Tony Latone: HOVG?

[JuggernautJ]

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2021 class of the PFRA's Hall of (the) Very Good is May 31st.
Current members may email their 5 nominations to: andypiascik@yahoo.com .

http://www.profootballresearchers.com/f ... f=5&t=6063

[Brian wolf]

Thanks ...

[sluggermatt15]

@sluggermatt15, finalists are out? Can you post them?

@Brian wolf, I didn't nominate my 5 this year, but it sounds like that time past (there's always next year). You'll have to vote for 10 from the finalist list.

The last day to nominate a player for the 2021 HOVG class is tomorrow.

[JuggernautJ]

I am not an expert on football history but many contributors to this forum are.
I come to share my love for the game and the history and to learn.

So, when someone who is an expert shares a first hand history experience like this I listen:

I may have said this before but it undoubtedly bears repeating.

When Johnny Blood and I were at the HOF's induction weekend in 1973, John Bankert (who was then assistant director of the Hall, I believe) held an informal late-night session at which George Halas, Ernie Nevers, and Blood were encouraged to talk about old-time players who should be inducted. The three were unanimous on Verne Lewellen, Lavvie Dilweg, and Tony Latone. 48 years later, only one of them is in the HOF.

Before I came here I had no idea who Tony Latone was.
But I have learned and I will be voting for him this year.
And, as always, I thank Ralph and the many fine historians here from whom I have learned so much.

[TanksAndSpartans]

The GBPC really liked Dave Noble in '25. I also recall that Latone was injured late in the season. Interestingly, Charlie Berry had 4 TDs in the Green Bay game and they voted him 1st Team All-Pro. Coincidence, maybe, but I think one more All-Pro would have made a difference for Latone's resume. As is, his candidacy just isn't cut and dry. I'd be interested to hear whether he has @bachslunch's vote.

George Christensen on the other hand easily has a HOVG resume so the conclusion I came to is voters who would vote for pre-war players just aren't voting in the numbers that would be needed. We'll see.

P.S. Gus Sonnenberg is another easy one to me in that it really doesn't take more than a couple minutes to see he was one of the best of his era at his position. You don't need to read Ralph's book, look at Neft's statistics or anything - just Google.

[Brian wolf]

I too, would like to hear from @bachslunch ...
I miss his views and comments from talkoffamenetwork/si.com and zoneblitz.com