For IMMEDIATE Release

May 3, 2018                                                                                                                                                                    

LINK: Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame

 

PITTSBURGH—University of Pittsburgh Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced today the inaugural 16-member class of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame.

The group is composed of Olympians, national champions, Super Bowl winners, world-record setters and legendary figures whose names and achievements resonate well beyond Pitt. There are 12 living honorees and four posthumous inductees.

“It is with tremendous pride that we present the inaugural class of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame,” Lyke said. “These individuals represent Pitt’s Gold Standard and we are greatly looking forward to honoring them at our official induction ceremony in September.

“I love to remind people that Pitt could have its own wing in so many different halls of fame. Our athletic history is that rich and accomplished. I certainly tasked the selection committee with a huge challenge in trying to pare down 150 years of history for this inaugural class. In looking at our many deserving candidates, it is obvious that this 2018 group will be the first of many legendary Hall of Fame classes at Pitt. We’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements with a fitting showcase.”

Listed in alphabetical order, these are the members of the inaugural Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame class and their primary sport of distinction.

 

  • Henry Clifford “Doc” Carlson (Athlete: Football, Basketball, Baseball; Coach: Basketball)
  • Mike Ditka (Football)
  • Tony Dorsett (Football)
  • Herb Douglas (Track and Field)
  • Bill Fralic (Football)
  • Marshall Goldberg (Football)
  • Hugh Green (Football)
  • Trecia-Kaye Smith (Track and Field)
  • Roger Kingdom (Track and Field)
  • Billy Knight (Basketball)
  • Dan Marino (Football)
  • Lisa Shirk (Gymnastics)
  • Charles Smith (Basketball)
  • Kathy Stetler (Swimming)
  • John Bain “Jock” Sutherland (Athlete: Football; Coach: Football)
  • John Woodruff (Track and Field)

 

Nominations for the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame were solicited from the general public in January and accepted through March 31. Candidates had to be five years removed from their final year of collegiate competition and not currently be playing professional sports. An 18-member selection committee then evaluated the candidate pool and provided a recommendation on the inaugural class to the director of athletics.

The inaugural class will receive induction at the Pitt Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Sept. 7, at the Petersen Events Center. On Saturday, Sept. 8, the inductees will be introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers host historic rival Penn State. For Hall of Fame Dinner ticket information and event updates, go to www.pittsburghpanthers.com/HallofFame. For additional questions, please contact Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives and Engagement Kelly Brennan via email (events@athletics.pitt.edu) or phone (412-225-3081).

Inaugural Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame Class Biographies

Henry Clifford “Doc” Carlson (Posthumous) (Athlete: Football, Basketball, Baseball; Coach: Basketball)

Carlson stands as one of Pitt’s first multiple-sport stars and later gained legendary status as a head coach. He earned four letters in three different sports: football, basketball and baseball. Carlson was a football All-American at end in 1917 under Coach Glenn “Pop” Warner. During his four-year career on the gridiron (1914-17), Carlson helped the Panthers achieve a 34-1 record. In 1920 he earned his M.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s Medical School, which spawned his nickname “Doc.” Carlson became Pitt’s head men’s basketball coach in 1922, leading that program for 31 seasons. Under his guidance, the Panthers claimed Helms Foundation National Championships in 1928 and 1930. He still holds Pitt basketball coaching records for wins (367), games coached (615) and seasons coached (31). Carlson was inducted into the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame (1949), the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (1959 inaugural class) and National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2006 inaugural class).

 

Mike Ditka (Football)

In three varsity football seasons (1958-60), Ditka led Pitt in receiving each year and was also a standout defender and punter. He additionally played baseball and basketball at Pitt and was the intramural wrestling champion. As a senior in 1960, Ditka was a unanimous All-America selection at end. The Chicago Bears’ No. 1 draft pick in 1961, Ditka would play 12 professional seasons, including six with the Bears (1961-66), two with the Philadelphia Eagles (1967-68) and four with the Dallas Cowboys (1969-72). The 1961 NFL Rookie of the Year, he earned All-NFL in each of his first four seasons and was a Pro Bowler his first five years. He was part of Chicago’s 1963 NFL title team and the Cowboys’ 1971 squad that won Super Bowl VI. Ditka worked as an assistant coach at Dallas for nine seasons, spent 11 seasons as Chicago’s head coach (winning Super Bowl XX) and spent three seasons as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Ditka was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986. He became the first tight end elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he received enshrinement in 1988. Ditka’s No. 89 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Tony Dorsett (Football)

Dorsett is the only Heisman Trophy winner in the history of Pitt football, receiving that coveted award as a senior in 1976. He additionally received the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award that year. Dorsett earned All-America status in each of his four collegiate seasons (1973-76). He was the first player in NCAA history to reach 6,000 career rushing yards. Including bowl games, he rushed for 6,526 yards. Dorsett’s NCAA-recognized total (not including bowls) of 6,082 yards stood as the Division I record for 22 years (1976-98). He gained 100 or more yards 36 times, including 20 consecutive games. He also holds Notre Dame opponent records for rushing yards against the Irish in a career (754) and game (303). Dorsett capped his fabulous career by leading Pitt to a 12-0 record and the 1976 national championship. Taken by the Dallas Cowboys with the second overall pick of the 1977 NFL Draft, Dorsett rushed for more than 1,000 yards in eight of his first nine seasons—the lone exception being the strike-shortened 1982 campaign which, ironically, saw him earn the NFC rushing title. He played in two SuperBowls (helping Dallas to victory in Super Bowl XII) and four Pro Bowls. When he retired from the NFL after 12 seasons (1977-88), he was the league’s second all-time leading rusher with 12,739 yards. Dorsett became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy, acollegiate national championship and a Super Bowl, and receive Hall of Fame enshrinement on both the college and pro levels. Dorsett was elected into both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Dorsett’s No. 33 Pitt jersey is retired.

Herb Douglas (Track and Field)

Douglas enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in 1945 and would go on to have milestone achievements as both a track and field athlete and football player. He won four intercollegiate championships in the long jump and one in the 100-yard dash. As a football letterman in 1945, Douglas became just the second African-American to score a touchdown against Notre Dame. In the 1948 London Summer Olympics, he was the bronze medalist in the long jump with a 24-foot, 9-inch leap. Douglas later would be the founder of the Jesse Owens International Trophy Award, honoring the most outstanding amateur or Olympic athlete in the world.

 

Bill Fralic (Football)

Fralic was a four-year fixture on Pitt’s punishing offensive lines from 1981-84. He was a three-time first team All-American, including unanimous status as a junior and senior. Fralic became the first offensive lineman to twice finish in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy balloting. He placed sixth in the Heisman voting in 1984 and eighth in 1983. Fralic’s collegiate career led to the creation of the “Pancake,” a statistical barometer for each time Fralic put an opposing defensive lineman on his back. The second player taken overall in the 1985 NFL Draft, Fralic went on to an exceptional pro career from 1985-93, playing eight years with the Atlanta Falcons and his final season with the Detroit Lions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and was a two-time All-Pro. Fralic additionally was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. Fralic was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. His No. 79 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Marshall Goldberg (Posthumous) (Football)

Goldberg achieved status as one of the greatest backs in college football history. During his storied Pitt career from 1936-38, he rushed for 1,957 yards, a school record that stood until Tony Dorsett broke it in 1974. A member of Coach Jock Sutherland’s famed “Dream Backfield,” Goldberg was twice selected a first team All-American, earning that stature as a halfback in 1937 and fullback in 1938. He placed third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1937 and was the Heisman runner-up in 1938. Goldberg led Pitt to national championships in 1936 and 1937 with a combined 17-1-2 record. Goldberg spent seven years in the NFL playing halfback for the Chicago Cardinals (1939-42, 1946-48). He was a member of the Cardinals’ 1947 NFL championship team. In 1958, Goldberg was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His No. 42 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Hugh Green (Football)

Green is widely considered the most devastating defensive college football player ever. From 1977-80, he collected a Pitt-record 49 sacks, a mark that still stands today. Green was a three-time first team All-American. As a senior in 1980 he was the recipient of the prestigious Rotary Lombardi Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award. Green finished second in the 1980 Heisman Trophy balloting, an unprecedented finish for a purely defensive player. Incredibly, he was named to Pitt’s All-Time Football Team after just his sophomore year. Green’s play helped lead the Panthers to a four-year record of 39-8-1. Pitt had three Top 10 finishes during his career. Green was a first-round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1980 NFL Draft. He played 11 professional seasons and was twice selected to the Pro Bowl. He was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Green’s No. 99 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Trecia-Kaye Smith (Track and Field)

Smith ranks as one of the most decorated athletes in Pitt history. As a member of the Panthers’ track and field team from 1995-99, she won seven individual NCAA championships. Those include four NCAA indoor titles (three in the long jump and one in the triple jump) and three outdoor championships (two in the long jump and one in the triple jump). Smith was a 15-time All-American and 14-time Big East champion. She also captured 15 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships. In 1997, Smith swept the Big East Most Outstanding Field Performer awards for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She was a two-time finalist for the prestigious Honda Award and was named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Silver Anniversary Team. Smith represented her native Jamaica at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.

 

Roger Kingdom (Track and Field)

At Pitt from 1981-84, Kingdom would become the Panthers’ most accomplished athlete on the international stage. He was a two-time Olympic gold medalist (1984 and 1988). Kingdom attended Pitt on a football scholarship and played two seasons while also excelling on the school’s track team. He won the 1983 NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships in the 110-meter hurdles, and the 1984 NCAA indoor title in the 55-meter hurdles. Kingdom is a former world and American record holder and one of only two runners ever to win consecutive Olympic titles (Los Angeles and Seoul) in the 110-meter hurdles. He is a five-time United States outdoor champion and won gold medals at the Pan American Games, World Cup, World University Games and Goodwill Games. He set a world record of 12.92 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles in Zurich, Switzerland in 1989, a mark that stood until 1993. Kingdom was named the 1989 USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year, the 1989 Jesse Owens International Amateur Athlete of the Year and Track and Field News1989 Athlete of the Year. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2005. He has also been inducted into the USTAF Georgia Hall of Fame (2011), Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (2002) and Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (2002).

 

Billy Knight (Basketball)

In Knight’s three varsity seasons (1971-74), he scored 1,731 points and had a career scoring average of 22.2 points per game. He is one of only three players in school history to average at least 20 points per game in three different seasons. Knight was a consensus All-America selection as a senior, leading Pitt to unprecedented heights. Behind Knight’s play, the 1973-74 Panthers went 25-4—at the time the winningest campaign in program history—and reeled off a school-record 22 consecutive victories. Pitt went on to advance to the 1974 NCAA Tournament’s East Regional Final, the farthest any Pitt team had advanced in the tournament. Knight went on to play 11 seasons (1974-85) in the ABA and NBA, and was selected to the all-star game in both leagues. He had three professional seasons in which he averaged more than 20 points per contest. Knight’s No. 34 Pitt basketball jersey is retired.

 

Dan Marino (Football)

Marino broke nearly every major school passing record while at Pitt from 1979-82, including career marks for passing yards (8,597) and completions (693). Thirty-six years following his final collegiate season, he still holds Pitt records for touchdown passes in a career (79) and season (37). Marino’s reputation for delivering in the clutch began at Pitt when he threw a last-minute 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Brown to give the Panthers a 24-20 victory over Georgia in the 1982 Sugar Bowl. Marino led Pitt to four consecutive Top 10 finishes, including a pair of No. 2 rankings. The Panthers were 29-5 in games Marino started at quarterback. He was named a 1981 All-American and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting that year. A first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1983, Marino went on to gain recognition as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history with a record-breaking 17-year career. In his pro debut season, Marino earned NFL Rookie of the Year. In 1984 he became the first 5,000-yard passer in league history and would record 13 total seasons with 3,000 passing yards. Upon his 1999 retirement, he held an incredible 25 NFL regular-season records and was the career leader in passing attempts (8,358), completions (4,967), yardage (61,361) and touchdowns (420). Marino also was one of the NFL’s winningest quarterbacks, earning 147 regular-season victories. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro. Marino was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. His No. 13 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Lisa Shirk (Gymnastics)

Shirk is the only female gymnast in Pitt history to win an NCAA championship. She accomplished the feat on the uneven bars in 1982. During her collegiate career from 1980-84, Shirk earned five total All-America citations. She was a three-time All-American in 1981 alone, finishing as the national runner-up in the all-around and floor exercise, while placing fourth on the uneven bars. On the strength of Shirk’s outstanding performances, the Panthers finished 11th in the nation in 1981. She would cap her collegiate career as a floor exercise All-American in 1984 with an eighth-place finish. In addition to her national acclaim, Shirk was also a perennial All-East honoree.

 

Charles Smith (Basketball)

Charles Smith established himself as one of the most gifted—and prolific—big men in Pitt basketball history. From 1984-88, he scored 2,045 points and remains, three decades later, the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer. Smith was equally impactful on the defensive end and is Pitt’s career blocks leader with 346. He signaled his arrival on the collegiate level by earning the Big East Rookie of the Year honor in 1985. Smith would conclude his career by being named the 1988 Big East Player of the Year and a first team All-American. His time at Pitt coincided with the program’s reemergence on the national scene. He led the Panthers to a Big East co-championship in 1987 and then an outright title in 1988. Pitt was a fixture in the Top 25 over those two seasons, earning lofty seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Smith was a member of the 1988 Olympic basketball team that captured a bronze medal in Seoul. He also played on the 1986 United States team that brought home the World Championship gold medal. Smith was the third overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft and spent 10 seasons in the league. Smith’s No. 32 Pitt jersey is retired.

 

Kathy Stetler (Swimming)

Stetler achieved unprecedented heights as a swimmer at Pitt in the latter 1970s. Her lengthy list of achievements included two historic firsts: she was the first female national champion in Pitt history and became the Panthers’ first female four-year All-American. In 1978, Stetler captured a national title in the 50-yard butterfly, an event in which she earned All-America honors in each of her four seasons with the Panthers. From 1976-79, Stetler earned 18 total All-America citations, including 13 individual honors and five as a member of relay teams. The Pitt women’s swimming and diving program also accumulated a dual-meet record of 31-3 during Stetler’s remarkable four-year career, highlighted by four victories over West Virginia and three wins against Penn State.

 

John Bain “Jock” Sutherland (Posthumous) (Athlete: Football; Coach: Football)

Sutherland was an All-America guard for the Panthers during a brilliant four-year playing career under Glenn “Pop” Warner, and later became a Hall of Fame coach whose dominating teams were knighted as national champions five times (1929, 1931, 1934, 1936 and 1937). During his four years as a player (1914-17), Sutherland tasted defeat only once. Pitt went undefeated his final three seasons. The Panthers were recognized as national champs in 1915 and 1916. Sutherland was head football coach at Pitt from 1924-38. In those 15 seasons, the Panthers compiled a 111-20-12 mark. Four times they were invited to the Rose Bowl and five times they were recognized as national champions. Under Sutherland’s command, Pitt shut out its opponents 79 times. Sutherland has been enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.

 

John Woodruff (Posthumous) (Track and Field)

Woodruff was the first Pitt athlete to earn Olympic gold and did so at the famed 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. At those ’36 Games, he was the first of four African-Americans to win a gold medal in track and field. Woodruff claimed his gold medal in the 800-meter run, winning a race that is considered one of the most dramatic in Olympic history. Following his Olympic triumph, Woodruff never lost another race. He won the Amateur Athletic Union 800-meter title in 1937. Woodruff also won three consecutive NCAA 880-yard titles from 1937-39. In 1940, he set the United States record of 1:48.6 at the Compton Invitational. Woodruff’s decorated legacy also includes gold medals at the historic Penn Relays.

 

 

Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

145 thoughts on “Pitt’s New Hall of Fame Debuts!!”

  2. Very attractive first class. I actually submitted a nomination for Joe Schmidt who made both the college and NFL HOF. Since he is in his upper 80s, I thought he should get in sooner than later. Would also like to see Don Hennon in the near future.

    I did business with Kathy Stetler’s dad back in the late 70s; he was so proud of her accomplishments. Sadly, if memory serves, he passed from a heart attack shortly after that.

    wwb

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Roger Kingdom was a favorite of mine. Great size and obviously athletic as all get out. 6′ 1″ 200 lbs. If he would have worked as hard at football as he did track he could have been a very wealthy and well know football player. Having said that, he is well known, probably has some nice change in his pocket and seems to still have his wits about him. (cte)

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  7. Reed,
    This article is what makes the POV so great and why I ALWAYS daily look forward to your articles and our povite comments! Thank you Commander!!!
    A wise man told me years ago the best way to live life is to “hope for the best while preparing for the worst.”
    That, in my opinion, appropriately describes the POV. You bring us articles like this one which allows us to push out our chests with great pride for our strong tradition and then in other articles you graciously prepare us (after 35 years of continual mediocrity) of the need to “prepare for the worst” but continue to give us hope for the future!!!!!
    Thank you Commander for steering us thru both calm and stormy waters along the salty seas of Pitt athletics!

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  8. Graduated with Ditka “60”. Always remembered him as varsity in wrestling but am glad my recollections are corrected now. He was always great under the net at rebound time or on layups. Southerland story is great but maybe they should re-inter him at the new OC stadium as he was the foundation of pitt football greatness.H2P

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  10. I’m disappointed I didn’t make it. I was pretty formidable in hoops at trees hall and in my intramural league.

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  11. Trivia question of the day:
    Roger Kingdom was the Georgia High School football player of the year as a senior.
    Who was runner-up?

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        1. I answered the bulldog at 3:54. Maybe I should have asked the question who is the bulldog? lol

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  12. Seriously without lookin git up I’m guessing the Bulldog, they have to be close in age?

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  13. Given the elite level of athletes that have made this Hall of Fame, we should take a near term look to see if there is a player in the past 5-7 years that has a reasonable chance to eventually make it, to continue the tradition, so to speak. The write ups do empahasize the player’s after-Pitt experience, in the NFL, NBA or in other endeavors such as the olympics. For example, what if Dan Marino got hurt his first year in the NFL and never played again. Would he still have made the Pitt Hall of Fame? What should the criteria be for entry? Can a player only 5 years out of college make it?

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    1. I cant think of anyone in the past 10 years besides AD that could eventually make it. Thats how bad Pitt has been across all sports. This Hall of Fame is close to becoming a Hall of Shame based on sports performance in recent history.

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  14. Didn’t realize this article was up – I had posted this on previous article…

    Well, I’m pretty disappointed! Lettered two years in baseball but didn’t make the cut for Pitt’s inaugural Hall of Fame!

    Dorsett? Fralic? Ditka? Who are these guys???

    Go Pitt.

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  15. And this…

    Seriously, if there’s more low hanging fruit out there for our vacationing AD (😀), it would be how Pitt treats its lettermen.

    The pre-game get-together they used to have in the Great Hall was pretty embarrassing. All they did was curtain off a small area in front of a bar. Don’t know if they still do it – I lost interest…

    I understand, and imagine, that lettermen at big-time schools are treated big-time… Pitt needs to step up here…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Great list, and I would argue that few if any schools in the nation could beat that list.
    H2P

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  17. M&M, you’re in my Fran Tailgate Hall of Fame….. You look like you were a second baseman to me. A little raz mataz like Billy Maz…. 🙂

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  19. First off Aaron Donald will make it as soon as eligible. Secondly, how many Hall of Fame candidates are we expecting PITT to produce every ten years? I think one is a good ratio myself.

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    1. I’m thinking more like 5 per decade. We are including all 19 sports including coaches. It shouldn’t be that difficult. Dixon gets in.

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  21. Sadly, TX, there are not many near term candidates out there. As Greg mentions, Larry Fitzgerald may be one if he qualifies as a Pitt grad. Maybe any FB player who makes the NFL Hall of Fame could qualify. I think we will be living in the past when identifying potential candidates for quite a while.

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    1. Larry and Revis but they were 15 years ago. Again the last 10 years has not been kind to either football or basketball.

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  23. AD, Shady, Fitz and Revis are all current players with a great shot at the HoF. Reuben Brown still has a shot in regards to retired players.

    AD is trending to be an all time great at the position
    Shady is 2300 yards from passing Jim Brown and joining the top 10 in rushing yards and 3000 yards from being top 10 in yards from scrimmage.
    Fitz/Revis – already 1st ballot HoF
    Reuben Brown – 8 straight Pro-Bowls plus one with the Bears. Started all 181 games as a member of the Bills

    Hell, I went to Pitt in the dregs of the athletic department (93′-98′) and I still got to see a 3rd round pick, C-Mart, go on to a HoF career …

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  24. First ballot for Revis may have been a little aggressive …

    ESPN surveyed 10 of the 48 on the selection committee, which consists of media members, and the overwhelming sentiment was that Revis already has the credentials for induction. Eight of the 10 said he belongs in Canton, with one no and one undecided.

    It’s a different story on the first-ballot issue. Only one committee member said Revis deserves to make it in his first year of eligibility, which comes five years after he retires. Six leaned toward no and three said they’re undecided, with several saying it’s difficult to gauge a candidacy without knowing the strength of the 15 finalists in that particular year.

    Additional HoF sell on McCoy …

    LeSean McCoy turns 30 on July 12. Only seven players in NFL history had more scrimmage yards in their 20s than McCoy: Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James, Jim Brown and Walter Payton. Pretty good company.

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    1. that will rule out Fitz, McCoy, Revis, and probably a handful of others. Did Dorsett graduate?

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  26. and then you still have Football: Pop Warner, May, Grimm, Covert, Jackson, Doleman, Heyward, (along with Fitz, Revis and Shady)
    Basketball: Hennon, Miller, Dixon, Knight, Clancy, Vaughn, Blair

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    1. I wonder if they’ll pick Dixon while he still coaching elsewhere. Maybe later one.

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  30. I wholeheartedly disagree that the HoF should be reserved for graduates. The best are the best and I’ll go a step further and say pro careers should count too. Once a Pitt man always a Pitt man. Athletes from Pitt represent the school until the leave their respective sport.

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  31. Shouldn’t this recently formed group look back first and catch up all the while being very picky about the membership. I mean Clyde is one of my all time favorites but I have to say uh uh.

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  33. I’m fine catching up thru the ages. Golden era definitely first. I just think Pitt is Pitt. Doesn’t matter if they graduated.

    I disagree on being picky too. MLB’s HoF is the poster child for being too picky, ignoring the best of a generation. The HoF becomes more smug than honorary.

    I like HoF’s where the best of generations get in. It’s why, IMO, the NFL’s is so much better than baseball’s. Recent fan favorites still get in and are elected while they are still somewhat relevant.

    Golden era, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and aughts all should be represented. Give students of those eras nostalgia when waking the halls.

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    1. “Historically, June is a very busy month. Pitt landed seven commitments during June in each of the last two years, five the year before that, seven in June of 2014 and 11 in June of 2013. Dave Wannstedt, Todd Graham, Paul Chryst and Pat Narduzzi all made significant progress on their recruiting classes in June, for a variety of reasons.”

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    1. I like it. I’d like it better if the kid was a 4 star like the old man. Curtis might have even been a 5 star. I know he was from Buffalo and him coming led to Charles Smith, Jerome and other highly rated players.

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  36. I’m all for Curtis Aiken, Demetrius Gore and Jerome Lane. Along with Sam Clancy and Clyde Vaughn. They got me hooked on basketball. That should mean something as a young kid.

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  37. “and reeled off a school-record 22 consecutive victories. Pitt went on to advance to the 1974 NCAA Tournament’s East Regional Final, the farthest any Pitt team had advanced in the tournament.”

    Not quite accurate, In 1941 Pitt beat the Tarholes to reach the Final 4.

    Pitt’s only appearance in the Final 4. But hey we have appeared !

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  39. I thought I read one requirement is that any Pitt hof inductee has to be out of their sport before they can be inducted.

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    1. Yes they must have been out of school 5 years and not currently playing in the pros

      I whioleheartedly agree that the oldtimers go in first. Next class should begin with Schmidt, Hennon, Grier … and I assume there is a handful of others from the 20s and 30s

      wwb

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      1. FWIW …. the initial class of the Rock and Roll HOF included the following (but not the Beatles or Stones):

        Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, the Everly Bros, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Fats Domino and Elvis

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  43. In my opinion, we should have a PItt sports museum rather than just a hall of fame. Celebrate our entire history. If we went with a museum format, there could be a wing about Pitt failures/comedy acts and those of us on the blather could do the write up’s for Sir Tino, Fraud Graham, Iron Mike Haywood, the glory years of Carl Depasqua, Ralph Willard’s battlin’ Panthers of the mid 90s, Johnny Majors Part II, and my personal favorite potential wing…epic football losses with your host, Andrew Janocko.

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  44. I remember reading somewhere that Joe Schmidt didn’t graduate from Pitt. He left without a degree. His athletic achievements are spectacular. I always wondered about TD. Did AD? The kids who left early to play post-college sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, Olympics, etc.) without a degree should still be considered, IMHO. It is the Athletic Hall of Fame based on what they did as a Pitt athlete and athletics thereafter. It would have been great if they had returned to Pitt to complete their degree work (as Big Ben did at Miami of Ohio), but stuff happens along the way. LF lives in Arizona and works there. He promised his mom while she was still alive that he would get his degree, and it was easier for him to do so more recently at the University of Phoenix. More power to him. Hail to Pitt.

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  45. I definitely think professional careers count. Once a Pitt man, always a Pitt man. You put on that uniform and you represent Pitt for life. Pitt accomplishments are important but so is your overall representation of the great University we attended.

    Now, maybe they don’t get in early but eventually they should be enshrined.

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    1. It should be secondary to their work at Pitt though. Might make a good tie breaker though since they did the University proud.

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  47. I don’t understand why graduating would be a pre-determinate of HoF enshrinement. What does that have to do with being a great representative of Pitt?

    Bill Gates didn’t graduate from Harvard but Harvard still gave him an honorary degree decades later. Don’t make this more complicated than it should be. Pitt’s greatest athletes of every generation should be enshrined. Limiting to graduates only weakens the pool and makes the Hall much less attractive when it should be a celebration of Pitt.

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  48. The one thing that is painfully obvious is that this HOF will be very Football centric.

    There just aren’t that many NCAA Individual Champions or All-Americans in the other sports.

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  49. Curtis Martin is a no-brainer Fall of Famer even if you discount his Pro Career (which would be stupid), he’s Pitt’s 8th All-Time Leading Rusher & averaged 5.1 ypc. As far as the order of who gets in and when, that’s another matter. I do see that having a HOF is a real challenge in terms of the decision-making process & involves a ton of subjectivity, and I’m glad I’m not making those decisions, but this concept is great and kudos to Heather & everyone else for proceeding with it.

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  50. gc – Basketball will beg to differ. The last 20 years alone offers this …

    Vonteego Cummings
    Brandon Knight
    Julius Page
    Jaron Brown
    Ricardo Greer
    Dejuan Blair
    Sam Young
    Brad Wannamaker
    Levance Fields

    All these players deserve at least looks. Program revitalizers, first round picks, NBA players, #1 seeds in the tourney, Big East outright and conference champs, All Americans, All Big East players …

    This is different than a ring of honor or having your jersey retired. Those are the celebrations reserved for a selective list.

    But yes, the “olympic sports” have fallen on hard times since the early 80’s. Not much there. Maybe some diving?

    Like

    2. Good for Pitt, but I don’t see HOF in many of those names. I guess it depends on your criteria.

      Like

  52. Brian Batko@BrianBatko
    For what it’s worth to you, this is the longest into a recruiting cycle Pitt football has gone without a commitment since 2011, Todd Graham’s first year. And only year, obvi.

    (Of course, those earliest commits haven’t often panned out.)

    The comment in parenthesis were his, not mine ….. wwb

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  53. You don’t need a piece of paper to represent your school or for the school to celebrate your accomplishments.

    You have a finite period of time where you can compete in sports at a D-1 and/or professional level. You can get you degree at any time.

    A person can earn more in a short time in the NFL, NBA, etc. than most can earn in their chosen career over a lifetime, even with the piece of paper framed on the wall. For many of these kids this is their one chance to lift their families out of a life of poverty. Many have used their wealth and fame to found charities and “do good” in their communities. Others have retired and created successful businesses. All of these things do not require a college degree. Omo Moses doesn’t have a degree from Pitt. Have you seen what he has done lately?

    We need more celebration of what is good and less marginalization and hollow platitudes.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I would think qualifications are that you impacted the program in a good and significant way, are a good citizen and maybe went on to higher levels after college either athletically or academically. A degree would be icing on the cake.

      Grier, Schmidt, Hennon and pop warner should have made this first list at the expense of green, Marino, fralic and smith. But fans do what fans do and not many remember ‘ancient’ history.

      Like

    2. Exactly, they could have always finished their degree at Pitt at any time.

      Not requiring it just breaks the student/athlete bond down even further.

      Do we all forget that Pitt is first and foremost an institution of higher learning.

      Pitt has a strong distance degree program so they could play and take courses when time allowed.

      Some players who are in the NFL a short time even enroll back on to the Oakland campus.

      Fitz could have gotten his degree easily but chose another strictly for an endorsement. What does that say about being a “Pitt man”?

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      1. Not so.. Unless things have changed drastically in recent years, Pitt does not offer any undergraduate degrees via online learning. I know this, as I inquired to the University on specifically this question. The University offers 15-20 GRADUATE degrees online but no undergraduate degrees.

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    1. The Trib said that his son averaged 17.9 PPG last season on a bum knee. Maybe his dad did teach him how to shoot.

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  55. Hugh Green is absolutely deserves to be in any type of Hall of Fame anyone can dream up. I get the attempt to bring in older athletes first but some are just to obvious to pass on.. Like Aaron Donald.

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  56. Anon – It’s also who fans want to go reminisce over. There has to be a star factor to it. Especially, from the jump.

    I’m not excited about visiting a Hall of Fame without Dan Marino in it. Haha.

    All 8 NFL Hall of Famers should be in no question. 5 years removed from the sport already locked in. Greatness not in dispute.

    All Collegiate Hall of Famers should be in as well, without question.

    All 1st team All-Americans too.

    I agree that anyone who advanced the sport like Pop Warner should also be in. Bobby Grier would also fall into this category despite probably lacking the resume, otherwise.

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  57. Curtis Aiken Sr was a great pickup for PITT as he was a national type recruit. He scored 60 + points in a game or two in high school. He was instrumental in bringing in Smith as mentioned but imo, he was really sporadic for PITT during his career there but he is a true PITT man… ike

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  58. I have no problem with the initial class of Honorees, they are all worthy.
    I would suggest three a year from here on so we don’t run out of worthy athletes,
    or cheapen the list.

    Like

      1. Pitt’s AD Hall of Shame could fill a small list too.
        I think Pitt should add to the list every 3 years, not every year.

        Like

  59. Here’s a public service announcement. When I ordered my renewal of tickets a few months ago I put in for an upgrade for my seat location. Low and behold they called yesterday and I was moved to a better location. Don’t know if it’s too late but if you would like to move your seats maybe try calling the office. I really notice a more of an effort from that office to try and satisfy the paying customer.

    Like

    1. Agreed. I had a pleasant experience purchasing my basketball tickets the other day. The gentleman presented me with options based upon my preferences. He offered his preference based upon those and explained his reasoning. He offered some pros and cons of some other options. At the end he helped me with a billing question for my football tickets that took a few minutes to resolve. He was very patient and helpful throughout.

      TD was the guy the that sucked me into Pitt football as a kid. I can still see him shredding ND in the 1976 opener on his first carry.

      I started becoming a fan of Pitt hoops in the Sam Clancy era. I still remember listening to an upset of Duke at Durham on the radio. Duke with the likes of Mike Gminski, Jim Spanarkel and Gene Banks.

      IMO Clyde Vaughn made Pitt competitive in the Big East their first two years and doesn’t receive enough recognition for moving the program under Chipman. Clyde won the Big East scoring title in 1983.

      Liked by 1 person

  60. Over the span of his college career, Hugh Green remains the best college FB player I ever saw in my 55 years or so of watching it. He made his presence felt in his very first game vs eventual national champ ND.

    wwb

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      1. They are one & two IMO, with Dorsett being #1 because of the national championship and the Heisman.

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  63. Before I even thought to apply to Pitt from far away RI, I was a high school hurdler and Roger Kingdom was my idol.

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  64. As a graduate of Pitt, I don’t feel the student/athlete bond is broken at all without the degree. I love hearing about former players coming back and finishing their degrees but I don’t think it reflects poorly on those that don’t. The Hall is for athletic accomplishments not athletic. Although, I’d be all for a section dedicated to all the Academic All-Americans.

    It would be such a sad

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  66. Clyde Vaughn was a pretty good player but no way he gets in … can’t believe you don’t remember this:

    In August 2004, Vaughan was arrested for patronizing a prostitute during an undercover police sting and immediately resigned from his post at the Huskies (from Wiki)

    wwb

    Like

    1. At least he didnt kill someone or god forbid pay off a porn star
      Marino cheated on his wife. That didnt stop him from getting in.

      Like

  67. Always thought of Blair, Vaughn, and Shorter as really good post up players ala Sam Clancy but in no way could they quite measure up to his beast mode. I think he could dunk from the foul line.

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  68. ^^ and he did. He’s was the original freak. I told you guys the story when I met him. I said I know you and he stuck his hand out to shake and said, “nice to meet you, I’m Lawrence Taylor. I laugh and told he was full of it. Met him a few times after and we laughed again.

    Like

    1. Also met him once at a charity event. Great Pitt man! Imagine him parlaying his talents into a long NFL career.

      Like

  69. Part of me says Capel you stockpile as many 4 star guards as you want but part of me would like to see some 4 star forwards and a 4 star center or two before this entire class is 4 star guards and Curtis Aiken Jr lol

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    1. Pickings are slim on Forwards & Centers of the Top 150 4 stars this late in the year They are trying to get a 2019 big man 4 star to reclassify to 2018.

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  70. While embarrassing for Vaughn, that’s not a HoF eliminator.

    Deep – the bigs are harder to get late in the game. Just diamonds in the rough left for this class. Although, there’s a certain Duke recruit who has yet to sign his LOI … one mr. Zion Williamson … very much a long shot but just putting it out there that he hasn’t signed yet and Capel is his lead recruiter.

    Liked by 1 person

  71. Hall of Fame is to recognize their athletic program contribution. As long as the NCAA permits college athletes to go pro before graduating they should be eligible for hall of fame recognition based on their sports contribution. If someone flunked out of football and/ or the University that would be different.

    Liked by 1 person

  73. Interesting that Pitt’s first ACC Coastal Division is a Girl’s team

    It was a historical day for the Pitt athletic department as the school’s softball team clinched the ACC Coastal Division Championship following a 9-8 win over Louisville.

    Today’s win was the 15th conference win for the Panthers which ties North Carolina but because they win the tiebreaker over the Tar Heels, the Panthers win their first ACC Division Championship in program history.

    Since we have Lyke a Woman AD !

    Like

    1. There was good news and bad news for Pitt sports on the diamond yesterday. As Emel pointed out, the girls softball team clinched the ACC Coastal title. Good for them – they are actually a very well coached team with talent recruited from all over the US – with several key players from California.

      https://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2018/05/04/pitt-softball-clinches-first-acc-coastal-division-championship/

      The bad news was the baseball team losing the opening game of their 3 game series to nd 7-4. Pitt was up 4-0 after 4 innings and the pitching collapsed and the bats went silent. The game ended with the bases loaded and our #4 hitter striking out.

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    3. Pitt has won ACC championships in womans volleyball and wrestling
      The strongest sports at Pitt right now are volleyball, softball, cross country, wrestling, gymnastics and mens soccer (#5 recruiting in nation)
      The vast majority are woman Olympic sports
      Several of these successful programs play in the 70 year old Fieldhouse without AC
      All of these programs need the support of the ACC check and to have both football and basketball at least breakeven and in good years make money so these Olympic sports can be subsidized.
      Its almost ironic that Pitt’s most successful programs play in dumpy facilities and few come out to watch

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  74. Congrats to the softball team, hopefully the first of many ACC Championships.

    I actually enjoy watching women’s ncaa softball over the men’s baseball.

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    1. gc, according to the Trib, Pitt enters the ACC championship as the No. 2 seed …. so this is like the basketball tourney and not FB (I presume)
      wwb

      Like

  76. FWIW, Larry Fitz had his number retired after only 2 years at Pitt. Not sure if this is any kind of precedence for the HOF … but something to think about

    wwb

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  77. Hoping to hear some good news in both major sports recruiting. Need some difference makers.
    Possible future HOF’s would be ideal.

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  78. How would you know they flunked out?

    Pitt can’t ever make that public so fans would wonder why one player could be in the Hall of Fame but a different player with similar accomplishments could not be in it because he flunked out. And is there a big difference between flunking out and just deciding not to play any longer or having an injury?

    How about a star player who is dismissed from the team with disciplinary problems? Again, can’t be made public by Pitt unless there are public records such as arrest records, but is that player HoF material?.

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  79. Reed – You missed the point on his statement. All he was implying was that leaving early doesn’t dishonor them or Pitt. Having graduation requirement just limits the pool and makes a much less interesting pool of candidates and would not be a true representation of Pitt athletics … or any collegiate hall of fame for that matter. This notion of student athlete died a long time ago … but I’m all for a memorial in the Hall dedicated to Academic All-Americans.

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  80. Finally Pitt will now will recognize former players for their athletic accomplishments, so let’s leave out the academics and personal issues some may have had in their past. No one is perfect, so who cares what happened in 2004 because it doesn’t affect your life, so why should we really care?

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  81. Here is the selection committee:

    Athletic Administration
    Heather Lyke, Director of Athletics
    Christian Spears, Deputy Athletic Director/External Affairs
    Kelly Brennan, Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives and Engagement
    E.J. Borghetti, Athletic Media Relations
    Matt Plizga, Athletic Media Relations
    Alonzo Webb, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Head Coach

    Distinguished Community Members
    Melissa Hart
    Bill Hillgrove
    Martha Munsch
    Sam Sciullo Jr.

    Board of Trustees
    Robert Lovett
    Martha Munsch
    Dr. Jack Smith

    Panther Club Member
    Timothy Pecsenye

    Era Representatives
    Alex Kramer (Pre-1960s)
    Donna Sanft (1961-1975)
    Joey David (1976-1990)
    Lousaka Polite (1991-2005)
    Elizabeth Kline (2006-Present)

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  82. I think there should be at least one player from each era to start out
    Schmidt, Hennon, Grier and Pop Warner would be pre-60’s
    Vote them all in now and be done with it

    1961-1975 is a tough stretch
    Joey David is by far Pitt’s best era

    Like

  83. After reviewing the selection committee members list…… what are all your thoughts on Billy Hillgrove?

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  84. I did not know that, Reed. When you say football facilities, is that the South Side or Heinz?

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  85. Personally I’d like to see no BoT and less administration members.
    There should be more former players and more fans
    Bureaucrats should NOT be making these decisions

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  87. ^^ I don’t disagree. Tiger Paul kind of sums up what it’s like to be from Pittsburgh. In a way mucked up and we don’t care. It’s why the women’s football team has such a great name, “The Pittsburgh Passion”. Dam straight Tiger-Paul

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  88. Sorry if I missed it, but but did Beano Cook make Pitt’s inaugural HOF class, like Tiger Paul, that man bled Royal Blue and Gold, and is a more widely known ambassador for Pitt..(Love that guy)

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    1. Hillgrove, tiger paul and beano should get in as contributors to the game. If coaches are eligible, so should these guys.

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  89. Agreed, would be no different than añ announcer like Howard Cosell or Keith Jackson getting in a national HOF.

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  93. Do you think Tiger Paul gains or loses points for having the PITT cheerleader coach beat him up?

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