrator - 1979-1997 New
York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League
Gary Zimmerman - Tackle - 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-1997 Denver Broncos
The 14 Modern-Era finalists were determined by a vote of the Selection Committee from a preliminary group of 74 players, coaches, and contributors. The 15th finalist is Stram, the Seniors Committee nominee. To be eligible for the 2003 class, Seniors Committee candidates must have completed at least 70 percent of their careers by 1978. At the annual election meeting, the Seniors Committee nominee must receive the same affirmative majority - a minimum of 80 percent - required of any candidate to be elected.
To be eligible for election, modern-era players must be retired at least five years while a coach needs only to be retired. A nominee whose major contributions came in areas other than playing or coaching, does not have to be retired to be considered.
At the 2003 election meeting (January 25), the selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist before narrowing the field to the Seniors Committee nominee and six modern-era candidates. At least four modern-era candidates must be elected but the total class, including the Seniors Committee nominee, cannot number more than seven.
Of the 2003 finalists, Stram has been eligible 25 years, Humphrey 17 years, Bethea, Gradishar, and Kuechenberg 15 years, Stabler 14 years, DeLamielleure 13 years, Hayes 12, Carson 10, Lofton five, Monk three, and Allen and Zimmerman are eligible for the first time.
The Class of 2003 will be announced at a press conference at 12 noon (PST) on Saturday, January 25, at the Super Bowl media center in the San Diego Convention Center.
Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting. At the press conference, they will present Hall of Fame Executive Director John Bankert with an envelope containing the names of the nominees elected. The Hall will contact each new member immediately after the announcement. Members of the Class of 2003 in San Diego for the Super Bowl will be asked to join the press conference. Those not able to attend will be asked to join via teleconference.
Enshrinement of the Class of 2003 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, on Sunday, August 3, 2003.