LAS VEGAS – Seven of the greatest Hispanic players to have come through the ranks of the NFL were honored Tuesday night at the birth, itself, of the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame with its first members.
In the presence of leaders, businessmen and personalities, the inaugural enthronement ceremony of this hall of fame dedicated to Hispanics was held. The seven legends awarded were Tom Fears, Tom Flores, Ted Hendricks, Anthony Muñoz, Jim Plunkett, Steve Van Buren and Ron Rivera.
The event, of an unprecedented nature, took place in an adapted area within the imposing indoor field of the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the teams with the greatest tradition in the NFL among Hispanic fans and of which notable Latin stars such as Tom Flores, Ted Hendricks and Jim Plunkett were part. The black and silver team showed interest in supporting the initiative from the beginning, it was said.
Flores, the Raiders quarterback who years later made history as head coach by leading the team to two Gigantic Bowl victorieswas not present at the ceremony because he cannot travel, as explained by his son Scott (Flores is 89 years old). But all the other chosen ones who are still alive attended the meeting.
The reasons for this new Hall of Fame
Ron Rivera, one of the architects of the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame, recalled to the public the time a reporter asked him why there was a Hispanic Hall of Fame. Its creation was announced last September.
“We are doing this as a representation of who we are as a community,” Rivera said.who was a tough linebacker for the Bears and later a super-respected head coach for the Panthers and Commanders.
“We are not just followers; we are athletes, we are protagonists. We support our players, we support our athletes. That is why we are doing it,” added the 64-year-old man of Puerto Rican and Mexican roots. “Know that it is important that what we are should be celebrated… We are here to celebrate greatness and the way we lookespecially in our community.”
The special evening at the Raiders facilities began with a meeting between Ron Rivera, Jim Plunkett and Anthony Muñoz with the media in which they reflected on Hispanics in the most “American” sport of all.
“The numbers are growing, I think that’s very nice. Every time I go to a game I ask people from the league how many there are,” said Muñoz about the Hispanic presence in the NFL..
The man who played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals and who is considered one of the best – if not the best – in history at his offensive take care of position, added: “It’s fun for me to travel around the country like I have done and meet the young people who are following in our footsteps.”
The ceremony included a dinner for hundreds of attendees, including Sandra Douglass Morgan, the president of the Raiders; businessman Gary Acosta, who is one of the members of the HFHOF committeeand the head coaches of the teams at Stanford and California universities.
After the mention of the sponsors of the new hall of fame and the prayer of a pastor, the dinner began with live music – Latin and pop. Then the winners were presented, starting with Tom Fears (1922-2000), the Los Angeles Rams player born in Guadalajara who revolutionized the catcher positionand Tom Flores, the man with Mexican roots originally from the Central Valley of California who in 2021 entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The moment of the incomparable Ted Hendricks
Ted Hendricks, 78, rose from his wheelchair to address the crowd and said in Spanish: “Thank you very much for all the soccer.” The man born in Guatemala then referred to his height compared to his opponents (he was over two meters tall). in a 15-season career that included four Gigantic Bowl titles (three with the Raiders).
With the voice of Vicente Fernández performing ‘El Rey’ in the background, it was presented Anthony Muñoz, the giant with Mexican roots who grew up in Los Angeles and that, once retired as a player, he dedicated himself to conducting American football clinics throughout the United States and also in Mexico. He is 67 years old, but his vocation does not lose intensity.
And then it was the turn of Jim Plunkett, 78, also a Californian of Mexican heritage like Flores and Muñoz.
“It is a great honor to be in the Hispanic Hall of Fame. “Tom Flores, who was my coach when I came to the Raiders, instilled a lot of things in me besides soccer, about being Hispanic, about working harder than everyone else.”said the former two-time Gigantic Bowl winning quarterback with the Raiders.
“I’m very proud to be here among family and friends… Work hard, study hard, do your best, and if you fall short, get up and try again. Thank you very much.”
After the memory of Steve Van Buren (1920-2012), a historic Philadelphia Eagles running back born in Honduras, it was Rivera’s turn, who took the stand with Caribbean music in the background in reference to his Puerto Rican roots.
Honors to Fernando Mendoza and Nik Bonitto
In addition to the seven new Hispanic immortals, the HFHOF honored the Hispanic players of the year at each of the three major levels: professional, collegiate and high school.
As anticipated, the winners of this first edition were Nik Bonitto, linebacker with Cuban roots for the Denver Broncos; the also Cuban Fernando Mendoza, sensational quarterback who won the national championship with Indiana and the Heisman Trophy before being chosen by the Raiders with the first pick in the Draft, and Ryan Estrada, running back at El Dorado High College (El Paso)of Panamanian and Mexican roots.
Mendoza, despite being the new quarterback of the host Raiders, did not attend the ceremony due to family commitments, as indicated. Nor was Bonitto, one of the most fearsome “pass rushers” in the NFL today.
“Not only does what I have been able to achieve on the field matter, but “It’s about where I come from and the sacrifices that made this journey possible and the community that continues to inspire me every day,” said the young man of Cuban blood in a video prerecorded. “Celebrating the impact and legacy of Hispanic athletes in soccer is incredibly important and I am proud to represent that tradition.”
There has not yet been any information about the building or venue that will permanently house the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame, but it was announced that this year, under the auspices of the HFHOF, a flag soccer game between the United States and Mexico in the Mexican capital and which will be called “Las Américas Bowl”which will be carried out periodically.
