BUFFALOBART Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 (edited) I received this message from a friend from my old Hometown, of Watervliet, NY, which was also the original home of #42 Butch Byrd who was part of the AFL Champion Bills, from 1964-'70. Capital District folks, take note! ..........We will discuss the campaign for Butch’s name to be included on the Bills Wall of Fame. IT’S TIME…..that George “Butch” Byrd is included on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Byrd (Mods may need to move this post) Meeting: Patrick’s Pub 606 Third Avenue Watervliet, NY 12189 Wednesday, May 11th. 6:00 pm Contact: Charlie Diamond: Diamondjupin@yahoo.com Edited May 10 by BUFFALOBART 2 6 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah John Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 It's way past time for Byrd to have his name added to the wall. I have never understood why this didn't happen long ago. He still holds the team record for interceptions (IIRC). 1 1 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreggTX Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 How has he not been there for a long time? He was on the AFL all-decade team. Is Robert James on there? That's another guy that should definitely be on there. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarlinTheMagician Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 Byrd should be there. Bought a Pontiac from Don Davis Pontiac in the 60s when my Mom worked there as an administrative assistant. He signed an autograph for a four year old me that I still have. Go Butch! 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcdermott Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 55 minutes ago, GreggTX said: How has he not been there for a long time? He was on the AFL all-decade team. Is Robert James on there? That's another guy that should definitely be on there. I’m pretty sure James is on there. Have no idea why Byrd is not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJS Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 (edited) He should be on the wall for sure. Hopefully the Pegulas hear about it. Edited May 11 by MJS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 (edited) 1 hour ago, GreggTX said: How has he not been there for a long time? He was on the AFL all-decade team. Is Robert James on there? That's another guy that should definitely be on there. Bobby was inducted in 1998. Edited May 11 by K-9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sestak4ever Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Byrd did it all. Great corner and exceptional punt returner. Played a huge roll in our 1965 AFL championship win over the Chargers. Punt return for a td and a big interception of Hadl. He was amazing. Should have been on the wall a long time ago. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 James is on there, very deservedly. Byrd should be, as well, IMO. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan in Portland Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Absolute crime he is not on the wall. He's arguably better than half the guys on the Wall now. I would put him ahead of Smerlas, Ferguson, Talley, Tasker, Hansen, Edgerson, Ritcher, Hull, and Van Miller. I'm not trying to take away anything from those players, but Byrd was better and had more impact than any of these men. For years I advocated for Cookie. Byrd should go next followed by Aaron Schobel. Then consider Moorman and Fred Jackson as two other drought era guys. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 9 hours ago, K-9 said: Bobby was inducted in 1998. Bobby? Bobby Jimmy?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcdermott Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said: Bobby? Bobby Jimmy?? It’s funny, I was going to question that as well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 6 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: Bobby? Bobby Jimmy?? Bobby is what he was known as to a certain 11 year old ball boy/gopher at camp up at NU. Lots of “Great play, Bobby!” shouts by teammates filled the air at the time, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
par73 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 McDole deserves consideration as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
without a drought Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 I really don't expect any additions to the wall at the existing stadium. I would expect there will be changes when the new stadium is completed, possibly with a hall/wall of fame area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Byrd is more deserving than some already on there IMO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTB Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 20 hours ago, without a drought said: I really don't expect any additions to the wall at the existing stadium. I would expect there will be changes when the new stadium is completed, possibly with a hall/wall of fame area. Hopefully a much deserved HoF will be part of the new stadium. 🤞🏻 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nextmanup Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 14 hours ago, Bob in STL said: Byrd is more deserving than some already on there IMO This may be true, but there is a window of opportunity for these sorts of things, and I think that closed for Butch a long time ago. He's just not on the forefront of people's minds these days. I guess that's the point of this meeting; create some buzz and make him relevant again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 47 minutes ago, Nextmanup said: This may be true, but there is a window of opportunity for these sorts of things, and I think that closed for Butch a long time ago. He's just not on the forefront of people's minds these days. I guess that's the point of this meeting; create some buzz and make him relevant again. The same was said about Lou Saban, even worse because of his relationship with Ralph. Lou is up there now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 (edited) You know, I am torn on this kind of stuff. If the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters were asked to go through the history of every franchise and choose that teams most deserving Hall of Fame candidates, no doubt, Byrd would be closer to the top of the Bills list than a lot of the guys who are currently on the Bills Wall of Fame. But, this isn't the Pro Football Hall of Fame! It is a team honor. It doesn't seem to necessarily be an award for an excellent on the field performance. It factors in a lot of things. Everything I know about Butch Byrd indicates he was a great player for the Bills...beyond that though? Ralph Wilson owned this franchise for the vast majority of it's existence. For whatever reason, Ralph didn't prioritize honoring all the coaches and players that made this franchise what it is...he refused to honor Lou Saban and Cookie Gilchrist (two of the most important names in franchise history) for his own reasons... some of them probably petty. Byrd played long enough ago, I can only assume there was a reason he wasn't honored during Ralphs' lifetime. The only people inducted since Ralph passed are Saban, Gilchrist and Van Miller, I believe. Miller isn't controversial at all, and I think it is probably safe to assume he would have been inducted even if Ralph was still the owner. Personally, while I am glad Saban and Gilchrist are there, was that really the Pegula's choice to make? There are going to be a handful of guys who haven't been gone from the game long enough to have received consideration by Wilson, but played during his ownership...guys like Fred Jackson, Kyle Williams. Eric Moulds, who I think justly warrant consideration by Pegulas. But some of the much older era players? I wouldn't be upset to see them inducted at all, but I don't think it is an honor that anyone is entitled to. Edited May 12 by Buftex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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