Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics

Vester Flanagan enrolled as a “skinny” 180-pound freshman and graduated as a 272-pound All-American tackle. He capped a brilliant four-year varsity football career by being instrumental in the Lumberjack’s 20-game winning streak and helping them gain berth in the 1960 NAIA Holiday Bowl. “It’s a dream come true,” Flanagan said of his Hall of Fame award. “I was among those that didn’t think there was a chance of getting into the Hall of Fame. It was unthinkable.” Flanagans varsity career spanned 1957-60. In 1959 he was first-team Far Western Conference and first-team NAIA All-District offensive tackle, The following season, when HSU rolled through the regular season undefeated (10-0), he was selected to AP Little All-Coast, AP Little All-American, NAIA All-American, and All-FWC.

In addition to football, he threw the javelin in track and finished third in the NCAA regional with a 212-foot performance, a school record at the time.