Best of Yesterday and Today Series
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Best of Yesterday and Today Series For the seventh consecutive year, the Hall of Fame will present its Best of Yesterday and Today series on four consecutive Saturdays during the month of May. Beginning on Saturday, May 4, present-day NFL stars and Hall of Fame members will take part in special three-hour autograph sessions. The sessions will be held in the Hall's NFL Films Theater and will be offered at no additional charge to Hall of Fame visitors. The autograph sessions run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on May 4, 11, and 25. The autograph session on the May 18 will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Kicking off this year's Best of Yesterday and Today series was Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett on Saturday May 4. Dorsett was picked by the Dallas Cowboys as the second player overall in the 1977 draft. The Heisman Trophy winner became an instant star in the NFL. He rushed for 1,000 yards eight times in his first nine seasons, with the only miss coming during the 1982 strike-shortened season. On Saturday May 11, the Best of Yesterday and Today series continued as Hall of Fame wide receiver Charlie Joiner and Kansas City Chiefs fullback Tony Richardson traveled to Canton for the signing. Joiner, currently the Chiefs' wide receivers coach, retired as the NFL's all-time reception leader. He has played in more seasons (18) and games (239) than any receiver in league history. Joiner, who started his career with the Oilers and then Bengals, gained his greatest fame as a key component to the San Diego Chargers' potent offense. Richardson, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent, has become known for his exemplary work ethic and presence both in the Chiefs' locker room and the Kansas City community. He scored a career-high seven rushing touchdowns in 2001.
Two Hall of Famers who grew up in Stark County - Len Dawson and Dan Dierdorf - will appear together at the Hall on May 18. Before signing, the two will help the Hall kick off a weekend-long celebration of Ohio's Bicentennial. They will preside over a ceremony dedicating a historical marker on site. Then, Dawson and Dierdorf will join in Stark County's Ohio Bicentennial bell-casting ceremonies that will take place in the parking lot of the Hall of Fame. Dawson, who earned Most Valuable Player honors in Super Bowl IV, passed for 28,711 yards and 239 touchdowns during his career. Dierdorf, the St. Louis Cardinals' second-round pick in 1971, was named all-pro five times and elected to six Pro Bowls during his career that spanned from 1971-1983. The series finale features Hall of Famer Deacon Jones and Michael Strahan of the New York Giants on May 25. Jones, the man who invented the term quarterback "sack," starred at defensive end as part of the Los Angeles Rams' "Fearsome Foursome." He was a unanimous all-league selection six straight years from 1965 to 1970. Strahan, the Giants second round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, has earned four Pro Bowl berths during his career. In 2001, he established the NFL record of 22½ sacks in a single season. For information on other events happening at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, check out our Events Calendar.
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