June 13 – Frank Minnifield, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame and Kay Collier McLaughlin

LEXINGTON, KY – The Rotary Club of Lexington held its weekly meeting on Thursday, June 13, at The Mane on Main, Chase Bank building on Main St. The guest speakers were Frank Minnifield, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) and Kay Collier McLaughlin, the daughter of the late University of Kentucky and Cleveland Browns head football coach Blanton Collier, Board Chair of the HOF.

This meeting will also be on Zoom. For the Zoom link please email, [email protected].

If you would like to have lunch, please contact [email protected] to reserve your meal.

Lexington Rotarians will hear from Frank Minnifield, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) and Kay Collier McLaughlin, the daughter of the late University of Kentucky and Cleveland Browns head football coach Blanton Collier, Board Chair of the HOF. Since its beginnings in 2003, the HOF has recognized Kentuckians – whether by birth, education, vocation or residency, who have made meaningful contributions to professional football.

Frank overcame numerous challenges to become one of the NFL’s top defensive backs during his nine-year career with the Cleveland Browns. Receiving no scholarship offers out of Henry Clay High School, Frank walked on at the University of Louisville, where he became an outstanding defensive back and return specialist, leading the nation in kickoff return yardage his junior year.

Undrafted by the NFL, Frank joined the inaugural USFL, playing two seasons before catching the attention of NFL scouts. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1984. From 1984 to 1992, Frank established himself as one of the league’s top defensive backs, earning All-Rookie Team honors, four consecutive Pro Bowl invitations (1986-1989), a first team All-Pro selection in 1988, and helping lead Cleveland to three AFC Championship games. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980s. He and a teammate named the east endzone cheering section in Cleveland the “Dawg Pound,” forever becoming part of NFL lore.

After retiring, Frank founded Minnifield Enterprizes, Inc., a top purchasing agent for Toyota manufacturing plants. He was the first African American elected to the board of directors for Commerce Lexington, Chairman of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, and serves on the board of directors for Community Trust Bank.

For Kay, her father’s coaching career was a Collier “family affair.” Kay’s deep bond with the sport included being an academic tutor for the UK football team, spending summers at the Cleveland Browns training camps, having her dad’s coaching staffs become “part of her family”, and game days.

Kay’s involvement in football extended beyond her father’s coaching days. She wrote Football’s Gentle Giant – The Blanton Collier Story.  Her interview for the book The Thin Thirty about the 1962 UK football team, lead to her involvement in a player reunion grief workshop and the formation of the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Group, Inc., a non-profit organized to benefit the health, safety, and well-being of young athletes. A phone call from Frank Minnifield resulted in the creation of the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Award for Integrity On and Off the Field, given annually by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Kay’s professional achievements are vast. She holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Union Institute and University, and is an accomplished teacher, workshop leader, consultant, and published author of six books.

Rotary in Review

 FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

The speakers at the June 13th Rotary Club meeting were Frank Minnifield, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) and Kay Collier McLaughlin, the daughter of the late University of Kentucky and Cleveland Browns head football coach Blanton Collier, Board Chair of HOF.  The HOF, now in its 23rd year, was started by a group of NFL players living in central Kentucky, who were part of the NFL Players Association–Kentucky Chapter.  Kentucky is the only state to have a pro football HOF.

It started out as a golf outing.   The HOF now exists to support children and youth and to promote football at all levels in the state.  To become eligible, candidates must meet two requirements.  First, they have to be born, live or play football in Kentucky.  Second, they must have either played or coached pro football for five years – ten years for assistant coaches.  HOF members are given the distinctive purple jacket, historically the symbol of royalty, which was introduced as part of its 20th anniversary celebration.  Mr. Minnifield said that before deciding on a color they met with representatives from The Masters, with its iconic green jacket, and with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with its gold jacket – the gold standard of the NL.  Championship rings were given out on the 10th anniversary and the goal two years from now – the 25th anniversary – is to build a museum.

Mr. Minnifield said that in addition to professional players and coaches, the HOF has inducted other individuals who have contributed to football in the Commonwealth.  Among them are Tom Hammond, long time play-by-play announcer for the NFL, Phyllis George, another sportscaster, and the Centre College football team, which in its day in the early 1900’s was the “Bama” of football.  And, NFL referee Tommy Bell, the late father of Rotarian Bruce Bell, was inducted in 2018.  This year’s inductees on June 28 are Harry Douglass, University of Louisville alumnus and wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons, Maurice Douglass from UK, who played in the NFL for eleven seasons, Luke Stodner, who played for the Volunteers and is now a coach with the Tennessee Titans, Jack Doyle, a graduate of Western Kentucky, and the late Fred Lee Davis, who played for Alabama and won two Super Bowl rings with the Chicago Bears.

Dr. McLaughlin then spoke about growing up in a football family and being part of her father’s teams at an early age.  She and Mr. Minnifield created the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Award for Integrity On and Off the Field, given annually by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.  One recipient of the Collier Award is former Wildcat Head Coach Rich Brooks.  She emphasized that the HOF’s mission was to support Kentucky’s youth.  Some of the local organizations benefitting from the HOF are the Autism Society, the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Foster Care Council – all for the love of football.

• Paul Chewning