Namath, Staubach, O.J., Rozelle,Gatski Named to Pro Hall of Fame

CANTON, Ohio —  National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle, quarterbacks Joe Namath and Roger Staubach, running back O.J. Simpson and old-timer Frank Gatski have been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pete Elliott, the shrine’s executive director, announced Tuesday.

The five will be inducted Aug. 3, prior to the exhibition game between Houston and New York Giants.

They were chosen from an original list of 15 finalists which had been cut to seven last week. Failing to make it were running back Paul Hornung and quarterback Fran Tarkenton from the final seven.

Rozelle, 58, has served as NFL commissioner for the past 25 years.

Namath, 41, the first New York Jets’ player to be selected, is best remembered for his bold victory prediction and performance when the Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III in 1969. The University of Alabama product, signed to a $400,000 contract with the Jets in 1965, became the first quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in one season in 1967.

In his 13 pro seasons, Namath, had 1,886 completions for 27,663 yards and 173 touchdowns despite nagging knee injuries.

Staubach, 42, will join Bob Lilly as the only Dallas Cowboys’ players in the Hall of Fame. Staubach, the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner at Navy, began his NFL career after four years of military service, including time in Vietnam.

In a nine-year period, Staubach played in six National Football Conference title games, leading the Cowboys to four victories. He also led the Cowboys to victories in Super Bowls VI and XII.

Simpson, 37, the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner at USC, became the first NFL running back to gain 2,000 yards rushing in one season in 1973, when he accounted for 2,003 yards with the Buffalo Bills. In 11 seasons with the Bills and San Francisco 49ers, Simpson accounted for 11,236 yards rushing and a combined 14,368 yards.

Gatski, 62, joins 12 of his former teammates in the Hall, eight of them Cleveland Browns and the other four from the Detroit Lions. He played at Marshall for three seasons and one year at Auburn before joining the Browns in 1946.

Both a linebacker and center early in his career, Gatski was known for anchoring a Cleveland offensive line that powered pro football’s most potent attack during the 1940s and 1950s.