Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 13, 2007 11:13:20 GMT -5
Braham headlines 17th class to be inducted
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN — Seven outstanding athletes of past years form the 17th class for West Virginia University’s Sports Hall of Fame, Athletic Director Ed Pastilong announced Saturday.
Rich Braham, Jerry Holmes, Robert “Bob” Moss and the late Fred “Jack” Simons earned acclaim in football. Tom Lowry and Harry “Moo” Moore starred in basketball, as did Georgeann Wells, the first woman ever to dunk in a game.
They will be officially inducted on Saturday, Sept. 22, in ceremonies before the start of West Virginia’s football game against East Carolina at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
These distinguished people bring to 109 the number in the shrine.
Braham, a Morgantown native, went from walk-on to scholarship recipient and earned All-America recognition as an offensive tackle from 1990-93. He started 37 games here, then played in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals.
He made 142 starters during his 13 years in Cincinnati, where he played at both guard and center. Braham made all-Big East and also was MVP of WVU’s second team to go 11-0 during a regular season.
Holmes was a defensive back for WVU in 1978 and 1979 after spending two years at Chowan Junior College in North Carolina. He made the all-East first team and was credited with 175 tackles as a Mountaineer.
He made the all-time team for the 1970s and was selected team MVP in 1979. The Newport News, Va., native went on to play 11 years in the NFL and USFL.
Holmes eventually turned to coaching and tutored the defensive backs at his alma mater from 1995-98. He then served a coaching stint in the NFL and has been defensive coordinator at Hampton University since 2004.
Moss excelled as a running back during the glorious 1950s, helping WVU to 7-2, 8-2, 8-1 and 8-2 records, national rankings and a Sugar Bowl appearance.
The 6-1, 200-pound Huntington native had to share carries with several other talented backs. But he gained 1,403 yards rushing and scored 18 touchdowns on 180 attempts.
His 8.2 yards-per-carry average set a Mountaineer record in 1955 when he totaled 807 yards on 98 rushes. He earned All-Southern Conference recognition and is on the all-time team for 1950-59.
Moss, who now lives in Pensacola, Fla., served 26 years in the Navy and retired as a commander in 1983.
Simons was a four-year starter as a halfback and fullback on outstanding teams from 1920-23. He also played linebacker on defense.
The native of New Cumberland, W.Va., helped WVU to a 10-0-1 record in 1922. He caught a 16-yard pass for the game-winning touchdown in a 21-13 win over Gonzaga in the East-West Bowl game.
In all, Simons had a hand in a combined record of 27-9-4 and was elected captain of the ‘23 team that went 7-1-1, including a 13-7 victory over Pitt. His 77 yards in that game was 19 more than the Panthers’ entire team total.
Simons got married and started a family early, so he settled down in Morgantown and was a prominent insurance agent. He founded the football program at St. Francis High School and was a highly successful coach.
He’s a member of the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He died in 1978 at the age of 96.
Lowry was one of the most productive centers in Mountaineer basketball history. At 6-8, 220 pounds, the Madison, Ohio, native logged 1,104 points and 914 rebounds during his three-year varsity career in 1962-63-64.
He’s among a select few who averaged double digits in both scoring (12.4) and rebounding (10.3) over 89 games. He played a big role as the Mountaineers posted an overall 65-24 mark under the late coach George King.
Lowry made the All-Southern Conference first team and also the league’s all-tournament second team as a senior as well as other honors. WVU won two conference championships, a runner-up finish and berths in two NCAA tournaments with Lowry in the lineup.
He lives in the Detroit area, where until recently he owned and operated a company which produced cowhide leather for seats in new vehicles.
Moore, a native of Moundsville, was a standout 6-2 forward/center on the basketball teams from 1950-52 that posted a combined three-year record of 60-20. He started 49 of 74 varsity games, averaged 12.8 points per game as a senior and 9.0 for his career.
He still holds the school’s second-highest career free-throw percentage of 83.9 for 120-of-143 shooting. He had 158 rebounds as a senior, but that stat wasn’t kept for his first two seasons. WVU went 23-4 in his junior record and won the South Conference regular-season title.
While picked by Syracuse in the 1952 NBA draft, Moore did not play pro ball. He served in the Army Infantry as a lieutenant from 1953-55.
He worked in the oil industry as a Realtor from 1956-84.
Wells was a 6-7 center from Columbus, Ohio, lettering four years on women’s teams from 1983-86. His chief claim to fame was becoming the first female ever to dunk a basketball in a game.
That historic happening was against the University of Charleston on Dec. 21, 1984, in the Mountaineer Christmas Classic at Elkins. It triggered national TV and magazine exposure and made her a celebrity from coast to coast.
As a result, Wells was honored at a luncheon in New York and at a ceremony in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, where there is a display in her honor. She also is in the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Houston’s Phi Slamma Jama dunking fraternity.
Wells averaged 14.0 points and 10.1 rebounds for her WVU career. Just two others attained double-double while here. She left with 1,484 points and rebounds.
For her amazing career, she also blocked 436 shots, which still stands as the school record by far. WVU’s record was 66-51 for her 106-game career.
She is married to Myron Blackwell and they have three children.
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN — Seven outstanding athletes of past years form the 17th class for West Virginia University’s Sports Hall of Fame, Athletic Director Ed Pastilong announced Saturday.
Rich Braham, Jerry Holmes, Robert “Bob” Moss and the late Fred “Jack” Simons earned acclaim in football. Tom Lowry and Harry “Moo” Moore starred in basketball, as did Georgeann Wells, the first woman ever to dunk in a game.
They will be officially inducted on Saturday, Sept. 22, in ceremonies before the start of West Virginia’s football game against East Carolina at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
These distinguished people bring to 109 the number in the shrine.
Braham, a Morgantown native, went from walk-on to scholarship recipient and earned All-America recognition as an offensive tackle from 1990-93. He started 37 games here, then played in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals.
He made 142 starters during his 13 years in Cincinnati, where he played at both guard and center. Braham made all-Big East and also was MVP of WVU’s second team to go 11-0 during a regular season.
Holmes was a defensive back for WVU in 1978 and 1979 after spending two years at Chowan Junior College in North Carolina. He made the all-East first team and was credited with 175 tackles as a Mountaineer.
He made the all-time team for the 1970s and was selected team MVP in 1979. The Newport News, Va., native went on to play 11 years in the NFL and USFL.
Holmes eventually turned to coaching and tutored the defensive backs at his alma mater from 1995-98. He then served a coaching stint in the NFL and has been defensive coordinator at Hampton University since 2004.
Moss excelled as a running back during the glorious 1950s, helping WVU to 7-2, 8-2, 8-1 and 8-2 records, national rankings and a Sugar Bowl appearance.
The 6-1, 200-pound Huntington native had to share carries with several other talented backs. But he gained 1,403 yards rushing and scored 18 touchdowns on 180 attempts.
His 8.2 yards-per-carry average set a Mountaineer record in 1955 when he totaled 807 yards on 98 rushes. He earned All-Southern Conference recognition and is on the all-time team for 1950-59.
Moss, who now lives in Pensacola, Fla., served 26 years in the Navy and retired as a commander in 1983.
Simons was a four-year starter as a halfback and fullback on outstanding teams from 1920-23. He also played linebacker on defense.
The native of New Cumberland, W.Va., helped WVU to a 10-0-1 record in 1922. He caught a 16-yard pass for the game-winning touchdown in a 21-13 win over Gonzaga in the East-West Bowl game.
In all, Simons had a hand in a combined record of 27-9-4 and was elected captain of the ‘23 team that went 7-1-1, including a 13-7 victory over Pitt. His 77 yards in that game was 19 more than the Panthers’ entire team total.
Simons got married and started a family early, so he settled down in Morgantown and was a prominent insurance agent. He founded the football program at St. Francis High School and was a highly successful coach.
He’s a member of the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He died in 1978 at the age of 96.
Lowry was one of the most productive centers in Mountaineer basketball history. At 6-8, 220 pounds, the Madison, Ohio, native logged 1,104 points and 914 rebounds during his three-year varsity career in 1962-63-64.
He’s among a select few who averaged double digits in both scoring (12.4) and rebounding (10.3) over 89 games. He played a big role as the Mountaineers posted an overall 65-24 mark under the late coach George King.
Lowry made the All-Southern Conference first team and also the league’s all-tournament second team as a senior as well as other honors. WVU won two conference championships, a runner-up finish and berths in two NCAA tournaments with Lowry in the lineup.
He lives in the Detroit area, where until recently he owned and operated a company which produced cowhide leather for seats in new vehicles.
Moore, a native of Moundsville, was a standout 6-2 forward/center on the basketball teams from 1950-52 that posted a combined three-year record of 60-20. He started 49 of 74 varsity games, averaged 12.8 points per game as a senior and 9.0 for his career.
He still holds the school’s second-highest career free-throw percentage of 83.9 for 120-of-143 shooting. He had 158 rebounds as a senior, but that stat wasn’t kept for his first two seasons. WVU went 23-4 in his junior record and won the South Conference regular-season title.
While picked by Syracuse in the 1952 NBA draft, Moore did not play pro ball. He served in the Army Infantry as a lieutenant from 1953-55.
He worked in the oil industry as a Realtor from 1956-84.
Wells was a 6-7 center from Columbus, Ohio, lettering four years on women’s teams from 1983-86. His chief claim to fame was becoming the first female ever to dunk a basketball in a game.
That historic happening was against the University of Charleston on Dec. 21, 1984, in the Mountaineer Christmas Classic at Elkins. It triggered national TV and magazine exposure and made her a celebrity from coast to coast.
As a result, Wells was honored at a luncheon in New York and at a ceremony in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, where there is a display in her honor. She also is in the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Houston’s Phi Slamma Jama dunking fraternity.
Wells averaged 14.0 points and 10.1 rebounds for her WVU career. Just two others attained double-double while here. She left with 1,484 points and rebounds.
For her amazing career, she also blocked 436 shots, which still stands as the school record by far. WVU’s record was 66-51 for her 106-game career.
She is married to Myron Blackwell and they have three children.
