Michigan's Lenny Ford Named To Hall Of Fame

18 The Ann Arbor News, Tuesday, January 27,1976

Michigan’s Lenny Ford Named To Hall Of Fame

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Recorder’s Court Judge Geraldine Ford admits she isn’t an expert on football, but she’s “just thrilled to death” that her former husband, Lenny, is being inducted to the Football Hall of Fame.

Ford, who died in 1972, was a defensive end for Cleveland during the 1950’s when the Browns ruled the National Football League. He was a two-time All-American at the University of Michigan in 1946 and 1947 and made All-Pro numerous times during his career with the Browns.

“He was the probably the finest defensive end in the history of the club,” a Browns spokesman said. Ford died at the age of 46.

“Lenny and I started going together at Michigan,” Judge Ford said Monday. “I didn’t know very much about football, but the one way I could always identify Lenny, aside from his number, was after the play was over he would put his hand on his hip.

“I always knew it was Big Lenny Tie-cause he was bowlegged and had his hand on his hip.”

Judge Ford said she didn’t travel to many of the games while her husband played in the pros, but there is one game in particular that sticks out in her mind.

“It was before we got married,” she said, “Lenny got his jaw broken.

“He didn’t get up and I knew that something bad had happened.”

Judge Ford said he still managed to play even though his jaw was wired up. “They got him a mask,” she said.

Ford missed most of the 1950 season because of the injury which occurred Oct. 15 in a game against the Chicago Cardinals. Ford was elbowed by Pat Harder, who was blocking a pass play.

Despite the injury, Ford came back to play in the Brown’s NFL title game with the Los Angeles Rams. The Browns won 30-28.

Judge Ford said she didn’t worry much about her husband hurting himself during a game. “I had confidence he could take care of himself.”

Judge Ford said being married to a professional football player didn’t pose any serious problems. “He was just a lovely person,” she said. “Lenny was essentially a nice person to be with.”

The couple was divorced in 1959, but “we were still very close,” Judge Ford said.

The judge said she, her mother, Ford’s parents, brothers and sisters and their families all planned to attend the induction dinner this summer in Canton, Ohio.

Ford was an outstanding pass catcher with Michigan and got his start in pro football in 1948 with the Los Angeles Dons of the All-American Football Conference. In 1950, he was sent to the Browns when the All-American Conference merged with the NFL.

He was made a defensive end by Cleveland Coach Paul Brown, and was All-Pro through 1956. He retired from football in 1957.

Jim Taylor and Ray Flaherty also were named to the Hall of Fame, chairman Earl Schriber said Monday.

The Detroit Lions will play the Denver Broncos in the Hall of Fame exhibition game in Canton July 24 when Taylor, Flaherty and Ford will be enshrined.