'Cadillac' Williams milestone preserved in Canton

Shoes and gloves from Williams’ record on exhibit at Hall of Fame

On Sunday, rookie running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first player in National Football League history to start a career with three consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. In addition, his 434 yards on the ground in those three games surpassed Alan Ameche’s record of 410 set in 1955 as a member of the Baltimore Colts.

The shoes and gloves worn by Williams when he set the new league mark have arrived at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The mementos were placed on exhibit in the Hall’s Pro Football Today exhibition area on Thursday.

“It’s always exciting for visitors to walk through the Hall and see the mementos from greats such as Red Grange or Jim Brown alongside those from the stars of today,” commented Joe Horrigan, the Hall of Fame’s Vice President of Communications/Exhibits. “We are so pleased that Cadillac and the Buccaneers have given us a piece of history to help us with our ongoing mission of preserving the complete story of the NFL and pro football.”

Williams set the record by rushing for 158 yards in the Bucs’ 17-16 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field during Week 3 action. He gained 148 yards in the season opening victory against the Vikings in Minnesota. Williams then ran for 128 yards in Tampa Bay’s win over the Buffalo Bills the following week.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have my shoes and gloves in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We want to keep the momentum going against Detroit, and continue to have a successful year,” commented Williams.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, which opened in Canton, Ohio in 1963, houses the largest collection on the sport in the world.

Williams’ shoes and gloves will now be among the many items in the Hall’s collection that are related to the Buccaneers. A sampling of Tampa Bay memorabilia in Canton includes:

 A game ball awarded to Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon in 1978. He sacked Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton three times as the Bucs downed the Vikings, 16-10 in 1978.
 A detachable hand warmer for uniforms that was developed by Tampa Bay equipment manager Frank Pupello.
 The helmet worn by Doug Williams during the 1979 NFL season. It includes a custom-made facemask designed to protect Williams’ broken jaw.
 The coin used for the coin toss at Super Bowl XXXVII.