ESPN GameDay to air Presnell interview
Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 24, 2002
It's taken 70 years, but Glenn Presnell is becoming quite a media attraction.
Earlier this summer, Presnell was featured at the dedication ceremonies of Tanks Memorial Stadium since he was one of the former Ironton Tanks pro football players.
On Wednesday, Presnell was the focus of an ESPN interview at Tanks Memorial Stadium.
ESPN's SportsCenter co-anchor Kenny Mayne conducted an interview with Presnell in the stands and on the field. The 97-year-old Presnell is the oldest living former NFL player.
Presnell doesn't understand why the sudden interest, but he likes it.
"It's quite interesting," Presnell said. "It's kind of surprising after all these years."
Presnell was a two-time NFL All-Pro with the Detroit Lions and led the team to the 1935 NFL championship while sharing the league scoring honors. He once kicked a then-NFL record 54-yard field goal.
But Presnell doesn't expect the latest attention to have any impact on a bid to have him selected as a member to the NFL Hall of Fame.
"It might (get him in the Hall of Fame), but I doubt it. If it was going to happen, it would have already have happened. I had as good as stats as a lot of players who are in there."
The interview is scheduled to air at 11 a.m. on Sunday's NFL GameDay show.
Presnell answered dozens of questions and was even asked to throw a football.
"I haven't thrown a football in a long time. I couldn't remember when," said Presnell. "They ask a lot of questions, but there were so many I don't recall all of them."
Presnell was an All-American running back at Nebraska who served as the Cornhuskers head coach in 1928. He also coached the Tanks
and at Eastern Kentucky University.