OTD in Dolphins History: Two Hall of Fame inductions

Quarterback Bob Griese was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 4, 1990 and Nick Buoniconti joined him in Canton exactly 11 years later

The Miami Dolphins have had a lot of memorable August days because that's usually when the Hall of Fame ceremonies take place, and Aug. 4 was the date for not one but two of those for the Dolphins.

Quarterback Bob Griese was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 4, 1990 and linebacker Nick Buoniconti officially joined him in Canton exactly 11 years later.

Griese, who was presented for the Hall of Fame by Coach Don Shula, was the fourth member of the Dolphins inducted into Canton.

His son, Brian, would follow him as a Dolphins player when he spent the 2003 season with Miami.

He expertly guided the Dolphins offense throughout the 1970s after arriving as a first-round pick (fourth overall) in 1968 and was named NFL MVP in 1977.

Buoniconti, who was acquired in one of the greatest trades in franchise history, was a star for the Boston Patriots before he arrived in Miami in 1969.

The undersized Buoniconti became the heart and soul of the No-Name Defense orchestrated by coordinator Bill Arnsparger in the early part of the 1970s.

He was presented for induction by his son, Marc.

"The Dolphins years, from 1970 to '74, I think they speak for themselves," Buoniconti said during his induction speech. "For when you talk about the greatest teams in history, and there are so many represented here by so many great Hall of Famers, the Dolphins team is right at the top. Not only did we accomplish what no other team in history accomplished — go undefeated in '72. But when you look at the record in '72, '73, and '74, this football team only lost six games. Six games.

"And in the process, they sent some an incredible people here to Canton. The toughest, most rugged fullback I've ever seen –Larry Csonka. The most graceful receiver – and Lynnie Swann, when I look at you, I look at Paul Warfield. And the most unselfish quarterback I have ever been around, Mr. Bob Griese. And the tandem of (Larry) Little and (Jim) Langer, that really set the fear in every defensive player's heart that they played against."