Three Players Join Walsh, Noll in Election to NFL Hall of Fame : Pro football: Payton, Fouts and Little receive game’s ultimate honor from panel of voters.

Two coaches, Bill Walsh and Chuck Noll, and three prominent former players, Walter Payton, Dan Fouts and Larry Little, made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday as the 34 voters on the panel, mostly sportswriters, elected five and turned down 10.

Among those considered in two hours of discussions were two of the finest offensive guards of all time.

Little of the Miami Dolphins was voted in. Tom Mack of the Rams was not--again.

A year ago, Mack, who played in 11 Pro Bowl games in his 13 Ram seasons, reached the final round. In this year’s balloting, he failed to get beyond the first round of 15 candidates.

Mack is one of only five to play in more than 10 Pro Bowls. The other four are in the Hall of Fame.

Little learned of his election in Las Vegas. “I’m very happy, ecstatic,” he said. “I’m ready to go out this hotel window. I am almost at a loss for words.

“I tried to do the best I could in a team concept. Individual honors are gravy. It’s a great honor. Now I can close the door on my pro career.”

Walsh, now coaching Stanford, was also among those considered last year. This time the panel reconsidered Walsh’s work at San Francisco in the 1980s, when he coached the 49ers to three Super Bowl championships.

He also laid the groundwork for their fourth victory under George Seifert, his former defensive coordinator, and Joe Montana, one of numerous former Walsh players still on the roster.

It is unusual for the voting panel to honor a coach who is still active, but Walsh is considered an unusual coach.

In the 1970s, Noll coached the Pittsburgh Steelers to a record four Super Bowl victories.

Six of Noll’s players on Pittsburgh’s 1970s champions, Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene among them, preceded him into the hall.

Payton is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. As a mainstay in the Chicago Bear offense, he was on Coach Mike Ditka’s 1985 Super Bowl team.

The 23rd Bear in the Hall of Fame on a list that began with Red Grange and George Halas, Payton was elected in his first year of eligibility, as were Fouts and Noll.

With all his records, Payton didn’t think his election was a sure thing. “You don’t expect anything except death and taxes,” he said. “It’s always good to get recognition.

“I played a kids’ game and got paid for it. I tried to play the way I was taught and I owe a debt of gratitude to the coaches I played for--in high school, in college and with the Bears. You are an extension of these people.”

In San Diego, Fouts had a brilliant NFL career under Coach Don Coryell. Fouts joins Coach Sid Gillman, receiver Lance Alworth and lineman Ron Mix among Chargers in the Hall of Fame.

Little was the blocking star on the Miami Dolphins’ 17-0 team in 1972 and on other Don Shula winners.

A record number of four offensive linemen, three guards among them, came under panel scrutiny Saturday, but only Little was elected.

The only one of six finalists who received an insufficient number of votes for election was tight end Jackie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

Others reaching the 10-man semifinal round Saturday were Charger wide receiver Charlie Joiner, Dallas cornerback Mel Renfro and Miami center Dwight Stephenson.

Others on the original 15-man list were Minnesota defensive end Carl Eller, Charger tight end Kellen Winslow, receiver Lynn Swann, tackle Bob Brown and guard Dick Stanfel.

The NFL’s Hall of Fame class of five this winter can be compared with baseball’s class of one, Reggie Jackson. Traditionally, baseball has been more choosy.

The push for larger NFL classes comes from Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where the rites each summer are more festive than baseball’s in Cooperstown, N.Y.

New Members

A look at the five inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

* DAN FOUTS

Passed for 43,040 yards and 254 touchdowns for the San Diego Chargers. Completed 58.8% of his passes (3,297 of 5,604). Established NFL records for most 300-yard passing games with 51 and most 3,000-yard seasons with six. Had three consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons 1979-81. Six Pro Bowls.

* LARRY LITTLE

Played in 183 games for the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins from 1967-1980. Played in three consecutive Super Bowls, 1971-73. All-Pro from 1971-75. Five Pro Bowls.

* CHUCK NOLL

Led the Pittsburgh Steelers to Super Bowl victories in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980. Record was 209-156-1 in 23 years, including 16-8 in the postseason, sixth all-time in victories. He played guard for the Cleveland Browns for seven years, including in NFL championship games from 1953-55.

* WALTER PAYTON

NFL’s all-time rusher with 16,726 yards and 110 rushing touchdowns. Rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 10 of his 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. Topped 100 yards in rushing 77 times in his career and also caught 492 passes for 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns. Nine Pro Bowls. Holds single-game record with 275 yards against Minnesota in 1977.

* BILL WALSH

Won three Super Bowls (1982, 1985, 1989) as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers (1979-89). Record was 102-63-1 in 10 years. Taking over a team that was 2-14 the previous season, he led the 49ers to their first NFL championship in three years.