SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State Gridiron Hall of Fame inducted its 2019 class on Saturday, October 12 during a luncheon. The event was organized by Alumni Affairs and the Gridiron Club, a group of San Francisco State football alumni who have worked to preserve the program's history after its final season in 1994.
More than one hundred friends and family members joined to celebrate the extraordinary gridiron accomplishments of former Gator standouts: record-setting linebacker Chuck Werk from the 1979 team joined defensive stars Louis Langford '70 and Chuck Aston '75; offensive standouts Jim Bunger '54, Mike Burke '65, Rick Faulk '75, Bill Gray '69 and Ed Johnson '62; as well as highly-respected team physician and surgeon, Dr. James Glick. In addition, the entire 1960 team was honored. There are now 118 players and three legendary teams in the Gator Gridiron Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2019 inductees, who distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements on and off the field:
Chuck Aston, Defensive Back 1975
Charles Aston Jr. joins 1975 teammates Rick Faulk, Reggie Redmond, Robert Sparks, Dan Ferrigno, Jens Holmgren, Forest Hancock, Dean Triggas and Tommi Tyler in the Gridiron Hall of Fame. Aston was team captain and an All-Conference player. He received All-America mention, as well as a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers. Originally from Southern California, he came to State from Monterey Peninsula College along with teammate Robert Sparks, and had an immediate impact. Vic Rowen said, "Chuck was always able to come up with the big play." An example was his 96-yard interception return for a touchdown against Cal State Hayward, an all-time Gator school record.
Jim Bunger, Receiver 1954
Jim came to SF State in 1953 following active military service. Earlier, he had been a young quarterback on the 1948 San Diego State squad. He played for Joe Verducci, Vic Rowen and Bill Harkness for two years, as an outstanding pass receiver and team leader. Like so many Verducci and Rowen players, he became a successful football coach himself. At Campbell High School he groomed a young Craig Morton and his receiver Jack Schraub before their Cal Bear days. Craig always called Jim "Coach" when he and his family saw him at Cal games. Jim turned 90 in September and has been a Gridiron Club member longer than anyone.
Mike Burke, Flanker 1965
Mike Burke joins high school teammates Gil Haskell and Tim Tierney in the Gridiron Hall of Fame. He came to SF State in 1961 from St. Ignatius and, for four years, he brought leadership and character to his team. A sure-handed receiver, he was voted team captain in 1964 and was twice voted all conference. Hall of Fame receiver Ed Larios said of Mike, "I was fortunate to play with Mike and those talented teammates in 1965, which I considered the best team I played on. Mike's contributions on the field were partially responsible for the Gator offensive success during the 'glory years' of Gator Football." Haskell said, "He was a very gifted receiver, who was always in shape, very physical, one step ahead, and above all, very smart. He was a leader and captain of our best team in 1965."
Rick Faulk, Placekicker and Punter 1975
Rick came to SF State from Berkeley, where he starred in football and baseball in high school. He moved on to Laney College, where he starred in football and was twice voted All-State. He went on to excel at SF State, where he became the most successful placekicker in Gator history, kicking an all-time record 54-yard field goal. He was an All Conference kicker and was drafted by the New York Jets. That '75 Gator team was exceptional, with multiple Hall of Fame players and NFL selections. Always a competitor, Rick is proud to point out that these same footballers were also SF State intramural basketball champs for two years.
Bill Gray, Offensive Lineman 1969
Gray came to State from Clayton Valley High School and Diablo Valley Junior College. An offensive tackle, his line coaches were Hall of Famers John Lanzavecchia and Kermit Bankston. He was voted All Conference, and Gators' Outstanding Offensive Lineman. As a coach, he was voted Peninsula Athletic League Coach of the Year 9 times. He has been elected to several Halls of Fame, including Pacifica, San Mateo County, California Wrestling, and SF State Athletic Department. His most influential coaches were Vic Rowen, Allen Abraham and Frank Verducci — and most importantly, Jack Burgett who introduced him to coaching. Dan Ferrigno, currently coaching at Cal Poly, said of Bill, "He had an outstanding career as a coach and teacher at Oceana High School and Terra Nova High School. He won numerous titles in football and wrestling - sending many players on to 4 year colleges in both sports. He was a great coach and educator."
Dr. Ed Johnson, Offensive Lineman 1962
Johnson came to SF State from City College of San Francisco, where he was an All-Conference lineman. He was a standout offensive guard for the championship Gators teams of 1961 and 1962. According to teammate Don Briemle, "Ed was a great starting guard, not as big as you might expect but his ability to block was picture perfect. He was extremely smart and used his size to the best of abilities. His technique was as close to perfect as you can imagine." Johnson went on to an extraordinary career as a high school wrestling and football coach. As a teacher, he introduced innovative physical education programs for students with disabilities, including visually impaired. Ed was a distinguished educator, earning his Ph.D. in education and was Dean at Skyline College. He also worked for the President's Council on Physical Fitness as a Research Coordinator.
Louis Langford, Defensive Lineman 1970
Vic Rowen recruited Louis Langford to SF State from Delta College. He had an immediate impact as a defensive lineman, earning All-Conference honors. According to teammate Mark Hollis, "Lou was a solid player who anchored the defensive line and was a mainstay as a pass rusher." He went on to play in the San Diego Charger organization. Gator coach Allen Abraham calls Lou a team leader and great competitor. According to Langford, "Playing football at State taught me the meaning of teamwork, unity and discipline. Those skills helped prepare me for having a great work ethic in my later career as a Deputy Sheriff in San Francisco. I also learned how to better focus, be dedicated to something of importance and how to better work with others toward a goal."
Chuck Werk, Linebacker 1979
Chuck Werk was steered to SF State by his high school coach and former Gator player, Pete Noble. When Vic Rowen spotted Werk at the Alameda vs. Contra Costa County All-Star game, he knew Werk was a Gator. Werk was a linebacker's linebacker, tough, focussed and athletic. He was a four-year starter, three-time All-Conference selection, team captain, and was the first Gator player to ever record three seasons with over 100 tackles. He holds the all-time Gator record for career tackles by a linebacker, and for a player at any position. Teammate Joe Garrity described Werk as, "an outstanding player for and a great teammate. He worked at his eight-hour job each day in the East Bay, beginning at 4 a.m., then drove to school, where he attended class and went to practices. He was a true role model for players, and respected by teammates. He was voted team captain for a good reason."
Dr. James Glick, Team Physician from 1969-94
Dr. Glick was team physician for SF State Football and SF State Athletics for 25 years, beginning in 1969. His distinguished medical career included national and international honors, and more than 200 published papers on microsurgery and arthroscopic treatment of joints, among other innovations. Dr. Glick served eight years as Chief of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSF's Mount Zion Hospital Campus. He was the Founder and Chairman of the Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness Committee of the San Francisco Medical Society from 1970-1978, as well as a founding member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Since 2003, Dr. Glick evaluates disabled athletes for the NFL Benefits.
1960 Team (9-1)
The 1960 Gators had multiple players from the undefeated 1959 Hall of Fame team. They were led by 19 players who became Gridiron Hall of Famers, including eventual NFL defensive back Bill Baird and running backs Willie Simpson and Charlie Fuller. Quarterback Ron Sweet ran an offense that averaged more than four touchdowns per game. Gridiron Hall of Fame defenders included Allen Abraham, Ted Treu, Ford Joy and Neil Laughlin, and they allowed less than five points a game, with five shutouts.
The Gator Gridiron Club was formed in the 1970s by Gator great Dick Boyd and Hall of Fame coach Vic Rowen. For nearly fifty years, the Gridiron Club board has selected elite players from every era. These include NFL stars like defensive back Bill Baird, linebacker Floyd Peters, and all-pro lineman Elmer Collett; and Super Bowl coaches Mike Holmgren, Gil Haskell and Andy Reid. Three individual teams have been inducted: the record-setting Camellia Bowl team of 1967 led by quarterback and UCLA coach Bob Toledo, the undefeated 1959 team led by all-time great quarterback and UC Davis coach Jim Socher, and the rugged 1960 team led by nineteen Hall of Fame players.
The Gator Gridiron Club's mission is to bring together former players, coaches and fans to remember the championship football legacy at SF State; to identify and elect great Gator players to the Gridiron Hall of Fame; and to maintain and enhance the Vic Rowen Scholarship Fund and Allen Abraham Scholarship Fund, assisting and encouraging deserving student-athletes in men's and women's sports. The next Gator Gridiron Club event will be scheduled in Spring of 2020, and the next Gridiron Hall of Fame induction will take place in Fall of 2020.
