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Big Red legend Jones to be inducted into NHSFHOF

By From staff reports 2 min read

CANTON -- Big Red legend the late Calvin Jones will be inducted into the National High School Football Hall of Fame this summer, the NHSFHOF announced.

Jones will join Big Red head Reno Saccoccia as part of the second class to be inducted. Saccoccia was previusly revealed as an inductee in November.

Jones, a 1952 Steubenville High School graduate, went on to have a stellar collegiate career at Iowa after his time at Big Red and is the only three-time All-American the Hawkeyes have produced. He won the Outland Trophy in 1955 as college football's top lineman and was the first African American to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Jones is remembered with a statue outside of Harding Stadium and the road outside the stadium bears his name.

He tragically died in a plane crash in 1956 while playing professional football in Canada.

The full list of inductees in the Class of 2024 will be announced during a press conference to be streamed on the hall of fame's website at 10 a.m. on Jan. 10.

The inaugural class included Archie Griffin, Chris Spielman, Paul Brown, Jim Brown, Tedd Ginn Sr., Bernie Kosar, Archie Manning, Peyton Manning, Cooper Manning, Eli Manning, Don Nehlen, Greg Cameron, Greg Kampe, Horace Sheffield, Jerry Ball, Kevin Mack, Lomas Brown, Marcus Dupree, Marion Motley, Mike Doss, Ray Freeman, John Crowell and Thom McDaniels.

Also nominated for the 2024 class with Jones and Saccoccia are recognizable figures such as Joe Namath, Deion Sanders, Eric Dickerson, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Cris Carter and Randy Moss.

Wheeling Central head coach Mike Young is also among those being inducted.

The 2024 National High School Football Enshrinement Weekend will take place in Canton the weekend of June 7-9, with the induction ceremony to be held June 8 at the Canton McKinley Auditorium. A full list of events and ticket infotmation will be announced at a later date.

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