Kramer enshrined in Hall of Fame

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

In a honor described as long overdue, Sandpoint native Jerry Kramer was inducted last week into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jerry Kramer stands by a plaque commemorating his athletic achievements at a Sandpoint High School gathering Friday. Photo by Cameron Rasmusson.

With a Green Bay Packers career that racked up five NFL championships and two Super Bowl victories over 11 seasons, Kramer’s lack of Hall-of-Fame enshrinement was considered a gross oversight by most sports commentators. That all changed last week when an emotional Kramer accepted his gold jacket at an induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio.

Kramer’s acceptance speech hit many of the same notes as his address to Sandpoint High School students during a visit two months ago. Showing no bitterness over his long road to the Hall of Fame, he instead thanked the people who most influenced his career, including teammate Don Chandler and especially his coach, the iconic Vince Lombardi.

“It was his approval and his belief in me that he was passing on to me and it made a dramatic difference in my life,” Kramer said.