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Butch Byrd needs the WOF now!!


Helpmenow

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https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/erik-brady-effort-underway-to-get-butch-byrd-on-bills-wall-of-fame/article_aa237dfa-bc28-11ec-9aad-0f975cbaff58.html

 

Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s big-league color barrier 75 years ago today. Major League Baseball retired his No. 42 on the 50th anniversary. Since then, no one on any ballclub wears it – except for today, on Robinson Day, when everyone does.

 

The time has come for the Buffalo Bills to honor their 42, too. Butch Byrd, who wore that number in the 1960s, still holds the franchise record for career interceptions, with 40. And he returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the 1965 American Football League title game, which remains the last time the Bills won a league championship.

 

Byrd’s name and number belong on the Bills Wall of Fame. Of course they do. That they aren’t there already is hard to believe.

No Byrd? Absurd.

 

“I hope it will come someday,” he says. “I don’t want to sound conceited, but I think I had a pretty good career.”

Byrd pauses. “I’d like not to have to make it posthumously.”

 

Traditionally, Wall of Fame honorees have been chosen by a panel of team personnel and select media members. The committee has not met since Cookie Gilchrist was chosen as the 31st member in 2017, and there are no meetings scheduled. The future of the Wall of Fame is unknown as the Bills begin their transition to a new stadium.

 

Byrd played in Buffalo for seven seasons, 1964 through 1970. His franchise record for interceptions stands the test of time. He returned five of those 40 for touchdowns and made the AFL All-Star team five times. Then there is that game-breaking punt return against the San Diego Chargers in 1965. Byrd remembers every step of it.

 

“Oh yeah, absolutely. John Hadl punted. I was back with Ed Rutkowski. I caught it and took two steps to my left. Ed put a block on the gunner, and I reversed field to the right. I had the sideline, and then Paul Maguire knocked down the last two guys and I was in. That’s how it happened. It was over in a flash.”

 

 

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16 minutes ago, MiltonWaddams said:

The man belongs there and I doubt there is anyone here who can explain why he's not been there for 30 years already.

 

I have no idea how Cookie made it there.  I'd rather see Byrd and Schobel up there than Cookie and Simpson.

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2 minutes ago, Rico said:

Inconceivable, unless it’s a Ralph thing.

I've wondered for years what Byrd did that keeps him from the recognition he deserves.  Did Mrs. Wilson agree to sell to the Pegulas only on the condition that they would not put Byrd on the Wall?   

 

I've been baffled how Edgerson got the nod and not Byrd.  This isn't quite fair to Edgerson - he was better than this, but Edgerson was something like Byrd's Levi Wallace.  

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[This is an automated response]

 

As a courtesy to the other board members, please use more descriptive topic titles. A single name if far too vague to post as a title and provides little insight into what specifically the post is talking about.The topic starter can edit the topic title line to make it more appropriate.

 

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  • Helpmenow changed the title to Butch Byrd needs the WOF now!!

In the off-season, Butch Byrd worked as a mechanic at a Chrysler dealership at Delaware and Hertel. My next door neighbor was a salesman there, and told me Butch worked in the garage.

 

In the story above, they mention Paul Maguire throwing key blocks on Butch big punt return. Can you imagine your punter being out there on the punt return team? Smaller rosters, of course, so more jobs to do for each player.

 

Paul Maguire co-owned Sestak & Maguire's restaurant on Elmwood in Kenmore.

 

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2 hours ago, Poleshifter said:

In the off-season, Butch Byrd worked as a mechanic at a Chrysler dealership at Delaware and Hertel. My next door neighbor was a salesman there, and told me Butch worked in the garage.

 

In the story above, they mention Paul Maguire throwing key blocks on Butch big punt return. Can you imagine your punter being out there on the punt return team? Smaller rosters, of course, so more jobs to do for each player.

 

Paul Maguire co-owned Sestak & Maguire's restaurant on Elmwood in Kenmore.

 

Maguire played LB too

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2 hours ago, Gugny said:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/erik-brady-effort-underway-to-get-butch-byrd-on-bills-wall-of-fame/article_aa237dfa-bc28-11ec-9aad-0f975cbaff58.html

 

Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s big-league color barrier 75 years ago today. Major League Baseball retired his No. 42 on the 50th anniversary. Since then, no one on any ballclub wears it – except for today, on Robinson Day, when everyone does.

 

The time has come for the Buffalo Bills to honor their 42, too. Butch Byrd, who wore that number in the 1960s, still holds the franchise record for career interceptions, with 40. And he returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the 1965 American Football League title game, which remains the last time the Bills won a league championship.

 

Byrd’s name and number belong on the Bills Wall of Fame. Of course they do. That they aren’t there already is hard to believe.

No Byrd? Absurd.

 

“I hope it will come someday,” he says. “I don’t want to sound conceited, but I think I had a pretty good career.”

Byrd pauses. “I’d like not to have to make it posthumously.”

 

Traditionally, Wall of Fame honorees have been chosen by a panel of team personnel and select media members. The committee has not met since Cookie Gilchrist was chosen as the 31st member in 2017, and there are no meetings scheduled. The future of the Wall of Fame is unknown as the Bills begin their transition to a new stadium.

 

Byrd played in Buffalo for seven seasons, 1964 through 1970. His franchise record for interceptions stands the test of time. He returned five of those 40 for touchdowns and made the AFL All-Star team five times. Then there is that game-breaking punt return against the San Diego Chargers in 1965. Byrd remembers every step of it.

 

“Oh yeah, absolutely. John Hadl punted. I was back with Ed Rutkowski. I caught it and took two steps to my left. Ed put a block on the gunner, and I reversed field to the right. I had the sideline, and then Paul Maguire knocked down the last two guys and I was in. That’s how it happened. It was over in a flash.”

 

 

 

Is there any way we as fans of the Bills could start a petition to be sent to the Pegula's & the Bills or to Brandon Beane him self ? I bet Beane doesn't even know about Byrds contributions to the team & if he did i bet he would be the one leading the charge to get his name on the WOF .

 

It needs to be done this guy is a Bills treasure where do i sign !!! Make it so number 1 !! 

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23 minutes ago, Poleshifter said:

In the off-season, Butch Byrd worked as a mechanic at a Chrysler dealership at Delaware and Hertel. My next door neighbor was a salesman there, and told me Butch worked in the garage.

 

In the story above, they mention Paul Maguire throwing key blocks on Butch big punt return. Can you imagine your punter being out there on the punt return team? Smaller rosters, of course, so more jobs to do for each player.

 

Paul Maguire co-owned Sestak & Maguire's restaurant on Elmwood in Kenmore.

 

 

I can imagine Moorman doing and well.  Paul Maguire was a decent LB for his time.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Maguire

Quote

Maguire played in six of the ten American Football League Championship Games — three with the Chargers and three with the Bills, winning three AFL Championship rings, and he was the league's all-time punter in punts and yardage. He was one of only twenty players who were in the AFL for its entire ten-year existence

 

s-l1600.jpg

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4 hours ago, Gugny said:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/erik-brady-effort-underway-to-get-butch-byrd-on-bills-wall-of-fame/article_aa237dfa-bc28-11ec-9aad-0f975cbaff58.html

 

Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s big-league color barrier 75 years ago today. Major League Baseball retired his No. 42 on the 50th anniversary. Since then, no one on any ballclub wears it – except for today, on Robinson Day, when everyone does.

 

The time has come for the Buffalo Bills to honor their 42, too. Butch Byrd, who wore that number in the 1960s, still holds the franchise record for career interceptions, with 40. And he returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the 1965 American Football League title game, which remains the last time the Bills won a league championship.

 

Byrd’s name and number belong on the Bills Wall of Fame. Of course they do. That they aren’t there already is hard to believe.

No Byrd? Absurd.

 

“I hope it will come someday,” he says. “I don’t want to sound conceited, but I think I had a pretty good career.”

Byrd pauses. “I’d like not to have to make it posthumously.”

 

Traditionally, Wall of Fame honorees have been chosen by a panel of team personnel and select media members. The committee has not met since Cookie Gilchrist was chosen as the 31st member in 2017, and there are no meetings scheduled. The future of the Wall of Fame is unknown as the Bills begin their transition to a new stadium.

 

Byrd played in Buffalo for seven seasons, 1964 through 1970. His franchise record for interceptions stands the test of time. He returned five of those 40 for touchdowns and made the AFL All-Star team five times. Then there is that game-breaking punt return against the San Diego Chargers in 1965. Byrd remembers every step of it.

 

“Oh yeah, absolutely. John Hadl punted. I was back with Ed Rutkowski. I caught it and took two steps to my left. Ed put a block on the gunner, and I reversed field to the right. I had the sideline, and then Paul Maguire knocked down the last two guys and I was in. That’s how it happened. It was over in a flash.”

 

 

Byrd also had a pick against the Chargers in that 65 championship game. He did it all. A great all time Bill.

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20 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I've wondered for years what Byrd did that keeps him from the recognition he deserves.   

 

Could it be that someone saw that horrible Utica Club commercial he did in the 60's?

Sent from my rotary phone using my right index finger.

 

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