Dick Stanfel to be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

On the nights before the Chicago Bears took the field in the 1980s, offensive line coach Dick Stanfel stressed the importance of leaving a lasting impression. “He would talk to us about making sure the guy you were playing against the next day finished the game saying, ‘Man, that was one tough SOB,’” center Jay Hilgenberg told the Chicago Tribune. Stanfel was named first-team All-Pro twice in his four years with the Lions, and then three more times in his last three seasons, with Washington. “When he didn’t make it in 2012, he paused — I frankly was more devastated than he was for a moment — but he paused and said, ‘Well, what are we doing for dinner?’” Stanfel said. Dick Stanfel was a fullback when he played at San Francisco’s Commerce High, which is long gone, replaced in part by Davies Symphony Hall. In 1953, after winning the championship, Stanfel was named the MVP of a team that also included Hall of Famers quarterback Bobby Layne, running back Doak Walker, linebacker Joe Schmidt, return specialist Jack Christiansen, punter Yale Lary and tackle Lou Creekmur. “Guards really had to run in those days, and Dick was the best,” said Schmidt, the team’s middle linebacker. Stanfel taught big men how to block at Notre Dame and Cal, and in the NFL with the Eagles, 49ers, Saints and Bears. Rich Stanfel said that after his dad almost made the Hall in 1993, Levy asked the senior committee to give his dad a second (in 2012) and third shot at getting selected. Rich thought about giving the speech when his dad was selected the day before this year’s Super Bowl, but realized he couldn’t offer much about his dad’s playing career. “He played so long ago that a lot of the people that are voting now don’t even remember the time, but this guy is so deserving,’” Levy said in a conference call.