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Home >> Hall OF Fame >> New York Giants
Hall of Famers Tackle - Morgan St. - Enshrined in 1975 Brown played for the Giants from 1953 through 1965 after joining the team as a 27th round draft choice, regarded as one of the greatest "sleeper" picks of all time. Brown held the starting tackle spot for 13 straight seasons. During that period, he was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and was an All-NFL eight straight seasons. In 1956, when the Giants won the championship game, Brown was named Lineman of the Year by the Associated Press. Brown was known as a big, fast blocker who could make the block downfield. He was also used along the defensive front on goal-line stands. Brown helped the Giants advance to the NFL Championship game in 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 and 1963. After his playing career, Brown continued his Giants affiliation as a coach before being appointed as a scout, where he has served since the 1971 season. He was immediately named assistant line coach by the Giants after a phlebitis condition forced him to retire in 1966. Halfback, Flanker - S. California - Enshrined in 1977 Gifford played for the Giants from 1952-60 and then again from 1962-64. He was known as one of the most versatile backs in NFL history. Gifford was the first pick in the draft by the Giants in 1952 after an All-America career at Southern California. He totaled 9,753 combined yards during his career. Gifford's record includes 3,609 yards rushing, 367 receptions and 484 points. He was named to the Pro Bowl as a defensive back in 1953 and as an offensive back the following year - a first in NFL annals. Gifford played in seven Pro Bowls during his career and was named All-NFL four times and NFL Player of the Year in 1956. He holds three Giants team records - touchdowns (78), highest average gain (500 attempts) rushing (4.30) and most receiving yards (5,434). A real triple-threat in his halfback heyday, Gifford threw 14 touchdown passes in 60 attempts on the halfback option. He retired after the 1960 season and then decided to return in 1962 at a new position, flanker. The Giants reached the NFL Championship game five times during his career, including the 1956 World Championship team. Halfback, Fullback - George Washington/Oregon - Enshrined in 1978 Leemans played for the Giants from 1936-43. He was a second-round draft choice in the first-ever NFL draft in 1936 out of George Washington. Leemans was personally scouted by Giants co-owner Wellington Mara. Mara sent a telegram setting up a meeting with Leemans to convince him to accept a career in the NFL with the Giants. Leemans was the 1936 College Football All-Star game MVP. He led NFL rushers as a rookie in 1936 with 830 yards on 206 attempts. Leemans was named All-NFL in 1936 and 1939. An aggressive, dedicated do-everything team leader, he totaled 3,142 yards rushing, 2,324 yards passing, 442 yards receiving and threw 16 touchdown passes during his career. End - Southern California - Enshrined in 1981 Badgro joined the Giants in 1927 and played nine seasons at end. He made a name for himself as a superior defender, excellent blocker and big-play receiver. Badgro was a part of the Giants championship team of 1927. Badgro helped lead the Giants to the NFL's first Championship game in 1933. He scored the first touchdown in NFL Championship game history in 1933. In the Championship game, the Giants spotted the Chicago Bears a 6-0 lead on two field goals at Wrigley Field. The Giants took a 7-6 halftime lead when Badgro caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from QB Henry Newman in the second quarter. He tied for the NFL receiving title in 1934 with 16 receptions for 206 yards, including one touchdown. Badgro was named to the All-NFL team three times: 1930, 1931 and 1934. Before joining the Giants, Badgro played with the Red Grange-led New York Yankees. He played pro baseball with the St. Louis Browns for two seasons. Badgro has the distinction of being the oldest player ever to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Badgro was 77 when he was enshrined in 1981. Linebacker - W. Virginia - Enshrined in 1982 Huff was originally drafted by the Giants in the third round in 1956 after an All-America career at West Virginia and became an immediate star as middle linebacker. He played in five Pro Bowls and was named All-NFL four years. Huff won recognition for his great individual efforts against the premier running backs of his era, Jim Brown of Cleveland, Rick Casares of Chicago and Alan Ameche of Baltimore. Huff was named Outstanding Lineman in the NFL for his play in 1959. He anchored a defense that helped the Giants reach the Championship game in 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 and 1963. Huff was traded to the Washington Redskins before the start of the 1964 season and is currently a color analyst during Redskins radio telecasts. Defensive Tackle - Washington - Enshrined 1984 Weinmeister played for the Giants from 1950 through the 1953 season. He was one of the first defensive players to captivate the masses in the same manner a star running back or quarterback could. A big, extremely fast player with great ability to diagnose plays. Weinmeister began his pro career in the All-American Football Conference with the New York Yankees in 1950, and moved to the NFL during the 1950 merger. He played two ways in the AAFC, but was used exclusively on defense in the NFL. Coach - Texas - Enshrined in 1990 Landry played with the Giants from 1950-55 as a defensive back and was an assistant coach with the Giants from 1954-59. The Giants 1956 Championship team not only consisted of players that would eventually find their way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but it also had a Hall of Fame coaching staff. Head coach Jim Lee Howell's staff had Vince Lombardi coaching the offense and Landry coaching the defense. When the Dallas Cowboys entered the league in 1960, Wellington Mara recommended that the Cowboys hire Landry as head coach. Landry coached the Cowboys from 1960 through 1988 and led Dallas to two Super Bowl victories and five NFC titles. Landry coached the Cowboys to 20 consecutive winning seasons. Co-Owner - Fordham - Enshrined in 1997 Wellington Mara, along with CB Mike Haynes, coach Don Shula and C Mike Webster, made up the four-man class of the 1997 Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mara and his father Tim, who was the founder of the Giants and a charter member of the Hall of Fame, are the first father and son to be accorded pro football's highest honor. Mara, whose entire lifetime has been dedicated to pro football, has helped the Giants produce 17 NFL/NFC divisional titles and six NFL championships during his 61-season tenure that began with his graduation from Fordham in 1937. Linebacker - North Carolina - Enshrined in 1999 Lawrence Taylor played for the Giants from 1981 through 1993 after joining the team as a first round draft pick in 1981. He finished his 13-year career as the No. 2 all-time quarterback sack leader in the NFL with 132.5. That total does not include the 9.5 he accumulated as a rookie in 1981 before the sack was an official NFL statistic. Taylor established an NFL record by appearing in 10 consecutive Pro Bowls from 1981-1990. He was named NFC's Defensive Player of the Week nine times during his career (since that recognition was initiated in 1984) and was the conference's Defensive Player of the Month twice, in October, 1986 and again in September, 1989. In 1989 he was a unanimous choice to the NFL's All-1980s team. Taylor had the finest statistical season of his career in 1986 and it earned him unanimous selection as the NFL's Most Valuable Player. That year, he had a career-high 20.5 sacks, 105 total tackles, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles. As a rookie in 1981, he set the tone for his Hall of Fame career as he earned every defensive and rookie postseason honor possible. "On Sundays, there are a lot of reasons to go out and play. Ultimately, the reason you go out there is to hear those chants from the fans, those congratulations. Over the 13 years I played, they've given me a lot of things to smile about. I'm very appreciative of what they've given me." "Thirteen years of enjoyable times. I've done everything I can do. I've been to Super Bowls, I've been to playoffs, I've been a dominant force. I've earned the respect of players and people in general around the country. That's what you want to do in a good career."
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