The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced Wednesday that it will induct former wide receiver Antonio Freeman and former running back Dorsey Levens at the 39th Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held the evening of July 18, 2009, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Freeman played eight seasons for the Packers (1995-2001, 03), appearing in 116 games, with 90 starts. Among the club's most prolific receivers, he ranks sixth on the club's all-time list in both receptions (431) and yards (6,651), and third in touchdown receptions (57). He earned consensus All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection in 1998 after posting 1,424 yards to lead the NFL.
He authored numerous big-game performances over his career, including a three-reception, 105-yard outing in Super Bowl XXXI which included a then-Super Bowl record 81-yard TD reception, and a nine-catch, 126-yard, two-TD game in Super Bowl XXXII. Also a possessor of one of the most remarkable touchdown receptions in team history, Freeman made a bobbling 43-yard, game-winning touchdown catch in overtime of a 26-20 Monday night triumph over Minnesota, Nov. 6, 2000.
Levens played eight seasons (1994-2001) in a Packers uniform, with 53 starts among 102 games played. The fifth all-time leading rusher in team history, he ran for 3,937 yards on 1,006 carries, with 28 touchdowns. A gifted receiver as well, Levens caught 271 passes for 2,079 yards and 16 TDs; only two other backs in Packers annals -- Ahman Green (347) and William Henderson (320) – had more career receptions.
In one of the franchise's most memorable games, the 1996 NFC Championship vs. Carolina, his 29-yard TD reception helped to springboard the Packers into their first Super Bowl in 29 years. Instrumental in the Packers' run to the following Super Bowl, XXXII, Levens led the team in 1997 with a career-high 1,435 rushing yards (fourth in the NFL) to earn a Pro Bowl selection. The season also included a then-team record 190-yard performance vs. Dallas, Nov. 23.
Tickets for the banquet, which begins with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. with a cash bar, and dinner and program to follow at 7 p.m., are $125 each. Tables of 10 also are available for $1150 and are assigned in the order in which they are purchased. Early reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call Gwen Borga at 920/965-6984, or e-mail her at gborga@packerhalloffame.org. No refunds are available 30 days prior to the event.
*The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a non-profit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to develop new exhibits and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. Golf Classic is set for Monday, July 13, 2009, at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Hall moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to a spectacular new, 25,000-square foot facility in the Lambeau Field Atrium. The Hall of Fame is open on non-game days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours may vary on game days and holidays. For more information, contact the Hall of Fame at 920/569-7512, or visit the Hall online at www.packershalloffame.org.*
