[Vision2020] NFL Hall of Fame

[Tom Hansen]

Greetings Visionaires -

In addition to Dan Marino and Steve Young, the Pro Football Hall of Fame
inducts, and pays tribute to, two players of the game who may not be
household names, but are truly worthy of their inductions today.

They are:

1)  Fritz Pollard
(http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=242) who, in 1919,
was the first black athlete to play professional football.  He led the 1920
Akron Pros to become professional football's first champions.

2)  Benny Friedman
(http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=241) who, in 1927,
was the first quarterback to use the forward pass as an offensive weapon,
instead of a last-second act of desperation.  He was professional football's
first true triple threat (run, pass, and kick).  By the way, he was also
Jewish, another rarity.

So, as football pays tribute to Dan Marino and Steve Young, let's not forget
those other inductees who made it possible for not only Marino and Young to
compile their passing statistics, but laid the ground work for other Hall of
Famers such as Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Jerry Rice.

Take care, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown