Christie Among 2010 Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

Yesterday afternoon, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame officially announced their 2010 class. Longtime Buffalo Bills kicker Steve Christie will be among this year's inductees.

As a young child growing up in Ontario, Christie's goal was to be a professional soccer player; he played on the Canadian Junior World Cup Team, but was offered a football scholarship to William and Mary college. After a hugely successful college career, he was drafted by the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos, but signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After two seasons with the Bucs in 1990 and 1991, Christie was one of Buffalo's first signings in free agency in 1992.

During his eight seasons in Buffalo, Christie scored 1,108 points, played in 156 consecutive regular season and post-season games, and still ranks as the top scorer in Bills history. He scored 100 or more points in eight of his nine seasons in Buffalo, and set the record for the longest successful field goal (59 yards) in Bills’ regular season play. His 54-yard field goal against the Cowboys in January of 1994 set the Super Bowl record, which still stands today.

He joins fellow Buffalo Bills players Joe DeLamielleure, Booker Edgerson, Joe Ferguson, Jim Kelly, Jack Kemp, Paul Maguire, Andre Reed, George Saimes, Tom Sestak, Billy Shaw, O.J. Simpson, Steve Tasker, Darryl Talley, Butch Byrd, Shane Conlan, Elbert Dubenion, Kent Hull, Fred Smerlas, Bruce Smith, Mike Stratton, and Thurman Thomas in the GBSHOF. Other Bills-related inductees are coaches Lou Saban, Marv Levy, and Jim McNally, along with administrators Ed Abromovski, Bill Polian and founder Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. The legendary voice of the Bills, Van Miller, is also an enshrinee.

The 2010 class induction ceremonies and dinner will be held in October at the Buffalo Hyatt Regency Hotel.