Ernie Stautner, 1925-2006
Ernie Stautner, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, passed away this morning at the age of 80.
Stautner starred for the Steelers for 14 seasons from 1950 to 1963. He was regarded as one of the game’s most rugged defensive players of his era. Durable, strong, and mobile, the 6’1”, 230-pound lineman earned All-NFL acclaim in 1955, 1956, 1958, and 1959. He was named to nine Pro Bowls and is a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1950s.
“We are deeply saddened by Ernie’s passing,” commented the Hall’s Interim Executive Director Ron Dougherty. “His lifetime of devotion to the game, especially his contributions of playing at a Hall of Fame caliber, is a legacy that will be carried in Canton forever.”
Born April 20, 1925 in Prinzing-by-Cham, Bavaria, he is one of eight members of the Hall of Fame born in a foreign country.
Stautner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on September 13, 1969.
Stautner’s HOF bio Stautner's enshrinement speech transcript PHOTO GALLERY: Ernie Stautner Hall of Famers by birthplace
Educational Seminar held at HOF for Black History Month
A panel that included Hall of Fame linebacker Willie Lanier and George Taliaferro, the first African American drafted in the NFL, greeted hundreds of high school students on Thursday.
African American milestones
The history of the African Americans in professional football dates to the early 1900s. The game was permanently reintegrated in 1946.