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TSHF Announces The 2012 Class of Inductees

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame today announced the names of ten inductees to be enshrined at its annual banquet on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville.

It is with a great deal of pleasure that I am announcing the 2012 Class of Inductees for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame said Bill Emendorfer, president of the state-wide sports organization. “This year we have one of the most diverse classes of all time. It is not a typical class dominated by football players and basketball players but this year we have professionals from NASCAR, fishing, tennis and golf. Plus we have a true American War hero who has a Tennessee football background. This is truly a unique class.” For additional information please contact the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame @ 615-242-4750, email lpowell@tshf.net or go online www.tshf.net. The class is composed of the following distinguished Tennesseans:

Rick Insell

Coach Insell, a 1977 graduate of Middle Tennessee, built a dynasty at Shelbyville High School, where he guided the Golden Eaglettes to a record 10 TSSAA Class AAA state championships and two USA Today National Championships (1989, 1991) as he compiled a sparkling 775-148 worksheet during his 28-year tenure. Insell was named USA Today National High School Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1991 and he also has been named Converse National High School Coach of the Year on two occasions (1990, 1992). Rick Insell is currently the Women’s Head Basketball Coach of the MTSU Blue Raiders where he coached them to their third consecutive tournament title.

Insell’s teams holds the Tennessee state records for consecutive wins with 110, consecutive state titles with four (1989-1992), most state championships for a coach with 10. During his time in Shelbyville he made sure his players get the job done in the classroom as evidenced by his teams receiving the TSSAA Distinguished Award for Academic Success from 1989-2000, an award based on team GPA. The lowest cumulative GPA at Shelbyville during this stretch is 3.4 and the highest is 3.98.

Insell’s Shelbyville team received a special invitation to the Oval Office by President George Bush for academic and athletic achievement and his teams also have been honored in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the Tennessee State House and Senate and by two Tennessee Governors.

James Marsalis

James “Jim” Marsalis (born October 10, 1945 in Pascagoula, Mississippi) was a college standout at Tennessee State University where he earned many honors including Senior of the year in 1968. and professional American football player. A star at Tennessee State, he played nine professional seasons as a cornerback from 1969-1977 for the Kansas City Chiefs where he was drafted in the first round, and was awarded Rookie of The Year.

He played for the New Orleans Saints in 1977 and 1978. He started in Super Bowl IV for the American Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs, defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the last World Championship game played between the AFL Champions and those of the National Football League. Jim went to the Pro-Bowl in 1970 and 71. As a football coach Jim was a secondary coach at Middle Georgia College.

Gene Bartow

In 1977, Gene Bartow was at the top of the college basketball world. He was one of only three coaches to take two different programs to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and as the successor to legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA he had posted the best winning percentage in the history of the program with a 52-9 record after his first two years.

But his next move stunned basketball fans everywhere. Bartow left Los Angeles for Birmingham—and the chance to build a new program from scratch as the athletic director and head basketball coach at UAB.

Success came quickly. Bartow’s first team posted a 15-11 record; his second advanced to the postseason with a trip to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT); and his third won 23 games en route to the NCAA Tournament, which started a string of seven straight tournament appearances, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 1981. In the first eight years of the program, UAB produced three All-Americans.

By the time Bartow retired from coaching in 1996, he had led UAB to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, five NIT appearances, and six conference championships. He was succeeded as head coach by his son, Murry, a former UAB player and assistant coach. In 1997, the on-campus arena at UAB was renamed Bartow Arena in honor of the man who did so much for the program. He remained as athletic director until 2000.
With 647 career wins and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, Bartow ranks in the top 20 on the list of winningest NCAA Division I basketball coaches. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and will be inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in November 2009.

Bill Dance

Raised in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Dance planned to become a doctor, like his father Joseph Bowers and grandfather before him, but changed his mind after happening upon a grisly motorcycle accident in the early 1960s. He then turned his focus to competing in bass tournaments. A fishing lure manufacturer that sponsored him suggested he should start a TV show to promote the product. The program originally began on an ABC affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.

Tournament Information: 23 National Bass Titles; Bassmaster Classic Qualifier 8 out of 9 years and finished 2nd in 1973. Three time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year – 1970, 1974 & 1977. Of 78 total B.A.S.S. entries, finished 64 times in the money. 7 wins, 8 times runner up, 6 third place, 40 top ten finishes (51% of tournaments entered) and 51 top 20 finishes (65%). In first 11 tournaments, was only out of the top 7 once. Won 7 of the first

Tim Jackson

Tim did not begin playing competitively until age 17. He Is currently the president-elect of the Tennessee Golf Association; A member of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame, and the Southern Golf Association Hall of Fame.

He will be inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame in November. A business entrepreneur, he is a certified public accountant. Once was a president of Automotive Fleet Resources. At one time has held partnerships in hotels and apartments; partner in CPA firm (Barton and Jackson) into late 1990s. Today is a real estate developer. Jackson defeated Tommy Brennan, 1up, to win the 1994 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

He reached the quarterfinals of the 1994 U.S. Amateur championship. In the 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur he beat George Zahringer, 1 up, with a birdie on the 36th hole. He played in more than 35 USGA Championship, reached at least the quarterfinals at six U.S. Mid-Amateurs.

Gibby Gilbert

C.L. “Gibby” Gilbert II (born January 14, 1941 in Chattanooga) is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.

His father started him in golf at the age of 13. He attended the University of Chattanooga. He turned pro in 1965 and joined the PGA Tour in 1967. Gilbert had dozens of top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour and three victories. Gilbert’s best finish at a major was a T-2 at the 1980 Masters, when he and Jack Newton finished four strokes behind the champion.

Gilbert has had a lifelong interest in helping young people develop their golf skills. Since 1973, he has made annual appearances for the Tennessee PGA’s Junior Golf Academy at Fall Creek Falls.

Zan Guerry

The 62-year-old Guerry’s stellar net career, which includes more than 25 national championships in singles and double and three All-American seasons at Rice University (1969-71). Mr. Guerry was inducted into the Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in Athens, Ga.

Guerry’s hall of fame net resume includes winning national titles in five decades starting with Boys’ 11s Singles in 1960 and most recently a national Senior Father-Son crown with Jeff Guerry. One would be hard pressed to match Guerry’s run of national gold balls (emblematic of a national championship) for singles titles won in the 11s, 14s, 16s 18s, 35s, 40, and 45s, along with numerous doubles titles.

Other highlights including winning a singles match at the French Open (1969) as well as at Wimbledon (1973) and posting two wins at the 1977 U.S. Open before losing to Jimmy Connors.

David Walker

Not every school can claim a living legend on its campus, but the students and faculty of East Tennessee State University can. David E. Walker, who most often answers to “Coach,” has been at ETSU for 45 years. During Walker’s tenure as head coach at East Tennessee State, eight different men have served as president of the United States, while ETSU has seen six presidents and nine athletic directors. Walker has been busy in his 45 years at the helm of the Buccaneer program, producing 30 All-Americans along with countless other track and cross country stars in the Atlantic Sun, Southern, and Ohio Valley conferences.

In 2006, Walker’s squad made some noise in its first season in the Atlantic Sun Conference, claiming the inaugural A-Sun Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship in Johnson City, Tenn. Five Buccaneers garnered conference titles at the indoor meet, with Walker adding to his hardware by receiving the Coach of the Year Award.

During his tenure, Walker has developed a number of world-class runners, including Kevin Johnson, a nine-time All-American; Seamus Power, a five-time All-American; and Robert Rovere a four-time All-American. Walker also coached Ray Flynn, who became one of the five top milers in the world; and Neil Cusack, the 1972 NCAA cross country national champion and the winner of the Boston Marathon in 1974. Since 1969, Walker’s men’s teams have won 22 conference championships, finished second seven times and third once. His squads have finished in the top-10 11 times.

During Walker’s illustrious career the ETSU’s women’s program has won three Southern Conference Championship titles. While he has been head coach, the ETSU program has produced All-American distance runners Kim Bird, Michelle Gregg, and Catherine Berry. Additionally, the program has seen the development of All-American Shelli Clendenon in the heptathlon and All-American Angie Barker, an Indoor NCAA Champion in the shot put. Walker has not only coached athletes with impressive track records, he has an outstanding record himself. Walker has earned some 20-plus Coach-of-the-Year honors and been named District Coach-of-the-Year 10 times.

Brig. General Austin Conner Shofner-Posthumous

Austin Shofner was born in Chattanooga and raised at an ancestral home in Bedford County, Tenn. He graduated in 1937 from the University of Tennessee, where he lettered in wrestling and football.

Brig. Gen. Austin Conner Shofner, the marine who got word to the outside world of the infamous Bataan Death March of 1942 after he engineered the first and only successful American team escape from a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. The desperate plight of the prisoners, as reported by General Shofner’s 10-man group, led to changes in Allied strategy and tactics in the Pacific that were credited with saving the lives of thousands of servicemen. For his exploits then and as a guerrilla leader afterward, he was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross by Gen. Douglas MacArthur. In prison camp he remembered the axioms of football that had been drilled into him at Tennessee. One seemed especially made for his situation: Play for the breaks, and when they come your way, score.

Jeff Byrd-Posthumous

Jeff Byrd, who grew up on the flatlands of central North Carolina, moved to the mountains of Tennessee in mid-career and turned himself into a NASCAR superstar of sorts. Byrd arrived at Bristol Motor Speedway to take the helm of the race track in 1996 and, in 2003, was named its president. He was part of the Winston mafia, that core group of bright young people who worked for the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. from the 1970s to 1990s and helped transform NASCAR racing. Several – Byrd among them – would advance from public relations and management careers in Reynolds’ sports marketing division to leadership roles at NASCAR speedways. He was the face and heart of the track

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TSHF Featured in Tennessee Sports Magazine

“Kick It Up a Notch”
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by John Lee
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With the departure of Ryland Hoskins, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame looks to the future and the next chapter in its 45-year history
In the same spirit of inspiration a coach might use to push an athlete to reach for a higher goal, Ryland Hoskins, who served as longtime executive director, has a similar message for his successor: kick it up a notch, and take it to the next level.

Hoskins is no stranger to starting from scratch with only a vision and a blank slate. Over the past 10 years Hoskins has helped to develop, market, and manage the site of the state’s only hall of fame dedicated to “honoring and preserving outstanding sports achievements in Tennessee.” “If it hadn’t been for his labor of love, I don’t know that the hall would exist,” said current TSHF board president Bill Emendorfer.
Most Tennesseans and even sports fans don’t realize that the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame unofficially began back in 1966, created by the Middle Tennessee Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association in Winchester, Tennessee. That same year, the very first TSHF inductee banquet was held and was personally financed by the writers and broadcasters for $300.

Regardless of the fact that there was not yet a building to house the TSHF, for the next 28 years the officers would come together once a year and hold its annual banquet and recognize and record the inductees, while working to preserve and chronicle the state’s rich sports history as far back as the 1800s. Early supporters such as the late Bernie Moore, retired commissioner of the SEC, and the late Bishop Frank Julian kept the young, often struggling hall of fame together and moving forward through tough times. “The organization has had its peaks and valleys over the years,” said Hoskins.

Exhibit in Honor of Wilma Rudolph. A major milestone took place in 1994 when the state legislature unanimously passed the “Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Act” allocating $1.5 million to build a hall if a place was found, and officially creating the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. A 25-member board was also formed with the east, middle, and west regions of the state equally represented, and for the next few years, set about searching for a permanent space for the TSHF to call home.

The TSHF continued to exist mainly only on paper, until the deal to build the new arena in Nashville was finalized. Thanks to the efforts of Doug Dickey, then Athletic Director at UT and TSHF president in 2000, working with then Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen and MDHA Commissioner Gerald Nicely and others, the arena deal also allocated a space for a Hall a 7,500 square-foot permanent home on the main level.
“I give so much credit to Doug Dickey,” said Hoskins. “There are board members and there are board members, but you have to have someone who is passionate about it and who cares about it.”

The challenges for the new TSHF executive director were many.
“When we came down here in 2000, there was an empty space and nothing on a computer,” said Hoskins. “They had officers at that time and would keep the names and info in boxes.” The TSHF also had never had a staff, with the exception of the P.R. firm representing the organization before the move.

“Ryland has been pretty amazing because for the most part he has been a one-man band along with a part time assistant,” said Emendorfer. “He has done what most halls would do with three to five staff members.” The state funds were used to design and build out the space and also to purchase artifacts. The Hall receives no state funding for operational costs. “Like all non-profits, we rely heavily on corporate sponsors,” said Hoskins. “In the last three or four years with the economy the way it is, that has been a challenge to say the least.”

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame belongs to the people of Tennessee – housing the plaques of inductees, written history and testimonials, photographs, interactive displays, and over 500 artifacts of Tennessee Sports History. Yet, one of the greatest challenges the TSHF faces is public awareness and support. “It is an excellent location and a wonderful building,” said Hoskins. “Being in a building like this, there are a lot of issues we don’t have to deal with as a free standing structure.” Yet, being comfortably inside the arena with no visibility on the exterior has been one of the biggest challenges for public awareness and recognition for the TSHF. “Awareness and visibility for the hall is limited because there is no advertising budget,” said Hoskins. “We desperately need some street front signage on this building, and even a green city sign would go far to help visibility.” Current board president Bill Emendorfer sees the TSHF and its board not only facing the challenge of replacing Ryland Hoskins, but also making the decisions to plot the direction of the hall, and what the hall should be in order to reach its potential.

Exhibit in Honor of Tracy Caulkins-Stockwell.
“We need to build a more symbiotic relationship with the Bridgestone Arena, so that the Hall and the arena kind of become synonymous,” Emendorfer said. “We need to be an asset to Nashville and have a presence at any sporting event in the city. It’s time to crank it up a notch with technology and we need to be a little different and get out of the box. We want to embrace more exhibits that might rotate, be it from Memphis or Knoxville to create new energy and new reasons to come down to the Hall. It’s got to be a form of entertainment.” The TSHF reaching out and striving for more visibility is certainly not a goal limited to Middle Tennessee. “We need to go out and reach all regions and all different aspects of the state,” said Emendorfer. “We’ve got a rich sports heritage in this state and we need that to be a part of the process where people feel good about being involved.” More growth of course means the need for more funding. “We are looking at creating a new budget,” said Emendorfer.
“I think it will involve a significant capital campaign and fundraising project for a few years. There are a lot of good things to come, but it will take some time, effort and some money to do it.”

The TSHF is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is adults $3 and children $2. For memberships or sponsor information call 615-242-4750 or tnsports@bellsouth.net
Click for the article at tnsportsmag.com

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Kenny Chesney Named TSHF ‘Tennessean of the Year’

Country music star turned sports documentarian Kenny Chesney is the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s Tennessean of the Year.

Initially shown on ESPN, Chesney’s Boys of Fall documentary examines the positive effects of playing football, and Chesney donated 10,000 DVD copies of the film to high schools and coaches of high school football teams. On Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. Central, ESPN will also air Chesney’s The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story, a documentary exploring the legend and legacy of the Southeastern Conference’s first African American starting quarterback.

The Tennessean of the year designation, first awarded by the Hall of Fame in 1982, “honors an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to our society through sports or other methods, demonstrating strong character and high profile leadership,” Tennessee Sports Hall president Bill Emendorfer said.

Chesney isn’t the only music figure to have been so honored: Barbara Mandrell won the prize in 1982, Vince Gill won in 1995 and Hank Williams Jr. was chosen in 2007.

The 2011 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Awards Banquet is set for Feb. 11 in the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. Tickets are $125, and reservations may be made through Lynn Powell Toy at the Hall of Fame: 615-242-4750 or lpowell@tshf.net.

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John Simmonds Becomes TSHF Board Member

Governor Bill Haslam appoints John Simmonds to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Board. Simmonds President /CEO of Southeast Financial Credit Union joins the state board to represent middle Tennessee. John is a graduate of Indiana University and holds a Master Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University . Simmonds has lead the growth of Southern Financial to a 600 million plus dollars state chartered, federally insured credit union with 19 branches and 60,000 members. One of John’s greatest accomplishments has been his mentoring of six former employees into credit union C E O’s .

John has been active in serving the American Cancer Society, the United Way, and the Y.M.C.A.,”John’s dedication and willingness to serve the community is inspirational to all of us at the Hall of Fame” stated Bill Emendorfer Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame President. “John has stepped in and helped with our fund drive efforts from day one.”

John having grown up in the Indiana has a great appreciation for the rich basketball heritage of Indiana and has the desire to be a part of celebrating the sports heritage in Tennessee. John is an avid golfer and community leader. Emendorfer stated, “John is exactly what you want in a board member, the Governor really did an excellent job on appointing John.”

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is located in the Bridgestone Arena . The next major event is the annual Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame to be held on September 28th at The Vanderbilt Legends Golf Club.

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Rich Balthrop Appointed To The TSHF Board

Rich Balthrop has joined the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame board. With a passion for sports he has been added to help gain input from Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Rich is a former UTC Champion Golfer, and Golf Pro.

Bill Emendorfer TSHF President stated “It is great to have a Board Member with Rich Baslthrop’s energy and passion” The last Chattanooga Board member was the late Dr. Frank Trundle. Rich has been active in many local charities including Friends of Boyd Buchanan and the Mary Ellen Locher Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament.

Rich and his wife have three children and reside in Ooltewah, TN.

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TSHF Wins 2011 ISHA Communications Award

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame has won an International Sports Heritage Award for a program that allows school groups to visit the facility free of charge.

The program, sponsored by a generous grant from Dollar General Corp.’s literacy foundation, is called “The Champion Within.”
Program participants not only get to visit the Hall of Fame free of charge, but their schools also receive copies of a lesson plan for the visits and copies of a video titled, “The Champion Within.”

The International Sports Heritage Association is a nonprofit organization that assists sports museums and halls of fame in developing, operating and promoting their facilities.

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame will receive the award at the annual International Sports Heritage Association meeting in Toronto, Canada this October.

“This program was developed with the leadership of Lynn Toy and the hard work of our summer interns, David Catterton and Julie Nabors,” said Bill Emendorfer, the Hall of Fame’s president. “We are very grateful and appreciative of Dollar General and their commitment to literacy. We are proud to be partners with such a fine organization.”

For more information or to book a tour of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, contact Lynn Toy at 615-242-4750 or lpowell@tshf.net

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Former Vol Bob Davis Dies at 81

From the Knoxville News Sentinel
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by Tom Mattingly
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Bob Davis, who mas­tered the intricate single­wing center snaps during his career at the Univer­sity of Tennessee and was a member of the national championship team in 1951, died Sunday in Knox­ville.

He was 81. Mr. Davis not only played at Tennessee, but returned to Knoxville as freshman coach in 1966 and served in a variety of capacities with the ath­letic department until he retired in 2003. He was honored in 2002 when the Vols played Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.
He coached on staffs headed by Doug Dickey and Bill Battle before serving as administrative assistant to the athletic director, assistant athletic director/operations, and assistant athletic director/ facilities.

He came to Tennessee in 1948 as part of a tal­ented freshm an class, one that included Hank Lauri­cella, Jim Haslam, Andy Kozar, Herky Payne, Bill Pearman, Bert Rechichar, Vince Kaseta, Bill Jasper, Ted Daffer, Jimmy Hahn, Gordon Polofsky, Andy Myers, Frank “Boomer” Boring, and Dick Erns­berger.

“I never saw Bob no­ticeably upset or critical of anyone,” said Hahn, a blocking back of that era and Mr. Davis’ roommate for three years in East Stadium Hall. “He was al­ways a gentleman, happy, content, and friendly with everyone.”
Mr. Davis wore No. 90 during his career, one that was the culmination of Bob Neyland’s Tennes­see coaching tenure. He was part of a freshman class of 120 that included 11 centers.

He played on teams that compiled a 28-4-1 record and won the SEC and con­sensus national title in 1951 and Dunkel national crown in 1950.
The Vols played in the Cotton and Sugar Bowls, winning over Texas in 1951 and losing to Maryland in 1952, respectively, du ring his career. He recalled weighing 178 pounds when arriving in Knoxville and ballooning to 182 by the time he was a senior.

“He was a heck of a player for his size,” said Lauricella, a three-year starter at tailback and the Heisman Trophy runner­up in 1951. “I don’t remem­ber having a bad snap. He was an exceptional center, often snapping with a big lineman ready to pound him.”

He was named to the All-Time Tennessee Team as selected by the Knox­ville Journal in the early 1950s. He was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Inducted into the U.S. Army after graduation, Davis gained his first coaching experience at Fort Jackson, S.C., where his information officer was another future UT athlet­ics employee, Haywood Harris. An assistant in 1953, Davis was promoted to coach in 1954.

He was named an assis­tant coach at Sevier Coun­ty High School in 1955 and was promoted to coach for t he next three seasons. The following year, while working toward a master’s degree at UT, Davis be­came a part-time football assistant to Ray Harmon at Carson-Newman College. Davis was named to Car­son- Newman’s full-time staff in 1960 and worked as an assistant to Harmon until being named coach in 1964. His two-year record with the Eagles was 11-7.

In addition to serving as freshman coach from 1966-68 and 1971-73, Davis coached varsity defensive ends in 1969 and was ju­nior varsity coach in 1970 and from 1974-75.

With UT’s reinstate­ment of wrestling as a varsity sport, Davis was called on to be wrestling coach and he served in that capacity from 1970-74.
He is survived by three children, Leigh, Bobby, and Mark, and four grand­children, Phillip and Chris Davis, and Ryan and Erin Hicks, and two great­grandchildren, Riley and Ryland Hicks.

The family will receive friends Thurs day night at Rose Mann Heritage Cha­pel, 6200 Kingston Pike, from 5-8 p.m.
Services will be on Fri­day at 11:30 a.m., at the new Veteran’s Cemetery, 2200 East John Sevier Highway, with Rev. Jim Bailes offi­ciating.
The University of Tennessee contributed to this report.

Tom Mattingly is a freelance contributor.

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