LAMAR HUNT INDUCTED INTO SMU ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

The SMU Athletic Department, in conjunction with the SMU Lettermen’s Association inducted Chiefs Founder Lamar Hunt into its inaugural class of its Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday. The 2008 class also includes former football player, coach and athletic director Forrest Gregg, swimmer Martina Moravcoca and golfer Payne Stewart.
“As a department, we really want to recognize the contributions and successes of our former student-athletes,” said SMU’s Director of Athletics Steve Orsini. “It is only fitting that we have an active Hall of Fame to commemorate their outstanding accomplishments.”
Hunt was a three-year reserve end on the SMU Varsity football team, but is largely being inducted for his contributions after his days on the Dallas campus. An avid supporter of his alma mater, Hunt and his wife Norma were an annual fixture at the Cotton Bowl.
Recognized as one of the greatest sportsmen in American history, Hunt served as the guiding force behind the formation of the American Football League. As the founder of the AFL, he helped pave the way for much of the modern growth of pro football. Possibly the greatest tribute to his contributions to the sport was the naming by the league of the Lamar Hunt Trophy, which is presented annually to the champion of the American Football Conference.
In addition to being a principal negotiator in the merger of the AFL and NFL in the late ’60s, Hunt was a major contributor to the vision and design of today’s NFL playoff format. He is also credited with putting the name “Super Bowl” on the NFL’s championship game — the name coming from his children’s toy “Super Ball.”
While the Chiefs always remained Hunt’s most prized sporting entity, his passion for athletics encompassed more than just football. During his life, Hunt was involved in the development of six different professional sports leagues and seven sports franchises. In addition to his formative role in the creation of the AFL, Hunt was involved in the development of both the North American Soccer League and a tennis promotion company, World Championship Tennis. In total, Hunt was the owner of 13 distinctive championship rings from five different professional sports associations. His football championship litany included a Super Bowl IV ring from the ’69 Chiefs, as well as AFL title rings from the ’62 Texans and ’66 Chiefs. Thanks to Hunt, the 1971 and 1972 World Championship Tennis finals were held at Moody Coliseum on the SMU campus.