New England Patriots Unanimously Select DL Houston Antwine For Team Hall of Fame By Senior Committee
 Houston Antwine,here in 1968 against Miami, a six-time All-Star was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame by the senior committee on Thursday.(Spokeo/USA TODAY Images) |
The Patriots made an announcement Thursday that former AFL great Houston Antwine had been unanimously selected for the Patriots Hall of Fame by the 10-member senior selection committee.
The committee staffed by the most senior Patriots beat writers and staff met to discuss players who had been retired at least 25 years and in the selection of Antwine, made a very wise choice.
Antwine was a defensive lineman for 11 years during the Patriots dark and nomadic days from 1961-71 and appeared in 142 games. He was an AFL All-Star selection six years in a row (1963-68), which is tied for fourth most appearances in team history and led the team in sacks for three consecutive seasons.
His 39 career sacks leave him tied for 10th place all-time in Patriots history with Richard Seymour. Antwine is a member of the Patriots 50 Year Anniversary Team and a member of the 1960’s All-Decade Team. He originally came to the Pats in a trade with the Houston Oilers in exchange for a 4th Rd Pick during the 1962 AFL Draft.
The Patriots in those days never had a permanent home and played home games at BU, BC, Harvard, Fenway Park before building the old Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro.
Antwine passed away on Dec. 26, 2011 at the age of 72.
"For those of us who grew up watching the Boston Patriots, we applaud the senior selection committee's choice," said Patriots owner and Chairman Robert Kraft. "In the 1960s, the defensive tackle tandem of Houston Antwine and Jim Lee Hunt was as good as any in the league. Houston's play helped push the Patriots to our first division championship in 1963. I had the good fortune of hosting Houston and his wife, Evelyn, at my home in 2009 when we honored the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team. It was a thrill for me to hear his stories about those early days in Boston. I look forward to hosting his daughter, Regina, when we honor her late-father later this summer for his induction ceremony."
Since 2007, a committee consisting of beat writers, Patriots staff and alumni has met annually to discuss former players worthy of a team Hall of Fame induction. To be eligible a player or coach has to have been retired for at least four years. The committee met on April 2 to discuss the three nominees for the 2015 selection.
The list of three candidates will be available on April 16 on the Patriots web site and fans will be able to vote for their choice for the Hall of Fame for a month thereafter. The Patriots are the only team in the NFL that allows the fans a voice in selecting the members for the team’s Hall of Fame giving them the responsibility of selecting the players most worthy.
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