Huff honored in Farmington, W.Va.

Sam Huff, the famous linebacker for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982, was honored Monday as part of the Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance Company’s Hometown Hall of Famer™ program. The dedication took place at the Community Center in Huff’s hometown of Farmington, W.Va.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin poses with his friend Sam Huff. The two hail from Farmington. Manchin, like Huff, went on to star in football at the high school level before playing for West Virginia University.

Huff was presented with his historic Hometown Hall of Famer™ plaque by his longtime friend Mike Arcure. An audience of more than 250 friends, family members and former teammates from the 1954 Sugar Bowl team were in attendance for the ceremony. Also on hand was his childhood friend and highs school and college teammate, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. Huff’s plaque will live permanently at the community center next to the same field Huff played on as a child. It will serve as an inspiration to the community and remind Farmington that they are an extension of Canton, Ohio, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I’ve made it to a high school hall of fame, college hall of fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but today, this is what it is all about,” said Huff. “I bring this here to you to remind you what a special place Farmington is and what a great state we have here in West Virginia.”

Former NFL quarterback and current West Virginia Athletic Director Oliver Luck (right) attended the event. He shared memories with Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises President/CEO George Veras about playing in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game as a member of the Houston Oilers and how he received and still has his lifetime pass to the Hall for being a participant in the game.

The community center was filled with memorabilia from Huff’s playing days, including a copy of Time Magazine featuring Huff as the first NFL player on the cover and Huff’s high school letterman sweater.

The ceremony featured additional speakers including the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises President and CEO George Veras, Allstate Insurance representative and Farmington native Stan Cameon and Lisa Cochrane, Allstate's senior vice president of marketing..

“To be part of a program that brings the prestige and tradition of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to communities like Farmington is an honor for Allstate, our agents and employees,” said Cochrane.

As a standout student-athlete at Farmington High School, which has since closed, Huff led his team to an undefeated season in 1951. After high school, Huff excelled as a linebacker at West Virginia University where he led his team to a 31-7 record and a berth in the ‘54 Sugar Bowl. In 1955, Huff was voted All-America and named co-captain for both the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

Huff was a third-round draft pick of the Giants in 1956. He starred for New York from 1956 to 1963 and then finished his career with the Redskins from 1964-67 and one final season as a player-coach in 1969. In all, he played in six NFL championship games, earned All-NFL acclaim three times, and recorded 30 career interceptions. Only two linebackers in the Hall of Fame had more career steals than Huff (Nick Buoniconti and Jack Ham each had 32). Huff was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1950s.

More on the Hometown Hall of Famers™ program>>>