Falcons’ Bartkowski selected to College Hall of Fame
Steve Bartkowski was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame Tuesday, one of 17 inductees.
Bartkowski, the Falcons’ record holder for passing yards and touchdowns, played for California and was an All-American in 1974, the year he led the nation in passing with 2,580 yards.
The college hall is no small honor. An estimated 4.86 million individuals have played college football, and only 900 have been inducted.
Bartkowski lettered for the Golden Bears 1972-74, after which the Falcons made him the first overall pick in the 1975 draft, and was also an All-American first baseman in 1973. Bartkowski was in New York Tuesday for the news conference.
Two other former Falcons were also honored. Former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1990 and was a backup quarterback on the Falcons roster 2004-05 , and former Kansas State linebacker Mark Simoneau, a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2000, were also named to the hall. Simoneau, a consensus All-American in 1999 and the Big 12 defensive player of the year, played three seasons for the Falcons.
Check back for updates.
– Ken Sugiura
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82 comments Add your comment
ATL Fan
May 15th, 2012
4:32 pm
STB4 is a regular on these blogs. Since he is old enough to remember the Bartkowski years, then that would explain the deep seeded hatred for the Falcons.
ozzfest
May 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
THE NIKE POSTER WITH ALFREDS JENKINS & JACKSON SAYS “ATLANTA ARSENAL”…NOT “BART’S BOMB SQUAD”.
I HAVE IT FRAMED IN MY BASEMENT.
WhoDatSeenDatB4
May 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
None of the Saints fans saw the Big Ben passes. They had bags over their heads didn’t they? Oh thats right they had cleverly cut holes in their shopping bags which probably doubled as suitcases so they could watch the game without admiting that they were stupid enough to pay for a ticket to watch their pathetic Aints stumble through one NFL season after another.
kcfalcon
May 15th, 2012
4:57 pm
B4- I’m not going to cut down your QB at all. He is very good. But even he hasn’t won a playoff game in the past 2 seasons.
And this, if we put Bartkowski on that Saints team, he probably wins the Super Bowl too.
Nativebird
May 15th, 2012
4:58 pm
Bart could throw the long ball as good as anyone ever did.
WhatUpDawg
May 15th, 2012
5:05 pm
Wow, some memories there. Bart at the QB, Andrews and Cain at running back. Man that Andrews thighs were as big as my waist. Alfred Jenkins, Francis, and “White Shoes” at WR, Mike Kenn and Van Note on the OL, Kuykendall and williams at LB, Mazetti at PK, Pridemore and Case at Safety, Jr Miller at TE. Loved those years.
BLT
May 15th, 2012
5:09 pm
Congratulations “Bart”!
SeenThisB4
May 15th, 2012
5:17 pm
Kcfalcon: You’re a revisionist, I see. The Saints won a playoff game this year. It’s your team that’s O for three years.
Donaldo
May 15th, 2012
5:18 pm
As a Golden Bear fan, Steve was right up there with the best CAL QB in my lifetime, Joe Roth. Congrats Steve & all Golden Bear fans….
MAYNARD DWAYNE SLOCUMB
May 15th, 2012
5:36 pm
If’n that thair Leeman Bennet didn’t decide to sit on the ball & close down shop early against Dallas them thar Falcons wouda won the Super Bowl 30 sumpthin’ years ago. Ol’ Maynard’s still mad! OUTRAGEOUS!!!
JSS
May 15th, 2012
5:43 pm
Paddy, the Bears didn’t start playing at Soldier Field until 1971. They played at Wrigley until the end of 1970 season…
JSS
May 15th, 2012
5:52 pm
Case was not on the Team of the 80s. Bob Glazebrook was the the other safety on those teams… Byas and Lawrence were the corners…
Double Zero Eight
May 15th, 2012
5:55 pm
If Bart had the weapons Ryan has and was healthy and young
like Ryan, he would lead the NFL in passing yardage and the
Falcons to the Super Bowl.
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
6:01 pm
JSS….who said anything about the Bears? I saw the Packers vs the College All-Stars in ‘64 or ‘65 @ Soldiers Field. Pls re-check my previous post ie. Bartkowski if he ever played in that game!
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
6:03 pm
Seen that B4……..Why would anyone want to use anyone’s name? Thats like a 12 yr old.
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:11 pm
Paddy, It couldn’t have been the 64 or 65 because the Colts and Browns played those years… The one with the thunderstorm deluge was the last one in 76 when the Steelers played and they called it in 3rd quarter…
Frenchy
May 15th, 2012
6:13 pm
Wasn’t Steve married to Deborah Norville?
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:14 pm
Paddy, Sure you’re not trying to claim 1963 or 1966?
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:44 pm
And to answer Team Guys question… Bartkowski played in the 1975 game (the next to last one). They ended at the end of the NFL/Chicago Charities contract (the hosted and sponsored the game) in 1976.
Firsttimer
May 15th, 2012
7:09 pm
No doubt the greatest QB to put on a Falcons uniform. Great memories from that era…also devastating memories from the conclusion of the ‘80 Cowboys game. Still stings!
@ Fan since ‘66- He was nicknamed the Golden Pole in college…because he had golden hair and was from Polish descent. Great quarterback and a true Saints killer.
Cannon Ball Butler
May 15th, 2012
7:17 pm
Heard Steve give his testimony,which in turn led me to Jesus Christ. Truly a great person and one of the best quarterbacks the Falcons have had.And I do remember when the college allstars used to play a team from the NFL. They always played at Soldier Field.
JSS
May 15th, 2012
7:28 pm
There were 7 to 9 NFL/AAFC -vs- College All Star games played in the early 30s to the beginning of WWII, the one in Chicago stuck… By the way Cannonball, the first two in Chicago were played at Northwestern (not Soldier Field)…
Fan since '66
May 15th, 2012
8:20 pm
Well..I suppose that could be one explanation……
Day OneFan
May 15th, 2012
11:11 pm
Met Bart once in person at a punt, pass and kick competiton at the old Atl-Fulton co Stadium in 1981. I personally saw the man throw from one endzone and the ball landed in the other. Over 100yds. I saw it and didn’t believe it. The man was phenomenal in arm strength. I believe MR2 will go down asthe best QB in team history only because of ownership, supporting cast and the style of modern offense. Congrats to one helluva Great Falcon.
JSS
May 16th, 2012
2:43 am
@ Frenchy…
No… Bartkowski has been married to Sandee Oliver since 1980… Norville was like 21 back then…
Falcons’ Bartkowski selected to College Hall of Fame | NFL Online News
May 16th, 2012
6:26 am
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Paddy
May 16th, 2012
7:11 am
JSS…….Now I am confused. Iam sure the game was in the mid ’60’s, rained out and vs the Packers. I am too old for this sh_t anymore. Martha, where is my warm milk, I’m tired again!!!!!!! It might have been ‘66. Was that game rained out?
Stiffneck
May 16th, 2012
5:57 pm
Frenchy, you are thinking of Harmon Wages. He dated Deborah Norville back in the mid-80’s.
fish
May 16th, 2012
8:50 pm
Bart is the reason I am a Falcons Fan as a kid. I other cities it called the hail mary pass. In Atlanta its called Big Ben and nobody it it better. Congrats Bart #10.
Fats OKelly
May 17th, 2012
10:53 am
Bart put alot of fear in NFL defensive backs. Too bad he didnt play defense too. Dallas game 1980 LOL
JSS
May 18th, 2012
3:00 am
Nope, the 1966 game went the entire game. So were the Packers only other appearances in 67 and 68. Now, they (CFAG) were called the “great drought busters” by the locals because it always seemed to rain during the game. However, only the Steelers game in 76 was ever called.
80sFalcon
May 18th, 2012
12:58 pm
Congrats Bart! You deserve it. Sure would have loved to see you in Canton though.