1968 Hall of Fame Class

1968 Hall of Fame Class

As training camps were getting underway, the 1968 Hybrid Football Hall of Fame class was announced. 6 new members would be joining the original 12 members. So without further adieu here is the class of 1968.

Member #13: QB Bruce Woodard - Providence, RI - Votes: 6 of 11
Woodard’s career began with the Providence Gold Stars in 1939. He was the backup QB for a season before he took over as the starting QB in 1940. He would lead the Gold Stars to a New England Championship in 1941, after winning as a backup in 1939. Unfortunately, his career was interrupted by the USA’s involvement in World War 2. However, once he returned to the field he would lead the Gold Stars to 3 straight championship appearances. However, he was unable to beat Boston in all 3 games. He made the shift to hybrid football in 1949, where he was able to get back to the championship again, but still fell to the Independents in the final. After a couple of early ends to the season, Woodard would have a career year in 1953, leading the Gold Stars to their best NAAF season to date and earning his lone MVP. Despite the great season, Providence fell short in the McCallister Cup again. He would only play one more year with his hometown team before they let him walk to make room for the younger QB Connor O’Rourke. Woodard would land in Ottawa as the backup to QB Jean Matieau. He would only play one game for the Royals, but he earned player of the week in that final game of the season. He would get his 3rd Cup win as the backup for the Royals later that season. The next season, he would play for the Rouge where he would make several starts but was eventually sat in favour of the younger QB Rigobert St-Hilaire. Woodard would call it a career after that as one of the league's first star QBs. 

Member #14: RB Arthur Conner - Buffalo, NY - Votes: 5 of 11
Conner was a bright star in the Blue Wings' offence throughout the 1950s. In the early years of the NAAF, Conner was often overshadowed by the play of RB Élisée Marchal and RB Joel Bonner. He would finally make his mark on the league in the 1952 season, helping the Blue Wings to secure their first McCallister Cup title, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown, earning him McCallister Cup MVP and Playoff MVP. Following the ‘52 season, Conner became a staple at the top of the rushing categories for the next 6 seasons. In that time, he would win both of his Offensive Player of the Year Awards (1955, 1957), and have 3 of his 4 All-Star seasons. In 1957, he would win his second McCallister Cup with Buffalo after being named an alternate captain. He would play just one last season before calling it a career. Conner, on top of his excellent play, was a very kind person who many teammates loved. In retirement, he continues to give back to the city of Buffalo helping many of the less fortunate.

Member #15: WR Peter Brooks - Taunton, MA - Votes: 5 of 11
While Brooks never got the individual accolades that most of his Hall of Fame counterparts did, he was still an excellent player throughout his career. Early in his career, he would rise to the top of the Gold Stars’ receiving core, ultimately leading to the team trading veteran WR Eugene Burns, and become the team’s #1 target. He developed great chemistry with both QB Bruce Woodard and later QB Connor O’Rourke and was the only WR that was able to hold his own against the Royals’ WR Allen Atkins. Unfortunately, Brooks was never able to win a championship with the Gold Stars through 10 seasons with the club. He would go cup-hunting with a new team in 1959, signing with the Long Island Raiders. He was unsuccessful in the venture and retired after the 1960 season. Brooks was an excellent WR and will likely be one of the best players to never win the Cup. 

Member #16: DB Oscar Patterson - Buffalo, NY - Votes: 5 of 11
Patterson’s career in the NAAF was not a very long one, having spent more seasons in the NYFL with Buffalo. Patterson spent his entire career with the Blue Wings through both leagues and was easily a fan-favourite. His fun-loving personality helped him connect with fans, often seen interacting with them hours after a game. He made his mark on the NAAF in the 1952 season, when he famously painted a pair of white wings on his usually all-blue helmet. In the ensuing game, Patterson would have 2 interceptions, including a pick-6 to get a huge win over Montreal. The rest of the team started following suit adding wings to their own helmets. The look became a bit of a superstition as the Blue Wings would not lose another game en route to their first-ever McCallister Cup. The helmet design would stick and inspire other teams to add logos/designs to their helmets the following season. Patterson’s legacy was strong with his play, but he is also honoured for his revolutionary idea. 

Member #17: RB Laurent Brazeau - Montreal, QC - Votes: 5 of 11
Brazeau entered the NAAF as a complete underdog. He had a strong season in 1949 with a Quebec City-based amateur team. The performance caught the eye of Joseph Johnson, the GM/Head Coach of the Toronto Tigers. Johnson brought Brazeau on and the power back instantly became a star for the team. He would win Rookie of the Year in the 1950 season, helping the Tigers improve on their 0-8 ‘49 season. The very next year, he would win the Offensive Player of the Year Award. The league finally started to catch up with Brazeau, but he continued to be a strong force for the Tigers over the next 4 and a half seasons. In 1956, Brazeau would be traded to the Providence Gold Stars as the Tigers went to retool. Brazeau would help the Gold Stars into the playoffs and would score in his only career playoff game. Following the ‘56 season, Brazeau would be drafted by the Indiana Victors in the 1957 Expansion Draft. He would spend his final 2 seasons with the Victors being reunited with his Tigers’ QB Duane Logan and being named Alternate Captain. Brazeau was unable to have much team success, but he was still a very strong player in his own right. 

Member #18: HC/GM Guy Clarke - Montreal, QC - Votes: 5 of 11
Clarke was the Head Coach and General Manager of the Montreal Rouge for what seemed like forever. His brutal, bone-crushing defences dominated Quebec football for many years. It was that defence that helped give the Rouge their name, based on their reputation of having opponents bleeding after their games. His defensive mind carried over into the NAAF where he continued to make the Rouge one of the toughest teams to play against. Clarke’s schemes would be the first to stop the Boston Independents, ending their historically long win-streak in the NAAF’s first season. Clarke and HOF HC Peter McDuffin duelled it out over the early years of the NAAF, meeting in the McCallister Cup 2 times. In 1951, Clarke would lead the Rouge to the first and only unbeaten NAAF season. They would go 9-0-1 in the regular season before winning back-to-back playoff games to win the McCallister Cup. 2 years later, the Rouge would be back in the McCallister Cup where the defence would shut down QB Bruce Woodard and the Gold Stars to upset them in Providence. Clarke would slowly lose interest in the team after the age started to show following their second McCallister Cup win. He would finally step away from the team after a rough 1955 season, ending a long and memorable career.