The Haggar Gold Jacket Report - Issue 24

The Haggar Gold Jacket Report is a weekly update on recent news surrounding the very select group of men who’ve earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Hall of Famers Birthdays

June 29 – Dan Dierdorf (1949) June 30 – *Dan Reeves (1912) July 1 - Mike Haynes (1953) July 4 - *Al Davis (1929) July 4 - Floyd Little (1942) July 5 - James Lofton (1956) *Deceased

Yesterday it was announced that Class of 1987 Hall of Fame quarterback LEN DAWSON is being honored as the 2012 recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. The award is given annually by the shrine in Canton and recognizes “long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.”

Dawson is the fourth member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to be honored with this prestigious award. The others were FRANK GIFFORD (1995), JOHN MADDEN (2002) and DAN DIERDORF (2008).

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Speaking of Dawson, in just a little over a month former Pittsburgh Steelers center DERMONTTI DAWSON will be inducted as part of the Class of 2012 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That doesn’t mean that he has put aside his normal schedule. He remains active in his community service. This past week Dermontti was coaching football youth at the Dermontti Dawson Football Camp at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.

"We have about 150-plus campers and we have three different age groups," Dawson said about the camp. "We have ages 7 to 18 and it's just nice to get out here and interact with the kids. It's nice to be able to give those guys some life lessons and just talk to them and mentor and just be a positive influence in their life.”

Dawson, along with five other legends of the game - JACK BUTLER, CHRIS DOLEMAN, CORTEZ KENNEDY, CURTIS MARTIN, and WILLIE ROAF will be formally enshrined to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the Enshrinement Ceremony held in Canton's Fawcett Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 4.

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Another Hall of Famer, Class of 2002 enshrinee, JIM KELLY just completed five days of football and life training camp inside the Bills Healthy Zone at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Kelly began the camp in 1988, and concluded its 25th year of emphasizing important life values to the 500-players ages 8-18 who attend the camp.

“What’s special about it is just what the kids get out of it,” Kelly said. “To enjoy themselves, number one. But also for the young kids to learn about the fundamentals, that to get better, you have to start doing things the right way early on. Developing bad habits early in life, on the field or off the field, sticks with you. With the older ones, I try to prepare them for life after sports. There are so many things that can get them in trouble. We really try to instill in their minds the right things, the positive things.”
 

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Links related to this story:

HOF Bios: Jack Butler | Dermontti Dawson | Len Dawson | Dan Dierdorf | Chris Doleman | Frank Gifford | Jim Kelly | Cortez Kennedy | John Madden | Curtis Martin | Willie Roaf
More: Tickets for the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement | Dawson named Rozelle Award winner | A chat with Len Dawson | Check out the artifacts Dermontti Dawson donated to the Hall of Fame

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Issue 23 (June 22) | Issue 22 (June 15) | Issue 21 (June 8) | Issue 20 (June 1) | Issue 19 (May 25) | Issue 18 (May 18) | Issue 17 (May 11) | Issue 16 (May 4) | Issue 15 (April 27) | Issue 14 (April 20) | Issue 13 (April 13) | Issue 12 (April, 6) | Issue 11 (Mar. 30) | Issue 10 (Mar. 23) | Issue 9 (Mar.16) | Issue 8 (Mar. 9) | Issue 7 (Mar. 2) | Issue 6 (Feb. 24) | Issue 5 (Feb. 17) | Issue 4 (Feb. 10) | Issue 3 (Feb. 3) |  Issue 2 (Jan. 27) | Issue 1 (Jan. 20)