McCartha Pleasants, a lifetime Caroline County resident, will be inducted into the American Football Association Hall of Fame tomorrow. msn Visit the Photo Place

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Pleasants' remarkable production, durability saluted by AFA Hall of Fame

Caroline man headed to football Hall of Fame.

By TAFT COGHILL JR.

Date published: 12/10/2004

By TAFT COGHILL

Every winter, Virginia Ravens football coach Hal Lockhart gets the same worried calls from players struggling with a decision to suit up again next season.

"Is Tall coming back?" they ask.

Lockhart's answer often determines the player's fate. And so far, its been a resounding "Yes!" every time.

McCartha "Too Tall" Pleasants, a 45-year-old lifetime Caroline County resident, has played semipro football for 26 years.

For 16 of those years, he's been a Raven.

Tomorrow, Pleasants will be inducted into the American Football Association Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Fla.

His name will be enshrined alongside such greats as former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith.

But while such an honor is usually the culmination of a career, Pleasants has no plans of slowing down.

Especially not after the 6-foot-3, 261-pound defensive end recorded 18 sacks and helped lead the Ravens to their first ever Eastern Football Alliance championship this past season.

"I've got to play again next year," he said. "When you win it all, you've got to come back and defend the title."

Pleasants said he'll play for a couple more years, but he "won't get crazy about it."

His durability alone may have been enough to get him into the AFA Hall of Fame.

But since Pleasants joined the Ravens in 1988, he's been selected to the Mason Dixon Football League's all-star game every season.

He's been named to the league's first-team 15 of those 16 years.

He holds career league records in sacks (365), tackles and tackles for a loss.

Lockhart attributes Pleasants' durability to a healthy lifestyle and "good genes."

"He doesn't smoke and he doesn't drink," Lockhart said. "And he keeps decent hours. He's a very clean-living man."

Pleasants spends his time in the offseason staying in shape. He works out to keep his stamina high, but said he's "not trying to be the Hulk."

He's grooming his 10-year-old son, McCartha Stevens, to be a standout player, as well.

Little McCartha already stands 6-foot and weighs 251 pounds.

"He's up to my chin," Pleasants said. "He weighed too much to play [in Caroline] so I've got him playing in Ashland."

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Date published: 12/10/2004