On Monday, January 10th, 2022, I was watching the pre-game of the National Championship Game between Georgia vs Alabama.
While watching the pre-game the list of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Inductees was unveiled. The announced list of the inductees was the following:
LaVar Arrington – LB, Penn State (1997–99)
Champ Bailey – DB, Georgia (1996–98)
Michael Crabtree – WR, Texas Tech (2007–08)
Sylvester Croom – C, Alabama (1972–74)
Mike Doss – S, Ohio State (1999–2002)
Chuck Ealey – QB, Toledo (1969–71)
Kevin Faulk – AP/RB, LSU (1995–98)
Moe Gardner – DT, Illinois (1987–90)
Boomer Grigsby – LB, Illinois State (2001–04)
Mike Hass – WR, Oregon State (2002–05)
Marvin Jones – LB, Florida State (1990–92)
Andrew Luck – QB, Stanford (2009–11)
Mark Messner – DT, Michigan (1985–88)
Terry Miller – RB, Oklahoma State (1974–77)
Rashaan Salaam – RB, Colorado (1992–94)
Dennis Thomas – C, Alcorn State (1971–73)
Zach Wiegert – OT, Nebraska (1991–94)
Roy Williams – DB, Oklahoma (1999–2001)
Coaches:
John Luckhardt – 225-70-2 (76.1%); Washington and Jefferson [PA] (1982–98), California [PA] (2002–11)
Billy Jack Murphy – 91-44-1 (67.3%); Memphis (1958–71)
Gary Pinkel – 191-110-3 (63.3%); Toledo (1991–2000), Missouri (2001–15)
When looking at the list for a brief moment, I noticed Chuck Ealey on that list.
I was stunned that he finally was inducted into the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame.
Within a flash, I automatically thought of the day when I read a great article written by Scott Radley of the Hamilton Spectator on Saturday, January 16th, 2021. The article was about how Chuck Ealey was hitting the 50-year mark on what would be his last year of eligibility for being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
It became one of these moments where you wonder why or how is he still not in the Hall of Fame?
On Sunday, January 24th, 2021, I began to research how to contact the College Football Hall of Fame Committee. I found the following and decided to write an email to the College Football Hall of Fame to have Chuck Ealey inducted hopefully for the 2022 season:
Hello Mr. Ron Dilatush,
My name is Dino Sepe. I’m writing to you for consideration for a future inductee for the College Football Hall of Fame. I’m selecting Mr. Chuck Ealey for induction for the College Football Hall of Fame.
I read an article on Saturday, January 16th, 2021, from the Hamilton Spectator about Mr. Chuck Ealey still not being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
When you look at the Consideration Section what I noticed on the College Football Hall of Fame, Mr. Chuck Ealey does qualify for at least 3 of those points listed as I placed in bold:
The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include:
First and foremost, a player must have received First-Team All-America recognition by a selector that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams.
A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation’s Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football played.
While each nominee’s football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether the candidate earned a college degree.
Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years. * For example, to be eligible for the 2021 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1971 or thereafter. In addition, players who are playing professionally and coaches who are coaching on the professional level are not eligible until after they retire.
A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided, he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head football coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.
Nominations may only be submitted by the current athletics director, head coach or sports information director (SID) of a potential candidate’s collegiate institution. Nominations may also be submitted by the president/executive director of a dues-paying chapter of the National Football Foundation.
*Players who do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committees. Veterans Committee candidates must still meet First Team All-America requirement.
Once nominated for consideration, all FBS player candidates are submitted to one of eight District Screening Committees, depending on their school’s geographic location, which conducts a vote to determine who will appear on the ballot and represent their respective districts. Each year, approximately 15 candidates, who are not selected for the Hall of Fame but received significant votes in the final selection, will be named automatic holdovers and will bypass the district screening process and automatically appear on the ballot the following year. Additionally, the Veterans Committee may make recommendations to the Honors Court for exceptions that allow for the induction of players who played more than 50 years ago. The Honors Court annually reviews the Hall of Fame criteria to ensure a fair and streamlined process.
Of the 5.4 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,027 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played the game during the past 150 years. From the coaching ranks, 221 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.
The 2021 voting deadline is July 7. If you would like to become a member and receive this year’s ballot, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com.
1. Mr. Chuck Ealey completed his Degree during his 4-year stay at the University of Toledo.
2. Mr. Chuck Ealey lead from 1969 – 1971, a 35 – 0 record for the University of Toledo. He guided Toledo to a Tangerine Bowl victory in 1970.
3. Being bypassed in the NFL Draft, Mr. Chuck Ealey came up here in Canada to play for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats where he helped the Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup victory in 1972 in his rookie season.
4. Mr. Ealey had a pretty good football career in which he was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 1969, 1970, and 1971. This was followed up in 1972 with a Grey Cup, along with a CFL Most Outstanding Rookie.
5. After football, Mr. Chuck Ealey has been successful till this day in which he currently is a Regional Director for Investors Group located in Mississauga, Ontario just west of Toronto.
Mr. Ron Dilatush, I know the Inductees for 2021 were already decided and that’s fine. Looking at the 50-year time-lapse after Mr. Chuck Ealey’s last game, it is going to be more difficult for him to be Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. I also realize that the College Football Hall of Fame receives thousands upon thousands of ballots for future inductees. Let’s hope that for 2022, Mr. Chuck Ealey will be part of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class.
Thanks,
Dino
Looking at the recent outcome, it became a great day for Chuck Ealey to be inducted. Although very much a long-overdue decision, it was a great day for the CFL. I’m just glad that just maybe, I was one of the many football fans around the world that maybe had a say in getting Chuck Ealey into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Congratulations Mr. Chuck Ealey, you are now in the College Football Hall of Fame.
