Leading men star at Hall induction

CANTON, Ohio -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday gave fans plenty of memories -- from the flash of former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin to the poignant sight of an aging Cleveland Browns lineman being wheeled onto the stage by three Hall of Fame running backs.

Gene Hickerson, 72, who is battling Alzheimer’s and is confined to a wheelchair, was pushed onto the stage by Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly, each of whom had the good fortune to run behind the All-Pro right guard.

Bob Hickerson, who spoke for his father during the ceremony, described it as proof that the former Browns guard “is still leading the way for Hall of Fame running backs.”

Irvin, the self-described “playmaker” whose off-the-field legal troubles for a time seemed a possible barrier to his being inducted, was introduced by Jerry Jones. The Cowboys owner described Irvin as “the heartbeat, the heart and soul” of the Dallas teams that won three Super Bowls in four years.

Irvin paid homage to such former teammates as quarterback Troy Aikman, who was inducted into the Hall last year, and Emmitt Smith, who is expected to one day join his two teammates in Canton.

But an emotional Irvin also acknowledged, with tears in his eyes, that he’d too often failed as a role model for his two young sons.

He referred to such Hall of Famers as Aikman, Harry Carson, Warren Moon and the late Reggie White as players who did “the right thing.”

“That’s how you do it,” Irvin said. “You do it like they did it.”

Jones excused Irvin’s failings, describing him as “someone who could go down and come up stronger.”

Also inducted Saturday were offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, running back Thurman Thomas, tight end Charlie Sanders and cornerback Roger Wehrli.

Thomas, the Buffalo Bills running back who went to four Super Bowls but never grabbed an elusive ring, drew steady cheers from a large contingent of fans from nearby Buffalo. Though each inductee held out his fans as the NFL’s best, Thomas maintained that “no fans are like my fans, like Bills fans.”

Matthews credited his 19-year career -- which was remarkably free from injuries -- to his strong faith and the example set by his father and brother, both NFL veterans.

“Having your name mentioned with the all-time greats is an honor and very humbling to me,” said Matthews, a USC graduate who played every offensive line position during his career with the Oilers and Titans.

Sanders, who played tight end for the Detroit Lions for 10 years, was introduced by Lions owner William Clay Ford.

Wehrli, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, thanked God for “taking a little guy from a little town with little dreams and making me fit to wear the title of Hall of Famer.”

With Saturday’s six inductions, 241 of the estimated 18,000 athletes who have played in the NFL now have their busts in the Hall.

--

greg.johnson@latimes.com

--

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Class of 2007

A look at the inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

GENE HICKERSON

Guard, 6-3, 248

* 1958-1973 Cleveland Browns. 15 seasons, 202 games. . . . Selected as future choice in seventh round of 1957 draft. . . . A tackle in college, was shifted to guard. . . . Was lead blocker for three Hall of Famers: Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly. . . . First-team All-Pro five consecutive seasons (1966-1970). . . . Voted to Pro Bowl six straight times (1966-1971). . . . During Hickerson’s tenure, Browns never had a losing season. . . . Before Hickerson joined Browns, only seven runners in NFL history reached 1,000 yards rushing. With Hickerson as lead blocker, Browns posted 1,000-yard rushers in nine of his first 10 seasons. . . . Cleveland featured league’s leading rusher in seven of those 10 seasons. . . . Chosen for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1960s.

--

MICHAEL IRVIN

Wide receiver, 6-2, 207

* 1988-1999 Dallas Cowboys. 12 seasons, 159 games. . . . Cowboys’ first-round pick (11th overall) in 1988 draft. . . . Became the first rookie receiver to start a season opener for Dallas in more than 20 years. . . . Led league with 1,523 yards on 93 catches in 1991. . . . Had 1,000-yard seasons in all but one year from 1991-1998. . . . In 1995, Irvin had his finest season: 111 catches for 1,603 yards. He also established an NFL record with 11 100-yard games and scored 10 touchdowns. . . . Cowboys made four straight appearances in NFC championship game (1992-1995) and won three Super Bowls. . . . Finished career with 750 receptions for 11,904 yards and 65 TDs. . . . Selected to five straight Pro Bowls. . . . Picked for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

--

BRUCE MATTHEWS

Guard, tackle, center, 6-5, 289

* 1983-2001 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans. 19 seasons, 296 games. . . . Selected by Houston in first round (ninth overall) of 1983 draft. . . . Regarded as one of game’s finest offensive linemen for nearly two decades. . . . Played in more games than any positional player in NFL history. . . . Started 292 of 296 games he played and 15 playoff games. . . . Played at every position on line. . . . Most starts came at guard (99 on left side, 67 as right guard) and at center (87). . . . Also had 22 starts at right tackle, 17 at left tackle. . . . Voted to first of 14 consecutive Pro Bowl teams (nine at guard, five at center) following 1988 season, tying Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen for most ever. . . . Was voted All-Pro nine times. . . . Selected as guard on NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

--

CHARLIE SANDERS

Tight end, 6-4, 230

* 1968-1977 Detroit Lions. 10 seasons, 128 games. Selected by Detroit in third round (74th player overall) of 1968 draft. . . . Was only rookie selected to play in Pro Bowl in 1968. . . . Was voted to seven Pro Bowls. . . . In second season, caught 42 passes for 656 yards and three TDs, earning first of three consecutive All-Pro honors. . . . Made 30 or more receptions in a season seven times and had more than 500 yards receiving in six seasons. . . . At retirement was Lions’ career receptions leader (336); his career yards receiving (4,817) ranked second. . . . Was Lions’ leader or co-leader in receptions six of his 10 seasons. . . . Chosen for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1970s.

--

THURMAN THOMAS

Running back, 5-10, 198

* 1988-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Miami Dolphins. 13 seasons, 182 games. . . . Selected in the second round of the 1988 draft. . . . A key part of Bills’ unprecedented run of four straight Super Bowl appearances. They lost all of them. . . . Led NFL in total yards from scrimmage four consecutive seasons. . . . In 1991, gained over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and was voted league’s MVP. . . . At time of retirement, ranked sixth all-time in career yards from scrimmage (16,532). . . . Rushed for 12,074 yards. . . . Only Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders ran for more yards in the 1990s. . . . One of only three Hall of Fame running backs (Walter Payton and Marcus Allen) to have more than 400 receptions and 10,000 yards rushing. . . . Selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls. . . . Chosen for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

--

ROGER WEHRLI

Cornerback, 6-0, 190

* 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals. 14 seasons, 193 games.

Selected in first round (19th overall) of 1969 draft. . . . In 1970 picked off career-high six passes (a feat he matched in 1975) to earn first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. . . . Led or tied for lead in interceptions for Cardinals four times. . . . Registered interception in all but two seasons and amassed 40 career interceptions, two for touchdowns. . . . Intercepted three of Roger Staubach’s passes during key 31-17 win over division rival Dallas, Dec. 7, 1975. . . . In 1981, was moved to left cornerback. . . . Recovered 19 fumbles during career. . . . Voted to NFL’s all-decade team of 1970s, was first-team All-Pro five times (1970, 1974-1977) and made Pro Bowl seven times.

--

Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame