Two multiple Super Bowl champions, a Heisman Trophy winner and a former “Fastest Man in the World” help make up a highly distinguished 2012 Class of outstanding Texas African American Athletes and Coaches, all who will be bestowed for the world to see.The Parrish Restaurants Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame, at the African American Museum Dallas, selected ten new Texas-connected sports figures to be honored and inducted this year.
This 17th Class of TBSHOF will be formally enshrined at the Parrish Restaurants Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Enshrinement Luncheon, to take place Saturday, Dec. 1, 11:30 a.m., at the Dallas Marriott City Center Hotel, 650 N. Pearl St., in downtown Dallas. The adopted theme for the event is “Celebrating Athletic Brilliance.”
“The 2012 Class of the Parrish Restaurants Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame is not only a celebration of athletic brilliance, but is also a celebration of community achievements,” said Ronald Parker, Chair of the TBSHOF Advisory Committee. “These athletes were not only great on the field of play, but they’ve continued that level of performance by serving as good community stewards, in which we are very pleased in celebrating as well.”
The 2012 Class of Inductees are:
Tim Brown, out of Dallas’ Woodrow Wilson High School, is considered by many as one of the NFLs most prolific wide receivers ever, amassing almost 20,000 all-purpose yards in a 17-year career, after winning the 1987 Heisman Trophy with Notre Dame.
Charles Haley is the only player in NFL history to have won five Super Bowl Championship Rings. Three of those were with the legendary Dallas Cowboys teams of the early and mid-1990s, the other two with the San Francisco 49ers. The ever menacing defensive end accumulated over 100 sacks in his career.
Jim Hines came out of Texas Southern University to become the “Fastest Man in the World” over a 15-year period. He was the first man to break the 10-second record in the 100-meter dash, held the world record for 15 years and won gold medals in the 100-meter dash and the 4×100 relay in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Eugene “Gene” Upshaw, born in Robstown, Texas and a Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) graduate, was one of the most dominant NFL offensive linemen in his era, playing 15 years with the Oakland Raiders. He helped lead the Raiders to wins in Super Bowl IX and XV and was a 6-time Pro Bowler. He went on to become executive director of the NFL Players Association until his untimely death in 2008.
Tommie Smith, born in Clarksville, Texas, won the Gold Medal in the 200-meter dash in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, then, with teammate John Carlos performed the Black Power Salute on the medal podium, in one of the most symbolic moments during the Civil Rights Movement.
Lori McNeil, a Houston native, was a consistent Top Ten-ranked pro tennis standout who pulled off major Grand Slam upsets over Steffi Graf and Chris Evert and won 10 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles titles and 32 doubles championships over an 18-year period.
Chadwick Brown starred as an All-American offensive lineman for East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce) from 1966-68 and for the past 20 years has served as an NFL game official, having officiated Super Bowls XXXV in Tampa, Florida and XLV in Arlington, Texas.
George “Jake” Roland (Posthumous) won 400 games as a basketball coach for Dallas’ Lincoln High School and Carter High School, winning several district championships and Coach of the Year honors.
Horatio Porter was a five-time All-American sprinter at TCU, winning NCAA championships in the 4×100 relays and Southwest Conference titles in the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes.
Bobby E. Moten, Sr. was an All-Conference tight end for Bishop College and a four-letter, double All-State high school athlete, becoming only the third player to be drafted from Bishop College, by the Atlanta Falcons.
“The point to make here is that these athletes and coaches excelled not just due to raw athletic ability, but also because of their intellect, their work ethic, discipline and high values system,” said Gordon Jackson, a member of TBSHOF’s Selection and Advisory Committees. “That’s why we’re using the theme, ‘Celebrating Athletic Brilliance.’”
The Parrish Restaurants, LTD is the Title Sponsor of the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Luncheon.
Past TBSHOF inductees have included:
Ellis Davis, Ernie Banks, Charles Sifford, Fred “Pop” Long, Jerry Levias, Barbara Jean Jacket, Joe and Gene Pouncy, Abner Haynes, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Rafer Johnson, Cinnamon Sheffield, Robert “Rabbit” Thomas, Charlie Taylor, Tony Dorsett, Flo Hyman, Cincy Powell, John Wooten, Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Jolanda Jones, Everson Walls, Spud Webb, Leon O’Neal, Ira Terrell, the 1966 Texas Western basketball team, Richmond Webb, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, John Carlos, Jack Johnson, Jacob Green, Jimmy Wynn, Pam Green, Judy Dyer, Goree Johnson, Billy Nicks, Leon King, Arthur Gillum and many others.
Tickets for the luncheon are $75 per person, $750 per table of ten. The African American Museum is located at 3536 Grand Ave. in Dallas’ Fair Park. For more information, call 214-565-9026 ext. 326.
