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The Monitor's 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame picks

The Christian Science Monitor has taken a hard look at the 17 nominees for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and picked seven men who would get our vote.

Dick Stanfel

  • By Ross Atkin

Guard

6 ft. 3 in., 236 lbs.

Detroit Lions (1952-55), Washington Redskins (1956-58)

Birthplace: San Francisco

Alma mater: University of San Francisco

Stanfel is one of two finalists who played in the 1950s and was put up for election by the Seniors Committee, the other being Pittsburgh Steeler cornerback Jack Butler. While it’s tempting to pass over these old-timers altogether, we like the idea of paying homage to at least one star from the NFL’s Dark Ages. Neither Stanfel nor Butler had a long career. Butler’s was cut short after nine seasons by injury, and Stanfel’s was even shorter – just seven seasons – due to his decision to go into coaching. Although Stanfel’s career was exceedingly brief, two things he accomplished caught our eye. After being sidelined by injury for his entire 1951 rookie season, he was a key player in the team’s success the next two seasons, when the Lions won back-to-back NFL championships. Furthermore, he was named Detroit’s Most Valuable Player in 1953, an almost unheard of honor for an offensive lineman. 

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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