About 600 people were on hand for a special ceremony at King City High School Thursday. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Ford Motor Company paid tribute to Roger Wehrli at his high school alma mater as part of the Hometown Hall of Famer program.

The crowd included students, teachers, the school’s marching band, friends and others.

“It feels great to be back,” Wehrli shared. “King City was a wonderful place to grow up and it’s very humbling to be back here at the high school where it all started for me.”

Hometown Hall of Famer is a national program that honors the hometown roots of the greatest heroes of the game with special ceremonies and plaque dedication events in local communities.

Roger Wehrli was born in New Point, Missouri in 1947. He attended University of Missouri and was a first round draft pick with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969. Wehrli earned a starting role as rookie and led or tied for lead in interceptions for Cardinals four times. He amassed 40 career interceptions, recovered franchise record-tying 19 fumbles, and picked off career-high six passes.

Wehrli was named All-Pro and All-NFC five times, and selected to seven Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.