'A pretty special group.' Gold Jackets take a Fame Walk, group photo on Centennial Plaza
CANTON – They were born to run, but on Friday morning more than 100 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees took a six-block stroll to get their pictures taken on Centennial Plaza.
It marks the first year for the "Fame Walk," resulting in a group picture that was taken at the plaza, which is dedicated to football and Canton's place as the cradle of the NFL.
Prior to the walk, the enshrinees gathered in the lobby of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Canton, where old friends and competitors swapped stories. For many, it's the only time of the year they see their former rivals and teammates.
Outside the hotel, autograph seekers who began taking up camp on Wednesday were fenced in, just within an arm's length from some of the sports heroes they came to see.
At 10:32 a.m. a fleet of golf carts and mini-buses departed from the hotel, ferrying enshrinees who didn't want to walk the six blocks in the 80-degree weather. The rest followed on foot.
The procession was greeted by cheering fans on both sides of Market Avenue.
What happened at the group photo?
As the group prepared to take the photo, former Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis nearly missed it. When Bettis tried to offer an excuse, he was shouted down by the others. Another latecomer was NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. When Goodell's arrival was announced, the group groaned, which brought laughter in the audience.
Interestingly, the biggest cheer went up for someone who didn't play football. Rene Powell, owner of the historic Clearview Golf Course in Nimishillen Township, was welcomed to pose with the Gold Jackets. Powell has become an honorary member of sorts, thanks to hosting golf outings with such friends as Franco Harris and Lawrence Taylor.
"What brings me back every year is the wonderful feeling of the history and legacy, and being with the guys," Harris said. "There are a lot of good stories. I've had my span of years in the NFL. It's nice to meet old guys, and the new guys."
Harris said he deeply appreciates what it means to be a Gold Jacket.
"Anyone who makes the Hall, I'm impressed with," he said. "I'm still in awe and quite amazed. The game has been around 100 years, and there have only been what, 300 men inducted? That's a pretty special group."
Fans gather to see their football heroes
Friends Bradley Parks and Randy Mothershed of Tampa, Florida, said they came to the event hoping to see their favorite players.
"Tony Boselli and Leroy Butler," Parks said.
Mothershed, who said he attended the festival in 1998, said he wanted to see coach Tony Dungy and Derrick Brooks.
Parks said he was disappointed that his team, the Jacksonville Jaguars lost in Thursday's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, but he's optimistic about the season.
One of the new enshrinees, Boselli said he's been to Canton before for business, but "This is much different."
"I've enjoyed my time here. I love the people here," he said. "The community is great. The people at the Hall of Fame are great the way they protect the integrity of the game. Plus, I'm a big golfer; they have a lot of great courses here. I told them if they ever need me during golf season, I'm here."
As 2022 class member Bryant Young was transported back to the DoubleTree hotel, Greg Horak shouted his greeting, causing Young to stop. The two were high school teammates in Chicago Heights.
Young hopped out of the golf cart, gave Horak a bear hug and took some photos with his old teammate and Horak's girlfriend, Patty Martinez.
"We're all ecstatic. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Horak said of Young's induction. "We brought as many people as we could. We all got together last night and had some Chicago pizza; we brought some frozen pies."
Horak said he played tackle next to Young, who played 14 seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. In 1999, Young was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year, following a severe leg injury.
"He had a great career," Horak said.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Pro Football Hall of Famers walk to Centennial Plaza in Canton
