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TENNESSEE
SPORTS HALL OF FAME
ANNOUNCES 2010 CLASS OF INDUCTEES
NASHVILLE,
TN., November 12, 2009 ---The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
today announced the names of eleven inductees to be enshrined
at its annual banquet on February 19th at the Renaissance
Hotel in Nashville.
"This year's banquet will feature an outstanding class
of athletes," said Wayne McCreight, president of the
statewide organization. "We'll have a former NFL great,
a NBA standout, a member of the National Baseball Hall of
Fame and the first African-American professional golfer. I
guarantee everyone who loves sports an exciting evening…an
evening you'll never forget," McCreight concluded.
The
2010 Inductees are as follows:
E. J. Junior --- A graduate
of Maplewood High School in Nashville, Junior played at the
University of Alabama for Bear Bryant where he was a two-time
All-American. During his career at Alabama, the Tide won two
national Championships (1978-79), he was named SEC Player
of the Year, and was named an All SEC selection three times.
Following graduation, the St. Louis Cardinals selected Junior
as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1981 NFL
draft. The two-time Pro Bowler went on to a 13-year NFL career
where he was regarded as one of the game's outstanding linebackers.
He was named to the first ever All Madden team.
Since
retiring from the NFL, Junior has impacted many lives. He
is an ordained minister, has worked with youth in the Miami
area with the NBA's Alonzo Mourning, and he spent time back
in the NFL both as a coach and in the front office. He was
inducted into the Nashville Public Schools Hall of Fame in
2006, and the following year was inducted into the Senior
Bowl Hall of Fame. He is currently the head football coach
for the Central State Marauders in Wilberforce Ohio.
Ted
Rhodes (Posthumous) --- Born in Nashville and a
graduate of the city's public schools, Rhodes was a trailblazing
African-American professional golfer who learned the game
during his teenage years caddying at Belle Meade and Richland
Country clubs. He practiced the game with other caddies and
developed his swing hitting shag balls at Nolensville's Sunset
Park, East Nashville's Douglas Park and Watkins Park in north
Nashville.
In 1948 he played in the U. S. Open at the Riviera Country
Club in Los Angeles and became recognized as the first African-American
professional golfer. Rhodes played primarily on the United
Golfers Association tour winning the Championships four years.
He also won the Negro National Open title in 1957. By the
time the PGA rescinded its Caucasian-only clause in 1961,
Rhodes had retired from competitive golf.
Rhodes returned to Nashville in the early 1960s and mentored
several black PGA golfers, including Lee Elder and Charlie
Sifford. A month after his death at age 55, the Cumberland
Golf Course in Nashville was renamed in his honor. He was
inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame in 1998, and
in 2009 the PGA of America granted him posthumous membership.
John
Stanford --- A native of Louisiana, Stanford enrolled
in Middle Tennessee State University in the early 1950s and
quickly made his mark as one of the outstanding pitchers in
the Ohio Valley Conference. Following graduation he spent
two seasons with the Washington Senators. Following his professional
career, Stanford returned to middle Tennessee where he first
coached at Shelbyville Central High School and later at Motlow
State Community College earning Coach of the Year honors three
consecutive years.
In 1974 he took over the reigns at his alma mater and quickly
developed one of the most respected diamond programs in college
baseball. His MTSU record of 402-272-4 is second only to his
hand-picked successor, Steve Peterson. His teams won four
OVC titles and five Southern Division crowns. His teams made
repeated trips to the NCAA Tournament and he took multiple
coach-of-the-year honors.
After being named Athletic Director at MTSU, Stanford spearheaded
the fund-raising efforts to build one of the finest baseball
facilities on a college campus. He was also responsible for
upgrading the University's golf program and advocated the
formation of the women's softball program.
John
R. Hall (Lifetime Achievement Inductee) --- Growing
up in Knoxville, Hall attended Vanderbilt University where
he was co-captain of the 1954 football team and was named
Academic All-American. He graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt
in 1955 with a degree in engineering.
Following military service, Hall spent a short time with Exxon
Corporation before joining Ashland Oil as a chemical engineer
in 1957. He rose steadily up the corporate ranks and was elected
chairman and chief executive officer in 1981. He retired from
Ashland in 1997. Hall has served as a trustee for Vanderbilt
University since 1987 and served as chairman of the Vanderbilt
Board of Trust from 1995-99. He was elected to the Verizon
Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 2001.
John Hall has devoted much of his time repaying the debt he
feels for Vanderbilt and has dedicated himself to improving
education both regionally and nationally.
Dale Ellis --- A two-time
All-American at the University of Tennessee, Dale Ellis led
the Volunteers to the NCAA tournament each of his four years
while playing in Knoxville. He was twice named SEC Player
of the Year and was named to the SEC Team of the 1980s. Upon
graduation, Ellis left UT as the all-time leader in season
field goal percentage at .654 and a career field goal percentage
of .595. He was selected as a member of the University of
Tennessee Basketball All-Century Team and ranks sixth on Tennessee's
all-time scoring chart.
He was selected ninth overall in the '83 NBA draft by the
Dallas Mavricks where he played until being traded to the
Seattle Supersonics in '86. Ellis was voted the league's Most
Improved Player his first season with the Sonics. He was named
to the NBA All-Star team in1988-89.
Ellis is third all-time in three-point shots made with 1,719
and 12th all-time in three-point field goal percentage. He
still holds the NBA record for most minutes played in a single
game, when he scored 53 points in 69 minutes.
Charlie Coffey --- A native
of Shelbyville, Tenn., Charley Coffey was recruited to play
for General Robert R. Neyland at the University of Tennessee.
During his career at Tennessee he was a three-year letterman,
was elected team captain his senior year, and maintained the
highest grade point average of any member of the Volunteer
football team throughout his four-year college career.
Following graduation, Coffee began his coaching career at
Hialeah High School in Miami, Florida. Additional coaching
stops included Southeastern Louisiana State University, George
Washington University and then back to his alma mater coaching
for Doug Dickey. His next move was to the University of Arkansas
where he coached for Frank Boyles. After five seasons at Arkansas,
Coffey was hired as head football coach at Virginia Tech University
in Blacksburg.
During his time at Virginia Tech, Coach Coffey installed a
wide-open offense which resulted in attendance at Tech games
increasing to record numbers. After retiring from the coaching
ranks, Coffey entered the trucking business and founded the
Nationwide Express Trucking Company in Shelbyville.
Lin Dunn --- A graduate
of the University of Tennessee-Martin, Lin Dunn is regarded
as one of the most successful women's basketball coaches in
the business. Beginning her coaching career at Austin Peay
State University in 1970, Coach Dunn went on to compile a
remarkable 25-year record that includes a .635 winning percentage
at four schools (447-257). She left three of those schools-Purdue,
Miami and Austin Peay-as the winningest coach in program history.
Coach Dunn is best known as the architect of the Purdue women's
basketball program, guiding the Boilmakers for nine seasons
and collecting three Big Ten Conferences titles. She led Purdue
to seven NCAA tournaments, four Sweet Sixteen's and a trip
to the Final Four in 1994.
Dunn's first assignment in professional basketball came when
she took over the reins of the ABL's Portland Power. The following
year she won the Western Conference Championship and was named
the ABL Coach of the Year. She is currently the coach of the
WNBA Indiana Fever.
Rocky Felker --- This
Jackson, Tennessee native was a five-sport letterman earning
All-Sate honors in football at Brownsville High School under
the tutelage of his father, Edwin "Babe" Felker,
a long-time coach at the school.
In 1970 Felker signed a football scholarship with Mississippi
State University and developed into the Bulldogs starting
quarterback for three consecutive seasons. In '74 Felker led
MSU to a 9-3 overall record, leading the SEC in total offense
and directing the Bulldogs to a win over North Carolina in
the Sun Bowl. He was named the Nashville Banner SEC Player
of the Year and the Birmingham Post-Herald Outstanding Senior
Player for his stellar final season.
In 1986 Felker was named head football coach at Mississippi
State, making him the youngest collegiate head coach in the
country. That year he became the first MSU head football coach
to post a winning record in his initial season since the legendary
Darrell Royal in 1954. Coach Felker later held coaching positions
at the University of Tulsa and with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In 2002 he returned to Mississippi State, where he currently
serves as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.
Bill Dupes --- As a standout
high school player at Sweetwater High School and
Tennessee Military Academy, Bill Dupes was offered a scholarship
to attend Tennessee Tech University, where the three-year
starter was elected team captain his senior year, was named
All-Ohio Valley Conference and Honorable Mention Little All-American.
Dupes began his coaching career at Tech serving as an assistant
helping the Eagles to a Tangerine Bowl victory and winning
two Ohio Valley Championships. In 1963 he took over an Austin
Peay program that had not had a winning season for more than
a decade. In his second season at the helm, he led the Governors
to an 8-1-1 record, earning unanimous selection as OVC Coach
of the Year. During his tenure at APSU, he had 23 players
earn first-team All-OVC honors in addition to four being selected
first-team Little All-American.
He returned to high school coaching in 1976, first at TMI
and later his prep alma mater, Sweetwater, where he led his
team to a state title in 1993. He retired from coaching in
1998, ending a 44-year career.
Norman "Turkey" Stearnes
(Posthumous) --- Born in Nashville, Turkey Stearnes began
his baseball career pitching for Pearl High School. He dropped
out of school following his father's death to help support
his family. Later he continued his career playing for the
Knoxville Giants and Nashville White Sox before a standout
career in the Negro Leagues.
Stearnes batted over .400 in two seasons, hit .300 or more
in 14 of 19 seasons and had a lifetime batting average of
.344. He led the Negro League in home runs six times and was
a four time Negro League All-Star. Considered one of the greatest
players in the history of the game, Stearnes ended his active
career in 1940 with the Kansas City Monarchs. In honor of
his stellar playing days with the former Detroit Stars of
the Negro Leagues, a plaque in Stearnes' honor is on display
outside the center field gate at the Tigers' home field Comerica
Park.
In 2000 Norman "Turkey" Stearnes was awarded the
highest honor in baseball when he was inducted posthumously
into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "Turkey' Stearnes
therefore became the first native born Tennessee player inducted
into this most Prestigious Hall.
Harley "Skeeter" Swift
--- Growing up in Alexandria, Virginia, Skeeter Swift
began his basketball career at George Washington High School.
He was All-State his junior and senior years and was named
a High School All-American his senior year. Highly recruited
out of high school, Swift accepted a scholarship at East Tennessee
State University where he played from 1966-69. During his
career, he was a three-time All Ohio Valley Conference selection
and was named the Player of the Year in '68. His junior year
he led ETSU into the NCAA field of 32, where they upset fifth
ranked Florida State. He ranks sixth on the Bucs career points
list with 1,367, and ranks third in points per game for a
career with 17.9 average.
Swift went on to become a standout in professional basketball
playing five seasons in the ABA for the New Orleans Bucks,
where he was selected to the 1969-70 All Rookie Team. During
his professional career he scored over 3,000 points and today
ranks as one of the top ten free-throw shooters in the American
Basketball Association, now the National Basketball Association.
After his playing days, he coached the Elizabethton High School
Cyclones and the prestigious high school power, Oak Hill Academy,
where he won a national private school championship.
Along with these inductees, several individual and team honorees
will be recognized
at the annual Banquet on February 19, 2010. Those recipients,
to include the male and Female Amateur Athlete of the Year
as well as the Professional Athletes of the Year, will be
announced in the near future.
Tickets for the awards banquet and induction ceremony are
available from the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for $125.00.
For more information on the event, call the TSHF office at
(615) 242-4750 or e-mail tnsports@bellsouth.net.
The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is a statewide, non-profit
organization founded to honor and preserve outstanding sports
achievements in Tennessee.
2009
Philip
Hutcheson
*Joe Gilliam, Jr.
Ronald "Woody" Hunt
*Tommy Owen
Sarah Ingram
Sam Bartholomew, Jr.
Stan Huntsman
Chip Kell
Andy Nelson
Tim Priest
Elliot Perry
2008
Sterling
Marlin
Madeline Manning Mims
*Ronald Lawson, Sr.
Margaret Sexton Gleaves
Gene Hickerson
Joan Cronan
Mike Paxton
Jerry Reese
Jack Lupton
Fred Smith
*Dick Huffman
2007
David
Blackstock
Al
Brown
Fran
Chandler
Kyle
"Buddy" Cruze
Joe Gilliam Sr.
Bernard
King
Fred
Pancoast
*Cornelius
Ridley
*Dr.
Frank Trundle Sr.
Will
Wolford
Jim
Youngblood
2006
K.S.
"Bud" Adams Jr.
Richard
Dent
Ann
Furrow
Rick
Honeycutt
E.L.
Hutton
Jerry
C. Johnson
D.D.Lewis
*Dr.
Earl Ramer
Larry
Schmittou
Rochelle
Stevens
*Luther
"Luke" Worsham Jr.
2005
Dr.
Dick Barnett
Darwin
Bond
Richmond
Flowers
Haywood
Harris
Billy
Justus
Ed
Murphey
*John
Williams Overton
Betty
Booker-Parks
Susan
Russ
Verties
Sails Jr.
*W.G.
"Petie" Siler
2004
*Henry
Kimbro
*Vice
Admiral WIlliam Lawrence
Lloyd
Neal
Andy
Roberts
Ken
Sparks
June
Stewart
John
Tucker
Holly
Warlick
*Reggie
White
Betty
Wiseman
*Joe
Worden
2003
Charlie
Anderson
Watson
Brown
Dale
Kelley
Bob
Patterson
Carl
Poston, Sr.
Chuck
Rohe
*George
Sloan
Pat
Summitt
Perry
Wallace
*Win
Wilfong
2002
Billy
Joe Adcock
Charles
Brantley
Eddie
Brown
Chandra
Cheeseborough
Jimmy
Cole
*Ken
Donahue
Phil
Garner
*John
Mauer
Jane
Puckett
Kyle Rote
Jr.
2001
Lucinda
Williams Adams
Bill
Barnes
Billy
Fletcher
Phillip
Fulmer
Stan
Hamilton
Calvin
Houghland
*Tim
Kerin
Hal
Miller
*Jeff
Peeples
Darrell
Waltrip
2000
Murray
Armstrong
Keith
Butler
*Mack
Chandler
*Phil
Dickens
*Hooper
Eblen
Frank
Emanuel
Heidi
Gililngham Jackson
Stanley
Morgan
Catherine
Neely
Steve
Sloan
Steve
Spurrier
|
1999
*Harry
Anderson
*Josh
Cody
*Mae Faggs Starr
Dennis Harrison
Charlie Lea
John Michels
Buck Miller
Wendy Scholtens Wood
Joe Steffy
Curt Watson
Kim Webb
|
1998
Edgar Allen Charles
Davis *Willie H. Hudson
*Louis B. "Farmer"
Johnson
Steve Kiner
R.L. "Buddy"
Patey
Jack "Hacksaw"
Reynolds
Leonard "Truck"
Robinson
Russell G. Vollmer Margaret
Matthews Wilburn |
|
1997
*Johnny Butler
*Joel
Herbert "Herb" Parsons
Art
Demmas
James "Boots"
Donnelly
Gill Gideon
Richard S. "Bill"
Hudson
C.M. "Buck"
Johnson
John E. "Buddy"
Leake Jr.
Theodore
McClain Ron Widby |
|
1996
*Mooney Boswell
Leonard Coffman Eddie
Crawford Lou Graham Jim
Hickman *Phil King Darris
McCord Roy Skinner Tracy
Caulkins Stockwell Bill
Wright |
|
1995
Sam Agee Ben
Byrd Jimmy Earle *Junior
Gilliam Clyde Lee Charles
Rosenfelder Mason Rudoph
David Scobey John
Seward *Abe Shires Harry
Shoemaker |
|
1994
Bill Anderson Dean
Hayes Hunter Jackson Ed
Jones Gus Manning *Ed
Molinski *Ed Martin
*Reese Smith
James Earl Wright
|
|
1993
Bob Carroll *Foots
Clement Michael Cody *Leo
Davis Larry Finch Condredge
Holloway *John McLendon
Horace Moore *Bill
Pack *Jimmy Smyth |
|
1992
*Dean Bailey *Vernon
Bell *Dr. Walter Davis
Tom Nix
*Pug Pearman
Ike Peel Herb
Rich Ralph Stout Roscoe
Tanner |
1991
*Johnny Antonelli
John Bramlett Doug
Dickey *Ken Dugan *Tom
Fann Hal Littleford *Jim
Smiddy Larry Varnell John
Ward |
|
1990
*Hickman Ewing Ray
Graves *Ralph Hatley *Elmore
"Scoop" Hudgins *Jimmy
Moore Bob Peoples *Bob
Polk Betty Probasco
*Ira Templeton
*H.B. "Bus"
Thompson |
1989
*Tom Elam John
Robert Bell Steve DeLong
*Rex Dockery Roy
Kramer Pat McHugh *John
Merritt Harry Schuh |
|
1988
Ray Bussard A.F.
"Bud" Dudley Lou Fitzgerald
*Howard Gentry Sr. Claude
Humphrey *James T. "Tommy"
Prothro *George H. Treadwell
*Star Wood |
1987
*Lemuel Phillip
Beene *John Bibb Larry
Carrier Richard A. Davies
*Joseph Curtis "Jake"
Fondren Ernie Grunfeld
Harold Franklin Johnson
*Irwin "Tiny" Knee Hillis
Layne |
1986
*Samuel W. "Sam"
Bartholomew Thomas G.
"Tommy" Bartlett *Turney
Ford James A. "Jim" Haslam
II *Houston Herndon *Thomas
G. "Shaky" Kain *Dr. A.
Brant "Pinky" Lipscomb *Elwyn
"Rip" Rowan James "Tim"
McCarver |
|
1985
*Ernest "Big Boy" Eldridge *Charles
"Willie" Geny *Robert
G. Cifers *Stroud Gwynn
Robert Johnson
*Ray Mears
Hal Morrison *Cliff
Norvell Joseph S. Signaigno
|
|
1984
A.W. Davis *Samuel
Dorsey Jackson *Harry
Johnsey
*Joseph Laurent
Johnson
*William C. "Bill"
Redd *Dr. Sam Houston
Sanders *Walter "Buck"
Van Huss |
|
1983
*George "Zaney" Barker
*Ed Cifers
*Buford "Baby"
Ray Raymond "Bull" Brown
*Roger Goodman Murray
*Marvin "Marvelous Marv"
Throneberry |
|
1982
Ken Burkhart *Will
Grimsley *Alex Guerry
Francis E. "Hank" Lauricella
Elma Roane *Gene
Thompson |
|
1981
Edward Bailey *Floyd
Burdette *Erselle D. "Red"
Cavette Bailey Howell
Sadie Galloway Johnson
|
1980
*Eugene Boyce *J.
Madison Brooks William
M. "Bill" Johnson *Ruffner
P. Murray Claudette Riley
Sisk Judy Eller Street
Murray Warmath |
1979
*H. Kirk Grantham
*William J. Gupton Billy
M. Jones Dr. Andrew J.
Kozar *George Tyree |
|
1978
*George Bugbee
*E.B. "Red"
Etter
*Joshua "Josh"
Grider Jack Dickinson
"Jackie" Parker *Hillman
Robbins Kermit Smith |
|
1977
*Julian Bell *Johnny
Beazley *William Fred
Delay *Humphrey B. "Hump"
Heywood Garrard S. "Buster"
Ramsey *A.L. "John" Treadway
|
|
1976
*Joe Davis Billy
J. Murphy *Charles "Bubber"
Murphy *Tury Oman *Tom
Siler *Emmett Strickland
|
|
1975
Edith McGuire Duvall
*Kerby Farrell *Wirt
Gammon *Boyce Smith *M.C.
"Tip" Smith |
|
1974
*Sam Atcheson
Alline Banks
Sprouse
*Bowser Chest *Buddy
Hackman
*Fred Russell
*Davis
"Sandy" Sandlin |
|
1973
*Raymond Johnson *Mickey
O'Brien *Lew Oehmig *Kames
T. "Doc" Prothro Wyomia
Tyus Simburg *Lon Varnell
|
|
1972
*A.F. Bridges *John
Gooch *Charles "Red" Lucas
*Curtis Person, Sr. Edward
Temple *James R. Turner
*Bowden Wyatt |
|
1971
*T.J. "Tommy" Bridges
*Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither
*John L. Head *Sam
B. "Frosty" Holt *Horace
Milton "Hod" Lisenbee Doris
Sams *Fred Toney |
1970
Ralph Boston *Nash
Buckingham *Carl Hinkle
*George Livingstone
*Bill
Meyer *Ray Morrison *Walter
Stewart *Bob Suffridge
|
1969
*Larry Gilbert *Lombe
Honaker *Andrew Cecil
"Scrappy" Moore *Wallace
Wade *Bob Wilson *Bob
Woodruff |
|
1968
*Dale Alexander *John
Barnhill *Bob Foxx *Mrs.
Margaret Gaut *Dr. C.C.
Humphreys *William "Bill"
Terry |
1967
*Dean Nathan Dougherty
*Joe Engel *Early
Maxwell *Gene McEver *Cary
Middlecoff *Lindsey Nelson
*Wilma Rudolph *Dean
Madison Sarrat Nera White
|
|
1966
Doug Atkins
Dana Bible
*Lynn Bomar *George
Cafego *Irby "Rabbit"
Curry *Bobby Dodd
*Beattie Feathers
*Herman Hickman
*Claude "Blinky" Horn
*Bishop Frank A. Juhan
The Majors Family:
*Mr. and *Mrs. Shirley Majors, *Bill, Bob, John, *Joe, Larry
& Shirley Ann
*Dan
McGugin *Bernie Moore
*Jess Neely *General
Robert Neyland *P.V. "Putty"
Overall *Grantland Rice *Henry
R. "Red" Sanders *Bill
Spears Bill Wade
* Deceased |
