The 18 player HOF team looks like this:
E: Chamberlin, Dilweg, Halas
T: Healey, Henry, Hubbard, Owen
G: Anderson, Kiesling, Michalske
C: Trafton
B: Conzelman, Driscoll, Grange, Guyon, Lambeau, Nevers, Thorpe
I overlapped with the HOF on 8 players [bolded], 6 of them starters (Note I would have Hubbard and Michalske as all-decade, but '30s rather than '20s):
E: Chamberlin, Dilweg
T: Healey, Henry
G: Jim McMillen, Swede Youngstrom
C: Trafton
B: Benny Friedman, Driscoll, Verne Lewellen, Tony Latone
Honorable Mention: Gus Sonnenberg, Al Nesser, Duke Slater, Lambeau, Nevers
Note 1. I think Nesser and Latone were hurt a bit on postseason honors because they were sandlot players and others were college. Similarly for Slater who was black. It was far from the only thing I used to include them, just noting it because I think all 3 are deserving and any argument against them should at least consider the possibility of contemporary bias.
Note. 2. Henry, Sonnenberg, and Latone had a hidden year with post-season honors as all were All-Anthracite in '24.
Note. 3. Sure you could flip Nevers and Latone, but that would essentially put 4 Tailbacks on the team whereas Latone played both wingback and fullback. I also like Latone as the 2nd Linebacker along with Trafton. Johnny Blood mentioned in Ralph's book that he excelled at that position. While history remembers Nevers as a FB, I think that was just because he played in the double-wing where there was no tailback. To me, he was essentially a tailback and likely did not play linebacker on defense.
Note 4. While I do believe that Lambeau probably made the HOF team because someone got lazy and pencilled in a bunch of coaches (Halas, Anderson. Kiesling, Conzelman, etc.), I actually believe Lambeau was worthy. Looking at the unofficial statistics and noting how many times he was among the leaders for either rushing or passing (Passing: '21, '22, '23, and '24; Rushing: '23 and '24) tipped the scales in his favor for me.
Note 5. Among my 16, 7 are not in the HOF. I think the centennial class would have been a good opportunity to get a few more of them inducted. At least Slater got in.
Note. 6. None of Sonnenberg, McMillen, nor Latone are in the HOVG. A few folks have told me to mention the players I think are worthy on the board, so while it's not the point of the post, I think these are 3 good players to vote for. Vote early and vote often
Let me know what you guys think.
