March 6, 2002
This is another "B"Line column, a periodic collection of news items of interest to members of the Baylor "B" Association. Contribute news about you or your teammates via e-mail to Dutch Schroeder (Dutch_Schroeder@baylor.edu), Reba Cooper (Reba_Cooper@baylor.edu) or Jack Loftis (Jack.Loftis@chron.com). The mailing address is Baylor "B" Association, P. O. Box 8120, Waco, TX 76714.
SPLITTING THE UPRIGHTS - A record crowd turned out for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Dinner in Waco on Feb. 26, and among those in attendance was 1950-51 Baylor kicking specialist C. O. Brocato. He was a member of the Baylor team that played in the 1952 Orange Bowl and is now a scout for the NFL Tennessee Titans. Two of the 2002 honorees - Mike Munchak and Bruce Matthews - have Titan (and Houston Oiler) ties. Other inductees were Troy Aikman, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte and, posthumously, Dick "Night Train" Lane and Norm Cash . . . In case you are curious, 16 individuals with Baylor credentials are members of the Hall. Listed alphabetically, they are: Wesley Bradshaw (football, inducted 1966), Frank Bridges (football, 1973), Hayden Fry (football, 1997), Bill Glass (football, 1987), Clyde Hart (track and field, 2000), Bill Henderson (basketball, 1976), Larry Isbell (football and baseball, 2000), John Drew "Boody" Johnson (football, 1973), Michael Johnson (track, 1997), Barton "Botchey" Koch (football, 1967), Ted Lyons (baseball, 1985), Jack Patterson (track, 1980), R. J. "Jackie" Robinson (basketball, 1966), Mike Singletary (football, 1995), M. A. "Catfish" Smith (football, 1979) and Grant Teaff (football, 1995) . . .
WILLIAMS FINALLY IN - Michael Williams, a 1988 All-American prior to spending more than a decade in the National Basketball Association, has finally been inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame (see separate story on this web site). Williams was forced to miss the November ceremony that saw Maggie Davis-Stinnett (basketball), Raymond Strickland (basketball/track) and James Francis (football) join the Baylor elite, but received his honor on March 2, following his introduction at the Baylor-Texas Tech game. Williams, 35, told the Waco Tribune-Herald that he can still remember seeing other BU athletes being inducted into the Hall of Fame, "but it seemed like those guys were a little older." Photos of all inductees are permanently on display in the "B" Association Room at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Hall was established in 1960 to recognize individuals whose participation enriched and strengthened the Baylor athletic program . . . For the second straight year Texas Tech and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal hosted a group of Baylor fans (including BU regents chairman John Wilkerson of Lubbock) at the Baylor-Tech game at United Spirit Arena. Unfortunately, the Bears lost both of the road games, but this year's game was different in one aspect. A year ago then-Tech Chancellor John Montford looked at the crowd of 8,827 on hand in the three-year-old, 15,000-capacity arena and candidly remarked, "We must find a way to fill this place." They did - and The Way was Bobby Knight (no spiritual reference intended). This year the BU-TT game in Lubbock drew 13,856 . . . And the Baylor men's team under Coach Dave Bliss set an attendance record this season at Ferrell Center. The Texas Tech finale in Waco on March 2 pulled in 9,878, giving the Bears a home total of 109,494 for the year . . .
HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH - According to an item in the Winter issue of the Baylor Line, the quarterly publication of the Baylor Alumni Association, former Baylor football player Ray Ford is now in his third year of residency at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. He lettered at end in the early '90s . . . Speaking of the Baylor Line, in the same issue Editor Todd Copeland has done a remarkable job writing about "The Immortal Ten" who were killed in 1927 when a train struck their bus near Round Rock. Seven of the 10 were members of the Baylor varsity basketball team. The article features some vintage photos relating to the tragedy and updates Baylor alums on progress being made to erect a statue of "The Ten" on campus. Subscriptions to the magazine come with your Baylor Alumni Association membership. For information on how to join go to www.bayloralumni.com or call 1-800 BAYLOR-U, Option 6 . . . Putting an athletic touch on another Baylor Line item - as only "B" Association exec VP Dutch Schroeder can do so remarkably well - we are happy to report that the Stork called on John Plumb, MBA '87, and wife Susie last year for the third time. They live in Green Bay, Wis., where John is a financial analyst for Schneider Logistics. The spin? John is the grandson of Ted Plumb, who caught a 38-yard scoring pass from Don Trull in Baylor's 24-9 win over Utah State in the 1961 Gotham Bowl. Ted went on to coach in the pros for a long period of time . . .
JACK LOFTIS
Chairman
Communications Committee
March 6, 2002
