2001 Inductees For USC Athletic Hall of Fame Announced
Oct. 28, 2000
LOS ANGELES-Twenty Trojan luminaries have been selected to the fifth class of USC's Athletic Hall of Fame and they will be honored at a gala black tie induction dinner on May 5, 2001, at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena.
Alphabetically, the 2001 inductees are: Hal Bedsole, Bob Boyd, Brad Budde, Don Buford, Sam Cunningham, Jack Davis, Craig Fertig, Bruce Furniss, Ray George, Jimmy Gunn, Alex Hannum, Tom Kelly, Dave Kingman, Lenny Krayzelburg, Rick Leach, Earl Meadows, John Rudometkin, Makoto Sakamoto, Bill Sefton and Steve Timmons.
George, Meadows and Sefton will be honored posthumously.Fertig and Krayzelburg will receive a Spirit Award, while Kelly will be honored for his contributions as a sportscaster.
This is an outstanding group of Trojan greats who have played an important role in USC's athletic history,? said USC athletic director Mike Garrett, who was a member of the 1994 charter class.They'll join our first four classes of Hall of Famers to form a real Who's Who in USC sports.The first four induction dinners were very memorable and I'm sure the 2001 dinner will be just as special.?
Tickets to the induction dinner are available by calling the USC Athletic Department at (213) 740-4155.
The Hall of Famers are selected by a 75-member panel consisting of media and USC alumni and athletic department supporters.To be eligible for election, athletes must have completed their last season of eligibility at USC 10 years ago.
The 1999 inductees, who will have commemorative plaques installed at Heritage Hall, will join the 16 inaugural inductees (Jon Arnett, Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, Rod Dedeaux, Braven Dyer, Mike Garrett, Al Geiberger, Frank Gifford, Marv Goux, Howard Jones, Fred Lynn, John McKay, Parry O'Brien, Bill Sharman, O.J. Simpson, Stan Smith and Norman Topping), the 24 members of the 1995 second class (Marcus Allen, Dean Cromwell, Morley Drury, John Ferraro, Mal Florence, Jess Hill, Julie Kohl, Ronnie Lott, Marlin McKeever, Mike McKeever, Cheryl Miller, Orv Mohler, Charles Paddock, Mel Patton, Giles Pellerin, Erny Pinckert, Dennis Ralston, Roy Saari, Tom Seaver, Gus Shaver, Dave Stockton, Brice Taylor, Irvine "Cotton" Warburton, and Charles White), the 21 members of the 1997 third class (Johnny Baker, Ricky Bell, Raymond "Tay" Brown, Peter Daland, Charlie Dumas, Arnold Eddy, Ron Fairly, Mort Kaer, Allan Malamud, Ron Mix, Jess Mortensen, John Naber, Alex Olmedo, Nick Pappas, Aaron Rosenberg, Ambrose Schindler, Bob Seagren, Scott Simpson, Ernie Smith, Paul Westphal, and Ron Yary) and the 21 members of the 1999 fourth class (Garrett Arbelbide, Jerry Buss, Bob Chandler, Cynthia Cooper, Anthony Davis, Homer Griffith, Jim Hardy, Jesse Hibbs, Gene Mako, Mark McGwire, Anthony Munoz, Russ Saunders, Harry Smith, Craig Stadler, Francis Tappaan, Harley Tinkham, Jack Ward, Vern Wolfe, Cynthia Woodhead-Kantzer, Frank Wykoff and Louis Zamperini).
(NOTE: Biographies of the 2001 USC Athletic Hall of Fame members follow.)
BIOGRAPHIES OF 2001 USC ATHLETIC HALL OF FAMERS
BEDSOLE: One of the original big (6-5, 221 pounds) wide receivers in college football, Hal Bedsole was a consensus All-American on USC's 1962 national championship team.A 3-year letterman (1961-63) and 2-time All-Conference first teamer (1961-61), his 82 career catches ranks in USC's Top 20 chart.He owns the USC career record for highest average per catch (30 or more) at 20.94.NicknamedPrince Hal? because of his self-assured, outspoken ways, he led the Trojans in receiving and scoring in 1961 (27 catches, 38 points) and 1962 (33 catches, 68 points).He was the first Trojan to have 200 receiving yards in a game (201 yards versus California in 1962, a school record which stood for 21 years).He caught 2 touchdown passes in USC's win over Wisconsin in the 1963 Rose Bowl.A second round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings, he played there for 3 seasons (1964-66), then was a radio broadcast sales manager and was in business marketing.
BOYD: Bob Boyd had a stellar association with USC men's basketball, first as a player and then taking the program to great heights as its head coach.The 3-year letterman (1950-52) was Troy's MVP as a senior in 1952.He then began his coaching career, first for 5 years in the high school ranks (at El Segundo and Alhambra Highs), then for 6 years at the junior college level at Santa Ana College (his 1959 team finished second at the state tournament) and then collegiately, first at Seattle University, where he went 41-13 in 2 seasons (1964-65).After a year out of coaching while working for Converse, he embarked on a 13-year career (1967-79) guiding USC.His Trojans went 216-131 overall and played in the post-season 4 times (the 1979 NCAA playoffs, 1973 NIT and 1974 and 1975 Commissioner's Conference tourney).His 1971 Trojan team, which went 24_2 and was ranked No. 5 nationally (Troy was No. 1 at midseason), is regarded among USC's best (he also won 24 games in 1974).His wins over UCLA in 1969 and 1970 were the Bruins' first losses in Pauley Pavilion.He was twice named the conference Coach of the Year.He sent 10 Trojans into the NBA, including Paul Westphal and Gus Williams.After USC, he went on to be the head coach at Mississippi State (1982-86), Riverside Community College (1989) and Chapman (1990-92), and then was an assistant at LSU and Utah State.
BUDDE: Brad Budde was USC's first Lombardi Award winner in 1979 when he won consensus All-American honors.A 4-year starting offensive guard (1976-79), he was the first freshman footballer to start a USC season opener since World War II.He was a key member of Troy's 1978 national championship squad and played in 4 bowl games (the 1977, 1979 and 1980 Rose Bowls and the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl).A 3-time All-Conference first teamer (1977-78-79), in 1979 he also was the runner-up for the Outland Trophy and won USC's Offensive Player of the Year Award and Davis-Teschke Award (Most Inspirational Player).Also a fine student, he received an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1979.He was inducted in the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame in 1998.He was the 11th pick of the 1980 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and played 7 seasons (1980-86) for the Chiefs, where his father, Ed, was an All-Pro lineman before him.He currently is a physical therapist.
BUFORD: Although he was just 5-6 and 160 pounds, Don Buford was a 2-sport star at USC.He was a 2-year letterman infielder/outfielder (1958-59) on the baseball team and helped the 1958 Trojans win the College World Series.He had a .323 career batting average at Troy.He also lettered for 2 seasons (1957-58) as a halfback on the football team, and led the Trojans in rushing, punt returns and interceptions in 1958.He also was the team's top kickoff returner both seasons.But he pursued baseball on the professional level, playing 10 years (1963-72) in the majors with the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles and then 4 more years in Japan.A leadoff hitter, he was a member of the Orioles' 1970 World Series champs (the 1969 and 1971 O's won the American League pennant) and was an All-Star in 1971. He was named to the Orioles Hall of Fame.After retiring as a player, he was a retail manager before returning to baseball.He was an assistant coach with the San Francisco Giants, then became an assistant at USC (1985-88) before rejoining the Orioles, first as an assistant coach and then in the front office, where he currently is director of minor league operations.Two of his sons, Don Jr. and Damon, played baseball at USC (Damon is currently in the major leagues).
CUNNINGHAM: Sam Cunningham not only was one of the finest fullbacks in USC history, but he had a profound effect on college football.His 135-yard, 2-touchdown performance in a Trojan victory at Alabama in 1970 convinced Bear Bryant to integrate Southern football.?He was known asSam Bam? because of his famous goal line dives for touchdowns (he leaped for 4 short TDs to win Player of the Game honors in the 1973 Rose Bowl and later was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992).He won All-American first team honors on USC's 1972 national championship team, which he co-captained (he was Troy's Back of the Year that season).A 3-year letterman (1970-72), his 1,579 rushing yards puts him in the Top 25 of USC's prestigious career rushing list.He was the 11th pick of the 1973 NFL draft by the New England Patriots and played there for 9 seasons.His younger brother, Randall, became a star quarterback in the NFL.Sam currently owns a landscaping business.
DAVIS: Jack Davis is arguably USC's greatest high hurdler.He is the only man in history to win 3 consecutive NCAA high hurdles titles, which he did in 1951, 1952 and 1953 (USC won the NCAA team championship each year).He also won the NCAA 220-yard low hurdles crown in 1953, the season he served a Troy's co-captain.In 1956, he set the world record in the high hurdles with a 13.4 clocking and was ranked No. 1 in the world in the highs 3 times (1953-54-56).He was a silver medalist in the high hurdles in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics.He won 38 consecutive races from 1952 to 1956.He served 3 years in the U.S. Navy.After his running days ended, he became a real estate developer.
FERTIG: Craig Fertig has etched his name in USC lore as a quarterback, assistant coach, athletic department administrator and football television analyst.He set 8 USC passing records when he started in 1964 (he was Troy's co-captain that year).He will long be remembered for throwing the winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman in the final 2 minutes to lead USC back from a 17-point halftime deficit and upset unbeaten and top-ranked Notre Dame in 1964.A 3-year letterman (1962-64), he was a member of USC's 1962 national championship team.He then served as a Trojan assistant coach to John McKay from 1965 to 1973 as USC won 2 national titles and made 6 Rose Bowl trips.He spent 1974 as an assistant with the Portland Storm of the World Football League, returned to USC as an assistant for the 1975 season, then was the head football coach at Oregon State from 1976 to 1979.After that, Fertig was the West Coast talent scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until returning to USC as an assistant athletic director involved in fundraising from 1983 to 1990.Then he became assistant athletic director for development at UC Irvine.Since 1992, he has been the analyst on FOX Sports Net West 2's cable broadcasts of Trojan football games, and also is a contributor on the network's USC Sports Magazine Show.
FURNISS: Bruce Furniss is one of USC's most prolific swimmers.A 4-year All-American (1976-79), he won 6 NCAA titles-2 individual crowns (the 200-yard freestyle in 1977 and 1978) and 4 as a member of Troy's 400 and 800 freestyle relays (in 1976 and 1977).His efforts helped USC to the 1976 and 1977 NCAA team championships.His time in the 200 free still ranks in the all-time Trojan Top 10.A 10-time world record holder, he also won 10 conference titles and 9 AAU crowns.After his freshman year, he won 2 gold medals in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal (in the 200-meter freestyle and swimming a leg on the United States' 800 freestyle relay, both in world record time).He also was on the victorious U.S. 400 free relay squad at the 1978 World Championships.He did all this despite being hampered with a painful arthritic condition (ankylosis spondylitis).He has 3 Trojan aquatic siblings: older brothers, Steve, an Olympic bronze medalist who won 4 NCAA individual medley titles, and Chip, a 3-time All-American swimmer, and younger brother, Craig, a 2-time All-American on the water polo team (and USC's co-valedictorian).He now is a commercial real estate broker.
GEORGE: A gentle giant of a man who was beloved by all, the late Ray George left his mark at USC as a player, assistant coach and athletic department administrator.A 3-year letterman tackle (1936-37-38), he ranks as one of Troy's all-time greatest linemen.He was a member of the 1938 Trojan football team which upset top-ranked Notre Dame and previously unbeaten and unscored-upon Duke in the 1939 Rose Bowl.He was the second USC player ever drafted by the NFL and one of Troy's first to play in the NFL (with Detroit in 1939 and Philadelphia in 1940).He coached at Porterville (Calif.) High in 1941, then served in World War II.He then was USC's line coach from 1946-50 before becoming the head coach at Texas A&M from 1951 to 1953.He then went into private business before rejoining USC's coaching staff in 1958 for 7 seasons (USC won national championship in 1962).He went back into private business, then returned to USC in 1971 as an assistant athletic director until retiring in 1985 (he also was an assistant coach >from 1972 to 1974, when USC won 2 national titles and played in 3 Rose Bowls).He died in 1995 at age 78.
GUNN: The leader of USC's famedWild Bunch? defensive line of 1969, Jimmy Gunn was a hard-hitting, speedy end.He was a consensus All-American in 1969 when he co-captained the Trojans and was named the team's Lineman of the Year.The 3-year letterman (1967-69) was a 2-time All-Conference first teamer (1968 and 1969).He played on USC's 1967 national championship team and participated in 3 Rose Bowls (1968-69-70).He was selected in the 13th round of the 1970 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears and spent 7 years in the NFL as a linebacker with the Bears (1970-75), New York Giants (1975) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976).He then became a business executive and real estate developer.
HANNUM: Alex Hannum, one of the great coaches in NBA history, began his career as an outstanding basketball player at USC.A 4-year letterman (1943-46-47-48), he was an All-Southern Division first teamer as a senior in 1948 when he was named USC's team MVP, Most Inspirational Player and team captain.He led the Trojans in scoring that season (11.4 average).He also was a member of USC's 1943 conference champs.He then played with 7 teams in the National Basketball League and NBA from 1949 to 1957.It was as a 16-year head coach of 5 NBA teams (St. Louis Hawks, Syracuse Nationals, San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and San Diego Rockets) and 2 ABA teams (Oakland Oaks and Denver Rockets/Nuggets) that earned him enshrinement into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.He is the only coach in pro basketball history to win titles in the NBA (1958 with St. Louis and 1967 with Philadelphia) and ABA (1969 with Oakland).He coached 12 future Hall of Famers, including Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry.He was the 1964 NBA Coach of the Year and 1969 ABA Coach of the Year.After leaving coaching, he owned a construction firm.
KELLY: Tom Kelly is in his fifth decade as the voice of USC athletics.He first called play-by-play of USC football and men's basketball games in 1961 and has broadcast Trojan games almost yearly since then (on radio >from 1961 to 1965 and 1973 to 1988, then on TV since 1989).Currently, he calls various USC events on FOX Sports Net West 2, and also hosts that cable network's USC Sports Magazine Show.The dean of Southern California football broadcasters, he has described the action of 5 USC national championship football teams, 4 Heisman Trophy winners and 84 first team All-American footballers.He also was the executive producer/host/narrator of the Trojan Video Gold series, highlighting the history of USC football.In his career, he has done play-by-play for just about every sport imaginable and has won numerous awards, including 4 Golden Mikes, 2 AP and UPI California Sportscaster of the Year trophies, and an Emmy.After getting injured while playing football at Northland College in Ashland, Wis., he helped with the school's radio broadcasts.His broadcasting career continued in Duluth, Minn., Des Moines, Ia., and then Peoria, Ill., before coming to Los Angeles.Locally, he was a sportscaster for KNX-AM and KCBS-TV, sports director for KTTV-TV (from 1966 to 1972), did play-by-play for the San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the USFL's Los Angeles Express, and also worked for CBS Radio and ESPN.
KINGMAN: One of baseball's premier home run hitters, Dave Kingman lettered at USC in 1969 and 1970.He led the 1970 national championship team in hitting (.355) and earned All_American notice as an outfielder that season.In 1969, he was used some as an outfielder, but mainly as a pitcher (going 11-4 with a 1.38 ERA and 88 strike outs).In his 2-year Trojan career, he hit 13 homers and batted .333.He then was the No. 1 pick of the June 1970 secondary draft, selected by the San Francisco Giants.His 16-year major league career was spent with 7 clubs (the Giants, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Oakland A's).A 3-time All-Star, the 6-6 player who was nicknamedKong? finished with 442 career home runs and twice led the league in round-trippers (1979 and 1982).
KRAYZELBURG: Lenny Krayzelburg, the aquatic star of the 2000 Olympics, is one of the world's greatest backstrokers.A 9-time All-American at USC (1996-98), he captured an NCAA individual title in 1997 in the 200-yard backstroke and he set school records in both backstroke specialties and both medley relays.This summer in the Sydney Olympics, he won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes and as a member of the United States' 400-meter medley relay.The top-ranked backstroker in the world since 1997, he owns world records in the event at 50 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters.He has won titles at the World Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, Goodwill Games, U.S. Nationals and Summer Nationals.The Russian native didn't come to the United States until 1989 and became an American citizen in 1995.
LEACH: Rick Leach is regarded as one of America's finest tennis doubles players.He was a 2-time NCAA doubles champion (1986-87) and 4-year All-American (1984-87) in singles and doubles while playing for his father, current USC head coach Dick Leach.He was a member of USC's 1984 and 1987 Pac-10 championship teams and was named the 1987 Pac-10 Athlete of the Year.He went on to a successful career in professional tennis, winning nearly 40 pro doubles titles (with more than $2 million in prize earnings) and climbing to the No. 1 doubles ranking in the world in 1990.Among his highlights, he won 9 Grand Slam titles: the 1990 Wimbledon doubles and mixed doubles, 1988, 1989 and 2000 Australian Open doubles, 1995 and 1997 Australian Open mixed doubles, 1993 U.S. Open doubles and 1997 U.S. Open mixed doubles.He also has represented the United States as a member of the Davis Cup.His brother, Jon, also competed for Troy.He currently works alongside his father as an assistant coach with the USC men's tennis team.
MEADOWS: The late Earle Meadows, perhaps the greatest pole vaulter of the bamboo pole era, twice tied with fellow USC teammate Bill Sefton for the NCAA title (in 1935 and 1936).In fact, the duo was nicknamedThe Heavenly Twins.?He lettered on 3 consecutive Trojan NCAA championship teams (1935-37).After his junior year, he won a gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.In 1937, he twice broke the world record, going a best of 14-11 (with Sefton) but was unable to attempt to become the first 15-foot vaulter because the bar couldn't be raised that high.He won 3 U.S. Indoors championships (1937, 1940 and setting a world indoor best in 1941), and he and Sefton also tied for the 1935 AAU title.He was among the world's Top 10-ranked pole vaulters for more than 10 years after leaving USC.He was enshrined in the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1996.He died in 1992 at age 79.
RUDOMETKIN: John Rudometkin, known as theReckless Russian,? played bigger than his 6-6 height while starring for the USC men's basketball team.A 2-time All-American (1961-62), he set USC career records in points (1,484, the mark stood for 23 years), scoring average (18.8) and rebounding (831), he still stands fourth on the scoring charts and second on the rebounding list.He helped lead the Trojans to the 1961 conference title (that was the last time USC won an outright league crown).A 3-year letterman (1960-62), he topped USC in scoring all 3 seasons and was Troy's team MVP each year.He went on to play 3 seasons in the NBA with the New York Knicks (1963-65) and San Francisco Warriors (1965).His career was cut short by a cancerous tumor around his heart and lungs, but he overcame the disease.He then became a real estate investor, a minister and a motivational speaker.
SAKAMOTO: Considered one of America's best gymnasts, Japanese-native Makoto Sakamoto-at just 5-1 and 120 pounds-won 4 NCAA individual championships at USC:the 1968 NCAA all-around title, 1967 and 1968 NCAA parallel bars crowns and 1968 NCAA horizontal bar title.A 7-time AAU all-around champion, he participated in the 1964 and 1972 Olympics for the United States.He was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1986.After serving as an assistant coach at UCLA (and with the U.S. team at the 1984 Olympics), he was the long-time head coach of the BYU men's team before the school dropped the sport this year (he currently teaches in BYU's physical education department).Two of his brothers, Isamu and Mikio, also were Trojan gymnasts.
SEFTON: The late Bill Sefton won more NCAA pole vault championships (3) than any other Trojan.He shared the NCAA crown in 1935 and 1936 with Trojan teammate Earle Meadows (the pair was known asThe Heavenly Twins?), then won the 1937 title outright.He lettered on 3 consecutive Trojan NCAA championship teams (1935-37) and captained the 1937 squad.Following his junior year, he participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and placed fourth in the pole vault.In 1937, he broke the world record 3 times, going a best of 14-11 (with Meadows) but was unable to attempt to become the first 15-foot vaulter because the bar couldn't be raised that high.He and Meadows also tied for the 1935 AAU title.He died in 1982 at age 67.
TIMMONS:Steve Timmons, with his world famous redheaded flat top, was one of volleyball's most potent hitters.He perfected the 10-foot shot, in fact, he is still regarded as having the game's most unstoppable spike out of the back row. He first made an impact as a 3-year letterman (1980-82) at USC, where he played on the 1980 NCAA championship squad (earning All-Tournament honors).He also was an All-Conference first team pick in 1982.He then starred indoors internationally and on the beach.He won Olympic gold medals in 1984 (earning MVP honors on the U.S. team) and 1988 (he was named the tourney's best blocker), and a bronze in 1992 (becoming the first American male to win 3 volleyball medals).He was a starter for the U.S. team which won the first-everTriple Crown? of volleyball: the 1984 Olympics, 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championships.He was inducted into the U.S. Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 1998 and named to Volleyball magazine's All-Time American Indoors first team.He also was selected to the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the California Community College Hall of Fame in 1998 (for his basketball and volleyball exploits at Orange Coast College).He also owned a successful clothing business.
