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The San Mateo County Historical Association will honor the four long-heralded athletes who helped the San Francisco 49ers win their first Super Bowl in 1981.
Every year the Association hosts the San Mateo County History Makers dinner, an annual event that highlights an individual or individuals who have made significant contributions to regional history.
This year, former football players Dwight Hicks, Ronnie Lott, Carlton Williamson, and Erick Wright will be honored as the 2022 San Mateo County History Makers.
Historically, the 49ers were a losing team. But in 1981, the team saw tremendous improvement in the defensive backfield.
Defensive backfield coach George Seifert recognized the talents of Hicks, who had previously been cut from two NFL teams and was fresh from exile in the Canadian Football League.
Seifert teamed up Hicks with three rookies, Lott, Williamson and Wright, creating one of the most accomplished backfields in NFL history and eventually leading the team to Super Bowl glory in 1981.
In 1984, all four players were selected for the Pro Bowl. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers had previously placed an entire secondary in this prestigious all-star game.
But how is this a San Mateo County story? Between 1956 and 1988, the 49ers were headquartered and practiced at 711 Nevada St. in Redwood City.
The players lived in the community, their kids enrolled in local schools, they attended local churches, shopped at local businesses and participated in local community affairs.
Join the San Mateo County Historical Association for the History Makers dinner on Sept. 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Grand Bay San Francisco Hotel.
The event, which has been held for nearly 20 years, also serves as a benefit to support the Association’s core programs.
San Mateo County Historical Association core programs, including:
- Operating three museums: San Mateo County History Museum, Sanchez Adobe, and Woodside Store
- Conducting school programs at the three museums
- Providing public access to its archives through its research library
- Caring for the 420,000 historical items in its collections
- Organizing special monthly educational programs for adults and children
- Continuing a creative schedule of changing exhibits at the History Museum
- Publishing its journal, La Peninsula
- Acting as a clearinghouse for matters of historic preservation throughout the County
Former 49ers running back Bill Ring will serve as Master of Ceremonies, and the evening will include a hosted cocktail reception, followed by a dinner, a brief live auction, and a special Q&A session with the players.
For additional information, click here.
