Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame (PPFHOF) is a nonprofit organization established in 2010. The PPFHOF is dedicated to honoring the greatest players, coaches and staff members in Pittsburgh professional history. Founded in 2010 and inducting its first hall of fame class in 2011, the PPFHOF is the first and only Pittsburgh-specific football hall of fame. The electorate is a broad cross section of former Steelers (including players Dermontti Dawson, Levon Kirkland, Andy Russell, Chad Brown, Ernie Mills, Roy Jefferson, Lee Flowers, Leon Searcy, Reggie Harrison, and radio announcer Bill Hillgrove among others)^[1] and researchers specializing in Steelers history.^[2] The PPFHOF is the only hall of fame specifically dedicated to football in the city of Pittsburgh^[3] and inducts athletes, coaches and administrators,^[3] based on football achievements, off-field citizenship and other intangibles that made him/her valuable to the organization and/or community. Nominees from Pittsburgh teams in other professional leagues, including the USFL, Arena League and any defunct or future leagues are also considered.^[3] The PPFHOF Steering Committee is engaged in ongoing discussions regarding 1) the possible inclusion of college players and players from organized amateur leagues and 2) the feasibility of establishing a brick-and-mortar hall of fame in Pittsburgh.^[4]

Voting Procedures

Each year, the PPFHOF board selects approximately twenty candidates to appear on the annual ballot. Electors will vote for a maximum of four players and a maximum of three coaches, scouts or staffers. There is no minimum number of votes a candidate must receive to remain on the ballot in subsequent years. Final results are announced each year in March.^[5]

Hall of Fame Criteria

A player becomes eligible for consideration immediately following his retirement or departure from the Steelers with no mandatory waiting period. Coaches and staff members become eligible after retirement or after 15 years of cumulative service. Each nominee is graded on football achievements, off-field citizenship and other intangibles that made him/her valuable to the organization and/or community.^[6]

Hall of Fame Inductees

There have been four induction classes since the hall's inception, beginning in 2011 and continuing through 2014. The next class will be elected in March 2015.^[7]
2011 Inaugural Class:
Players
Joe Greene*
Jack Lambert*
Mel Blount*
Franco Harris*
Rod Woodson*
Jack Ham*
Mike Webster*
Dermontti Dawson*
Terry Bradshaw*
Ernie Stautner*
Coaches
Chuck Noll*
Bill Cowher
Administrators
Art Rooney, Sr.*
Dan Rooney*
Scouts
Bill Nunn
Dick Haley

2012 Class:
Players
Hines Ward
Jerome Bettis*
Alan Faneca
John Stallworth*
Coach
John Mitchell
Administrator
Joe Carr
Scout
Phil Kreidler

2013 Class:
Players
Andy Russell
L.C. Greenwood
Casey Hampton
Donnie Shell
Coach
Dick LeBeau*
Administrator
James Boston
Scout
Bob Schmitz

2014 Class:
Players
Lynn Swann*
Carnell Lake
Greg Lloyd
Jack Butler*
Coach
Dick Hoak
Administrator
Mary Regan
Scout
Tom Modrak

2015 Class:
Players
Rocky Bleier
John Henry Johnson*
Bobby Layne*
Mike Wagner
Pioneers
John Brallier
Pudge Heffelfinger
Ray Kemp
Contributor
Myron Cope
President's Award
Henry Ford

* = Also a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame^[8]

Retired Jersey Numbers

In addition to Hall of Fame inductions, the PPFHOF also symbolically "retires" jersey numbers. Following is the complete list.^[9]

1 - Gary Anderson
12 - Terry Bradshaw
31 - Donnie Shell
32 - Franco Harris
34 - Andy Russell
35 - Bill Dudley
35 - John Henry Johnson
36 - Jerome Bettis
45 - Ray Kemp*
47 - Mel Blount
52 - Mike Webster
58 - Jack Lambert
59 - Jack Ham
63 - Dermontti Dawson
68 - L.C. Greenwood
70 - Ernie Stautner
75 - Joe Greene
82 - John Stallworth
86 - Hines Ward
88 - Lynn Swann
* = The franchise's first African-American player (1933),^[10] 14 years before Jackie Robinson broke the MLB racial barrier.^[11]

External links

• Official PPFHOF website
• Official PPFHOF Facebook page
• Steelers Almanac companion website
• Steelers In Ink companion website

See also

• Sports in Pennsylvania

References