James Lofton will become the 20th Packer enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Joe Namath, Dick Butkus, Lynn Swann, Gale Sayers, Alan Page, and Lawrence Taylor, are just a few of the growing list of Pro Football Hall of Fame members who will attend the NFL Homecoming celebration in Canton, Ohio, August 2 through 4. The number of confirmed attendees, which now stands at 113, is believed to be the largest gathering of Hall of Fame members from any sport in one place at one time.
Invitations to attend the event, which is being held in conjunction with the 2003 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, was extended to each of the 144 living members of the Hall of Fame by the National Football League and the Hall as a part of the Hall of Fame's 40th Anniversary celebration. NFL Homecoming planners expect the final number of attendees to approach 120.
The NFL Homecoming is the second time in recent years that all the living members of the Hall of Fame were invited back to Canton. The first, dubbed Pro Football's Greatest Reunion was in 2000. That reunion of Hall of Famers was the idea of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue who wanted to kickoff the new millennium in a big way. "Ever since that first reunion, it seems whenever I run into a Hall of Famer, he refers to that gathering and asks me 'when will we do that again?'" Tagliabue explains. "The Hall of Fame's 40th Anniversary is the perfect occasion to again pay tribute to the game's greatest contributors."
While 91-year-old Ace Parker is the oldest Hall of Famer planning to attend, Steve Van Buren represents the earliest Hall of Fame Class (1965). The only living member of the Hall's charter class of 1963 is Sammy Baugh who is unable to attend the festivities. There are no living members of the Class of 1964.
The Oakland Raiders are currently the most represented team with 10 Hall of Famers scheduled to attend the homecoming. Nine members each represent the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Green Bay Packers, Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams are each represented by seven of their Hall of Fame members.
Here's the list of the 113 Hall of Famers (and the year of their induction) who are confirmed for the NFL Homecoming. The list is as of July 15, 2003.
Marcus Allen - 2003
Lem Barney - 1992
Chuck Bednarik - 1967
Bobby Bell - 1983
Raymond Berry - 1973
Elvin Bethea - 2003
Fred Biletnikoff - 1988
George Blanda - 1981
Mel Blount - 1989
Roosevelt Brown - 1975
Willie Brown - 1984
Nick Buoniconti - 2001
Dick Butkus - 1979
Dave Casper - 2001
Lou Creekmur - 1996
Willie Davis - 1981
Len Dawson - 1987
Joe DeLamielleure - 2003
Eric Dickerson - 1999
Dan Dierdorf - 1996
Mike Ditka - 1988
Art Donovan - 1968
Tony Dorsett - 1994
Bill Dudley - 1966
Dan Fouts - 1993
Frank Gatski - 1985
Frank Gifford - 1977
Joe Greene - 1987
Forrest Gregg - 1977
Bob Griese - 1990
John Hannah - 1991
Mike Haynes - 1997
Ted Hendricks - 1990
Paul Hornung - 1986
Ken Houston - 1986
Sam Huff - 1982
Lamar Hunt - 1972
John Henry Johnson - 1987
Deacon Jones - 1980
Stan Jones - 1991
Sonny Jurgensen - 1983
Jim Kelly - 2002
Leroy Kelly - 1994
Paul Krause - 1998
Jim Langer - 1987
Willie Lanier - 1986
Steve Largent - 1995
Yale Lary - 1979
Dante Lavelli - 1975
Marv Levy - 2001
Bob Lilly - 1980
Larry Little - 1993
James Lofton - 2003
Howie Long - 2000
Ronnie Lott - 2000
Tom Mack - 1999
John Mackey - 1992
Wellington Mara - 1997
Gino Marchetti - 1972
Ollie Matson - 1972
Don Maynard - 1987
George McAfee - 1966
Mike McCormack - 1984
Tommy McDonald - 1998
Hugh McElhenny - 1970
Bobby Mitchell - 1983
Ron Mix - 1979
Lenny Moore - 1975
Mike Munchak - 2001
Anthony Muñoz - 1998
Joe Namath - 1985
Ozzie Newsome - 1999
Chuck Noll - 1993
Merlin Olsen - 1982
Alan Page - 1988
Ace Parker - 1972
Joe Perry - 1969
Pete Pihos - 1970
Mel Renfro - 1996
Jim Ringo - 1981
Andy Robustelli - 1971
Dan Rooney - 2000
Bob St. Clair - 1990
Gale Sayers - 1977
Joe Schmidt - 1973
Bill Shaw - 1999
Art Shell - 1989
Jackie Slater - 2001
John Stallworth - 2002
Don Shula - 1997
Jackie Smith - 1994
Bart Starr - 1977
Roger Staubach - 1985
Ernie Stautner - 1969
Jan Stenerud - 1991
Dwight Stephenson - 1998
Hank Stram - 2003
Lynn Swann - 2001
Charley Taylor - 1984
Jim Taylor - 1976
Lawrence Taylor - 1999
Charley Trippi - 1968
Gene Upshaw - 1987
Steve Van Buren - 1965
Bill Walsh - 1993
Paul Warfield - 1983
Randy White - 1994
Dave Wilcox - 2000
Bill Willis - 1977
Larry Wilson - 1978
Kellen Winslow - 1995
Ron Yary - 2001
Jack Youngblood - 2001
