CANTON, Ohio — Eddie DeBartolo will talk about the 49ers glory days during his induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
But he'll touch on the bad times, too. DeBartolo bought the team in 1977, when he was 30, and promptly looked in over his head."I think the people in San Francisco probably wondered for those first couple of years, 'What the hell is he doing here?'" DeBartolo said Friday on the eve of enshrinement.With that in mind, DeBartolo has a special appreciation for the current dismal state of the 49ers. His nephew, Jed York, 36, now owns the team and is under fire for a string of losing seasons, roster departures and coaching turmoil.