WILBRAHAM – On June 21, John Van Buren, who lived in Wilbraham from 1980 until 2010, traveled to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio to be inducted into the Minor League Football Hall of Fame as part of the “Class of 2019.”

Van Buren played semi-pro for the Uncle Sams in Troy, New York from 1977 to 1978. He said that each year the Empire Football League, to which the Uncle Sams belong, nominates one of their players for the Hall of Fame. He was nominated, sent in his credentials about a month before the induction, and was chosen.

“I’m more proud of having my teammates select me than anything else,” Van Buren said, adding that his induction is “the icing on the cake.”

Van Buren is originally from Waterford, New York. After playing high school football at Catholic Central High School in Troy, New York, Van Buren received a four-year scholarship to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. There, he was an All-Time Letter Winner in 1974,1975, and 1976 and set an 80-yard record for Fumble Return Yards. As of 2016, the record had not been surpassed.

After college, Van Buren joined the Uncle Sams. While playing for the team, Van Buren led the league in interceptions and punt returns. He was the Defensive MVP as a cornerback in 1977 and 1978. He was even featured in the magazine, “Pro Football Weekly.”

During his time on the team, he had tryouts for the professional league with the Montreal Alouettes, Buffalo Bills, and the New York Giants. In 1979, a hamstring injury prematurely ended Van Buren’s time on the field. He went on to have a career in orthopedics, working for both Johnson & Johnson and Zimmer.

After 40 years, Van Buren told Reminder Publishing, the unanimous vote by the Hall of Fame selection committee felt like the culmination of his football career.