By PETER SCHLEHR
SID Emertus
The Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame is billing tonight's induction ceremony as a star-studded event but if you're a Tiger fan, one name in the 2011 class in particular jumps right out at you.
Sean Landeta.
One of our Towson University athletes has finally made the grade. Sean becomes the first Tiger through that door since the institution's inception in 1953.
It's about time.
It's not that Towson hasn't had an athlete before Sean worthy of induction. We've had a plethora of Tigers whose portrait could hang with the best of them in any hall's gallery.
But there's a hitch to joining the Maryland group.
To be eligible for election the athlete must be a Maryland native-born son or daughter. That requirement knocks out a lot of our former Tiger greats who came into this world outside of the Free State's borders.
The most obvious and prominent Towson name not included among the Maryland Hall's membership is Donald "Doc" Minnegan. Doc devoted nearly a half-century to Towson athletics, making his mark as a coach, educator and administrator, earning national and international acclaim especially for his involvement in soccer.
However, Doc was born in Waterman, Ill. And that's the calamity many other Towson athletes face.
If Sean is the first Tiger elected to this distinguished group, we couldn't have offered up a better candidate.
A graduate of nearby Loch Raven High School, Sean made a living punting the football. He was the best ever at Towson (1979-82). He was later named to the NCAA Division II all-time team, making him the best ever at the college division level.
He was the first punter ever named to the Associated Press' College Division All-American team. Prior to that Herschel Nissenson, AP's national college football Sports Editor had always left that position blank. He couldn't overlook Sean's accomplishments. AP has included a punter on its post-season college division teams every year since.
His professional career has been well documented. Over a spectacular 25-year period he was named All-Pro seven times, twice in the now defunct USFL (Baltimore/Philadelphia Stars) and five times in the National Football League (Giants, Rams, Buccaneers, Packers and Eagles).
He was honored as the NFL's Punter of the Decade in the 1980's and the 1990's. He was also named as the punter on the Philadelphia Eagles' 75th Anniversary all-time team and on ESPN's 40th Anniversary All-Time Super Bowl team.
Obviously, he was one of the NFL's very best too.
Sean marveled over his role in football. On October 2, 1982, he was struck by the tho
ught that the guy who relies on his leg to play the game is different than any other player on the field.
That night Sean averaged almost 50 yards a punt and kicked three field goals, including a game winning 22-yarder with one second left, in a dramatic 35-32 Tiger victory over Maine (right photo).
"I remember trotting on to the field, looking at the clock and realizing whatever I was about to do would determine the outcome of the game," he said. "I got to the huddle, looked at my guys who were muddy, bloody and sweaty from almost three hours of brutal battle with the larger Maine players, and said to myself, 'This is all wrong. I don't have a speck of mud or blood on my uniform and I'm going to decide this thing.'"
Sean helped determine the outcome of many games at every level he played.
Tonight he's being recognized for those achievements. A Towson contingent will be on hand to applaud one of football's greatest punters who happens to be a Tiger to boot.
