By Andy Piascik I read with great interest the article in this space several weeks ago, and I appreciate the opportunity to weigh in. Before I get to the good stuff, I would like to correct several inaccuracies contained in that article. First, I am a long-time member and former officer of the and there was no PFRA poll or PFRA vote concerning which pre-1963 seniors the PFRA preferred for the Hall of Fame.Rather, an individual posted a question at the PFRA Forum asking for peoples opinions. There are approximately 500 PFRA members and about ten responded to this question, some of whom may not be PFRA members, as many non-members regularly post at the Forum.Second, the PFRA did officially endorse four seniors (or what we referred to as Super Seniors) some years ago. Contrary to what was stated in the article, Verne Lewellen and Ox Emerson were among them. Rather, the four players were Lavvie Dilweg, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie and Al Wistert.Slater and Speedie were both elected to the Hall of Fame two years ago as part of the special Centennial Cla s.Following the theme of the previous article, I am here to mention the four individuals I consider most deserving of the Hall of Fame from the pre-1963 category and two others from more recent years. They are as follows:DICK BARWEGANAt the top of my list as the Senior most deserving of enshrinement is a pre-1963 guard, Dick Barwegan. Barwegan began his career in 1947 Giancarlo Stanton Jersey with the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference and played both ways his first few years. At the time, he was hailed as an outstanding defensive player. It was on offense, however, that Barwegan really made his mark. He relied on strength, a powerful drive, quickne s and great technique and was named by sportswriters as a first team All-Pro (that is, as a first teamer on the combined all-AAFC/ NFL team) as well as to all of the all-AAFC teams in his rookie season.That established a pattern. After the AAFC transferred him to the Baltimore Colts to strengthen one of its weaker teams, Barwegan was a first-team selection on all of the combined Alex Rodriguez Jersey AAFC/NFL teams in 1948 and 1949, as well as on all of the all-AAFC teams selected. Traded to the Chicago Bears, Barwegan was named first-team on every single All-Pro unit in 1950-51, joining Bulldog Turner and Ray Bray on one of the best offensive lines of the era. He was a second team All-Pro in 1952 and first-team again for the sixth time in his career in 1953.He was named a starter in all of the first four Pro Bowls (1950-53) and concluded his career in Canada with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1955 after jumping for a significantly higher salary. In a 2005 interview, Hall-of-Famer Dick Stanfel said Barwegan was the gold standard of guards of that era. In addition to Barwegan’s sterling credentials (named to the combined all-AAFC/NFL first-team in his first three seasons and first-team All-Pro six times altogether) the delayed start to his career, largely because of military service, should also be weighed in his favor. He was 25 years-and-nine-months old when he played his first pro game and 33 when he played his last after eight seasons.The delay to the start of his career due to military obligations notwithstanding, I believe Dick Barwegan is the one senior candidate most deserving of enshrinement in Canton. Lavvie Dilwegs Hall-of-Fame credentials were discu sed at length in this space several weeks ago and so will not be repeated. Dilwegs case seems to suffer from bad timing, as he immediately preceded the immortal Don Hutson at the same position in Green Bay.Scroll to Continue Two more pre-1963 seniors who are among the handful of best candidates played the same position in almost the same years — tackles Al Wistert and Lou Rymkus.Like Dilweg, Wisterts case was discu sed at some length in the previous article. The only thing I can see that may hurt Wistert in the eyes of voters is that two of the seasons when he was All-Pro were 1944 and 1945 when talent was very seriously depleted by World War II. This is not to say Wistert wouldnt have been All-Pro had all players in the military played football. However, one need only look at the number of rather obscure players who Wade Boggs Jersey made All-Pro during those years, especially 1945, to see why there may be some doubts.LOU RYMKUS Like Wistert and Barwegan, Rymkus was a standout two-way player for the first portion of his career and someone who made his biggest impact on the offensive line. And, like Barwegan (and unlike Wistert), he lost prime years of his career to military service in 1944 and 1945. Bigger than most linemen of that era, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Rymkus was named first-team on one of the All-Pro teams as a rookie with Washington in 1943. He was widely hailed as one of the best pa s blockers of his time and had the speed, quickne s and technique to pull on sweeps to the far side.After returning from the military, Rymus had six outstanding seasons for the Browns with lots of All-Pro honors. Cleveland finished first in all six of those seasons while winning five championships. One last factor that should count in Rymkus favor, regardle s of any dichotomy that exists with Hall-of-Fame voters where a candidate is considered as either a player or coach … but not both … is his guiding the Houston Oilers to the 1960 championship as head coach in the first season of the AFL. That turned out to be his only full year as a head coach. He was fired after a slow start in 1961 and never served as the top man again. Two players who stand out from all others from more recent years as most deserving of enshrinement are Randy Gradishar and Jim Ray Smith. Like Dilweg and Wistert, Gradishar was inexplicably bypa sed by the Centennial Committee in 2020. He also remains on the outside looking in despite the recent election of numerous players from the 1970s, David Robertson Jersey including some le s deserving. Gradishar made a number of All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls in his career. He was named the NFLs Defensive Player of the Year by the and in 1978 and Linebacker of the Year by in both 1978 and 1979. He was a standout of Denvers Orange Crush with a nose for the football as both a middle linebacker in the 4-3 and as an inside backer in the 3-4. Considering the run of succe s Denver had during Gradishars peak years from 1976-81 (9-5, 12-2, 10-6, 10-6, 8-8 and 10-6 with two division titles and an AFC championship), its surprising that not one Bronco from those years is in the Hall of Fame. Gradishar was Denvers best player of that era and deserving of enshrinement.JIM RAY SMITH Jim Ray Smith was the best guard of his era and is a criminally overlooked great player.He was a five-time first team All-Pro and named all-conference six straight years. Smiths speed and q…