When all the evidence was presented, the selection committee had to vote in the affirmative.
Wilson ‘shocked’ by Hall selection
TAMPA, Fla. — The tension was palpable Saturday afternoon at the Tampa Convention Center, where the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2009 was going to be announced.
One of the big questions was whether Ralph C. Wilson Jr., the Buffalo Bills’ venerable owner, would finally be elected. He has been waiting on the call for years. Well, not exactly.
The people closest to him seemed to want it for him more than he did. Many of them were here to see if their prayers would be answered.
There was Russ Brandon, the Bills’ chief operating officer, and Scott Berchtold, the vice president of media relations, standing nervously in the hallway prior to the news conference. There also was plenty of anxiety in the room where the announcement would be made as former head coach and General Manager Marv Levy, team Treasurer Jeffery Littman and their wives could hardly contain themselves in anticipation.
Would it finally happen? Was this the day that Wilson would earn his rightful place among the great players, coaches and administrators who helped shape the game?
The shouts of joy, pumping fists and relieved facial expressions answered that question.
Wilson is now a Hall of Famer.
He had always downplayed not being inducted. But he was clearly humbled by this. Of all the things he has accomplished in his 91 years on this earth, being voted into the Hall of Fame ranks near the top of the list.
“A friend of mine, Judge [Paul] Borman, said, ‘You ought to see your face when you heard your name on television,’ ” Wilson said after the announcement. “I was shocked. I’ve been lucky along the way. You’ve got to have a little luck — a lot of luck — in your life and I have. It was really special.”
Saturday was a special day for the Buffalo Bills, who also saw legendary defensive end Bruce Smith voted into the Hall. Smith had hoped to see wide receiver Andre Reed go in with him, but he’s thrilled to head for the Hall with Wilson.
“Ralph was special,” Smith said. “He was loyal, he treated us fairly, he treated us like men, but more importantly he got the right leadership to coach us.”
Unlike Smith, the biggest lock of the 17 men under consideration, Wilson came in as a long shot. The voters have tended to lean more toward guys who wore uniforms than suits. The last time Wilson was a finalist was 2003.
But as this week progressed, there was a groundswell of support for his candidacy. When all the evidence was presented, the 44-member selection committee had to vote in the affirmative.
“It’s such a tremendous honor,” said Wilson, the oldest man ever elected. “My friend, Judge Borman, said to me on the way over, ‘Wilson, if you live long enough and are lucky and fortunate, all good things happen.’ ”
It’s fitting that this is the year Wilson gets enshrined. Next season will mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of the American Football League, which he helped establish and maintain.
“I know my dad is looking down and smiling on his old ‘Foolish Club’ buddy right now,” said Kansas City Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt, son of late Chiefs owner and Hall of Famer Lamar Hunt.
Wilson said the merger was his proudest moment as an owner, but it’s far from the only one.
His Bills are the only former AFL franchise that remains in the city where it originated. In a time when owners broke leases with cities or bolted in the dark of night, Wilson stayed loyal to Buffalo. He has voted against any proposed franchise move and will continue to do so unless the team can no longer sustain itself in its city.
And while there is concern about the Bills leaving due to Buffalo’s descending economy when Wilson passes away, he said the Bills will stay put while he’s alive and kicking.
“I never had any intention of moving,” Wilson said. “There’s all kinds of rumors. I think it would be very damaging, speaking just for Buffalo now, to move that team. I think it would be crushing to the fans if they didn’t have that team, win or lose.”
There were a lot of hugs and kisses for the Bills patriarch after the announcement, but the most special person in Wilson’s life wasn’t there.
His wife, Mary, was nowhere to be found Saturday. Apparently too nervous to wait around for the news, she needed to do something to keep her mind occupied.
“She was out shopping,” Wilson said, laughing. “When things get tight, she shops.”
You can relax now, Mrs. Wilson. Your man is headed to the Hall of Fame. It’s good, it’s right and heaven knows it’s about time.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments
Learn more about our moderation system.