Football Hall of Fame Inducts 5

July 29 -- Joe Montana, whose passing accuracy and calmness under pressure made him one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, was one of five NFL greats inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame today, but he was clearly the star.

The San Francisco 49ers were well represented in this year’s class of Hall of Famers. Three of the five inductees, including Montana, had at one time called the Bay area home.

“This is not an ending point,” said Montana at today’s ceremony in Canton, Ohio. “This is abeginning point. This is the beginning of the rest of my life witha new team. Take a look at these guys [Hall of Famers]. What a team it is.”

Joining Montana in Canton is former teammate Ronnie Lott, the defensive cornerstone of a formidable 49ers team in the late 1980s. Outside linebacker Dave Wilcox, who played for San Francisco from 1964-74, was inducted as well.

Former Oakland and Los Angeles Raider Howie Long, now an actor and NFL analyst for Fox, and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney rounded out the quartet of inductees.

Montana Magic

But Montana’s star eclipsed that of everyone else on a day whenmore than 100 of the 136 living Hall of Famers returned for thebiggest reunion in the Hall’s history. Even the inductees paid tribute to the legendary quarterback.

“I had four or five clean shots at Joe and I didn’t takethem,” Long quipped. “His kids are too cute.”

Said Wilcox, who played a decade before the Niners begandominating the NFL: “When I tell people I played for the 49ers,they ask me if I played with Joe Montana. I say I played before Joeand before money.”

Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr., the former owner of the 49ers, introduced Montana at today’s ceremonies. A three-time Super Bowl MVP, Montana engineered 31 fourth-quarter comeback victories over his 15-year NFL career.

He is perhaps most remembered for directing a 92-yard drive in the final seconds to win Super Bowl XXIII, one of four Super Bowl titles he won while in San Francisco.