VIA Heritage Association (VIAHA) Hall of Fame FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 15, 2016

Contacts: Jimmy Hollins, Chairman, VIAHA Bernard R. Anderson, HOF Committee Member 434-825-6117/[email protected] 703-851-2989/[email protected] 2016 Inaugural VIAHA Hall of Fame Class Chosen

Inaugural class features 28 inductees

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Twenty-seven individuals and who have made outstanding contributions to high school athletics and other activities have been selected to the 2016 inaugural class of the Virginia Interscholastic Association Heritage Association Hall of Fame (VIAHA). The class features 11 athletes, 10 coaches, six contributors and one selection of special recognition. The inaugural Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held on Monday, June 20, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Charlottesville.

The Hall is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage and legacy of African-American students and adults who participated in the Virginia Interscholastic Association from 1954-70 and its predecessor organization the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic League (VIAL).

Some notable inaugural inductees include pro football hall of famer Roosevelt Brown; Walter Bowser; basketball great Earl Lloyd; coaches Thad Madden, Stretch Gardner, Bill Lawson, Jr., and George Lancaster; and a special recognition to the Armstrong-Walker Football Classic.

Prior to school desegregation, one of the most influential organizations in the state of Virginia was the Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA), which served young African-American students who attended segregated high schools in the state. The impact that this association had on shaping the lives of these students went far beyond governing athletic events, it brought together students, parents, and mentors to develop within students a strong foundation of character and ethical responsibilities that advanced these men and women into successful citizens and leaders.

“The VIA was a powerful equalizer in a time of state sanctioned inequality, its impact upon thousands and thousands of young men and women present them with a lifetime of hard earned accomplishments,” said Jimmy Hollins of the Burley Varsity Club in Charlottesville and the VIA Heritage Association. “While the memories of the VIA are fading, its impact needs to be preserved and the memories of the VIA revitalized for future generations of students and their families.

“I am honored to be involved with the VIA Heritage Association, a group of community spirited individuals who believe the values instilled by the VIA can be preserved through a Hall of Fame.”

Athletes and coaches considered for nomination are those who excelled on VIA athletic teams. Contributors are professionals who may have excelled in VIA non-athletic activities or in such areas as school administration, media, officiating, medical services and other areas. A fourth group is best described as the Legacy category. This includes such potential nominees as VIA athletic teams that gained extraordinary distinction or coaches, athletes, contributors and/or teams from VIAL or post-VIA era history.

The VIAL/VIA`s original home was Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) from 1954- 1970. After merging with the Virginia High School League, all of the VIA records are now stored at Virginia State University.

The nomination deadline is June 30 for each class.

About the VIA Heritage Association Hall of Fame

The VIA Heritage Association Hall of Fame (VIAHA) is organized as a means of recognizing and preserving the rich heritage and legacy of African-American (Black) high school sports and activities under the direction of the VIA from 1954-70 and promoting greater appreciation and understanding of the contributions of Blacks to the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. VIA Heritage Association (VIAHA) Hall of Fame 2016 Inaugural Class

Athletes Donald L. Ross, Jr. Armstrong High, Richmond (1966) Basketball An outstanding athlete in two sports, Don Ross performed at an outstanding level for all 4 years of this high school career. As both a basketball and a football player, he was selected as an All VIA Central District performer for 3 years and All State for 2 years. He was a leader on Armstrong’s 1964 VIA State Basketball Championship team. This team was also the Runner-up in the National Negro High School Championship Tournament in Nashville. Tennessee. His outstanding talent resulted in his being the First African-American selected to the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s All Metro Basketball Team. He was also selected to the Basketball Illustrated High School All American Team in 1966. After high school, Don attended Cleveland State University where he played for legendary coach John McClendon and was the leading scorer with 18 points per game. He later transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University where he averaged 30 points per game in 1967-68 and still holds the school record for scoring 55 points in a single game.

Earl Lloyd Parker-Gray High, Alexandria (1946) Basketball Earl Lloyd was a significant figure of the last half of the twentieth century. He was a ground breaker in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the first African-American to play a game and the second to be appointed head coach of a team. Lloyd was a three time all state basketball player at Parker-Gray High School in Alexandria and received a scholarship to play at West Virginia State College. He was an all CIAA Conference basketball player in 1948, 1949 and 1950 and a Pittsburg Courier All America selection in 1949 and 1950. He was elected to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Roosevelt Brown Jefferson High, Charlottesville (1947) Football Roosevelt Brown left Jefferson High to attend Morgan State University where he was a Pittsburg Courier All American offensive lineman in 1952. Selected in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL draft, he was considered one of the greatest “sleeper” picks in history. During his 13 seasons with the NFL’s New York Giants, he was a 9 time Pro Bowl selection. He was named to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1950s and the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All Time team. He was a key player on Giants NFL Championship team in 1956. Having retired after the 1965 season, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975. “Rosey” joined the Giants coaching staff in 1966 and remained with the team until his death in 2004.

Joseph Buggs Huntington High, Newport News (1956) Multisport Joe Buggs was an accomplished athlete in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. He was the starting point guard for back to back VIA State Championship Basketball Teams in 1955 and 1956. In the same two years he was also a starting centerfielder and for Huntington’s State Champion Baseball Teams. His versatility was confirmed by participation on back to back VIA State Championship Track and Field teams in 1955 and 1956.

He graduated from Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) where he was an All CIAA running back in 1957-1959 and was selected as a Pittsburg Courier All American in 1958 and 1959. He was elected to the ECSU Hall of Fame in 1984, the Newport News Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Huntington High School Legacy Hall in 2008.

Benita Fitzgerald Moseley Gar-Field High, Dale City (1979) Track and Field (Legacy Selection)

Benita Fitzgerald Moseley was an outstanding scholar athlete at Gar-Field High during the years 1976 to 1979. She was a member of the VHSL State Championship Track and Field Team I 1976, State Champion in 100 meter hurdles in 1978 and 1979, State Champion in 200 meters in 1979 and Junior National Champion in 100 meter hurdles in 1978 and 1979. While at Gar-Field, she was an honor roll student and named a National Merit Achievement Commended Scholar. After enrolling at the University of Tennessee, Benita won 4 NCAA Championships in the hurdles, was a 14 time NCAA all-American and won 3 National Championships in the hurdles. Her highest achievement may have been the winning of a Gold Medal in the 1984 Sumer Olympics. She was subsequently named “Hurdler of the Decade” by Track and Field News. Benita was elected to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame on 2000. In July 2013, Benita was named as the Chief of Organizational Excellence for the U. S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Jesse H. Jefferson, Jr. Carver High, Chesterfield County (1968) Baseball

Jesse Jefferson is believed to be one of only three VIA athletes to play . Competing in the VIA's Group I Central District from 1965 to 1968, his explosive fast ball was obvious from his first game. He pitched at least one no-hitter each season. He consistently fanned 14 or 15 batters in regulation 7 inning games. In one game, he fanned 18 batters in 7 innings. The superiority of his baseball skill was confirmed by his early selection in the June 1968 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. As the 70th overall selection by the , he was among the most promising high school and college players in the country. He played 13 seasons in professional baseball. His 9 year Major League career started on June 23, 1973 when he pitched a 2-1 ten inning victory. He performed as a starter and for the Baltimore Orioles, , , Pittsburg Pirates and California Angels. He is best remembered as one of the original Toronto Blue Jays. Selected by the Toronto in the 1976 Major League expansion draft, he pitched more than 200 innings in 1977 and 1978. In his career he pitched 25 complete games and 4 shutouts. Upon his passing in September 2011, he was fondly remembered as a player who helped introduce Major League baseball to the city of Toronto.

Walter A. Bowser Huntington High, Newport News (1967) Multisport

Walter Bowser was one of the most versatile high school athletes in Virginia’s history. He was the quarterback on Huntington’s undefeated 1966 VIA State Champion Football team. That same year he became the first African- American high school player selected as the Most Outstanding Football Player In the state by the Virginia Writers and Sportscasters. He was a guard on Huntington’s VIA State Runner-up basketball team in the 1967. He averaged 25.2 points as a senior and scored a total of 1,462 points in his high school career. As a tennis player he had a career record of 33-2 in singles and 35-0 in doubles competition. He was VIA State Singles Champion in 1966 and 1967 and Doubles Champion in 1965, 1966 and 1967. His team won the VIA State Tennis Championship in 1967. At the University of Minnesota he played football for 3 years and basketball and tennis for 1 year each. In his junior year, he led the team in kickoff and punt returns, interceptions and punting while playing quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back. He was the team’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player and selected as a Second Team All-Big Ten and Honorable Mention All-American. After receiving his law degree at Minnesota, he practiced law, served as a State District Court Judge, mediator and arbitrator. He was elected to the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 2010.

Bryant L. Stith Brunswick High, Brunswick County (1988) Basketball (Legacy Selection)

Bryant Stith was among the most well rounded student athletes of his time. He was a 4 year starter in basketball and led the team in scoring all 4 years. When he graduated in 1988 he was the school’s all-time leading scorer and had the record for the most points in a game (48). He was selected All-District and All-Region 4 times and All-State 3 times. He was selected as the Group A State Player of the Year in 1987 and 1988. He was selected as a McDonald’s All-American in 1988. Off the basketball court, Bryant was considered to be a model citizen and graduated as the valedictorian of his senior class. At the University of Virginia, Bryant was ACC Rookie of the Year in 1989. He was a 3 time first team All-ACC player as well as a 3 time honorable mention All-American. He ended his college career as UVA’s all-time leading scorer with 2,516 points. He was selected in the first round of the 1992 NBA draft and played 10 seasons with Denver, Boston and Cleveland. In 2003 he returned to Brunswick High as head basketball coach where advanced to 7 consecutive state title games. His teams won state championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He was elected to the Virginia High School and Virginia Sports Hall of Fames in 2004 and 2007, respectively.

Charles E. Stukes Crestwood High, Chesapeake (1963) Football Charlie Stukes played baseball, basketball, track and field and football at Crestwood High. He played on VIA State Group I Championship Basketball teams in 1962 and 1963. Participating in the national high school basketball competition, he was selected to all-tournament first team in both years. After high school he played football and basketball at Maryland State College (now University of Maryland-Eastern Shore). He earned All-CIAA honors 3 years as a defensive back. As a baseball player he for averages of .492 and .489 in his junior and senior years. After graduating in 1967 he was drafted by the NFL’s Baltimore Colts. His played for 8 seasons and intercepted 32 passes as a defensive back. In 6 seasons with the Colts, he played in Superbowls III (1969) and V (1971). He played 2 additional seasons with the Los Angeles Rams before retiring in 1974. After his pro career ended, Stukes returned to Chesapeake and succeeded legendary coach George Quarles as head football coach at Oscar Smith High School.

Louvenia Johnson Luther P. Jackson High, Merrifield (1963) Multisport Louvenia Johnson was an outstanding participant in basketball, track and field and softball. She lettered in basketball 3 years and competed in sprints, high jump and hurdles in track and field. As a student she was a member of the National Honor Society and received a scholarship to Virginia Union University. Her all around athletic ability is evidenced by her participation in competitive sports as late as 2015. She was listed in the 2003 Edition of the National Senior Games Association. She was inducted into the Washington, D. C. Metropolitan Area Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Fairfax County Slow Pitch Hall of Fame in 2014.

Raymond Pollard Huntington High, Newport News (1964) Track and Field Ray Pollard was a nationally ranked sprinter in the early 1960s. He was member of Huntington’s VIA State Champion track and field teams in 1963 and 1964. Individually he won the 1963 VIA State Championship in the 100 yard dash with a time of 9.8 seconds. In 1964 he repeated as Champion in the 100 yard dash with a time of 9.6 seconds and also won State Championship in the 220 yard dash with a time of 21.0 seconds. His time in the 100 was ranked 7th nationally. His time in the 220 was ranked 3rd nationally. These are believed to be all time bests for VIA sprinters. He was selected as the Outstanding High School Performer at the 1964 Penn Relays. Pollard attended Morgan State University where he competed against Olympic sprinters including Charlie Green and Tommy Smith. He is currently the track and field coach at Heritage High School in Newport News, VA.

Coaches Thad Madden Huntington High, Newport News

Thad Madden was one of the most accomplished coaches in Virginia history. He was a track and field athlete at Virginia State before becoming a coach at Huntington High in 1943. His coaching career spanned 38 years – 28 at Huntington and 10 at Warwick High. He had outstanding coaching records in football, track and field and basketball. At Huntington and Warwick, Madden compiled a record of 251–114–16 in football. This included 28 straight winning seasons including 16 VIA eastern district titles, 7 VIA State championships (1944, 45, 48, 49, 50, 56, and 67) and a 32 game winning streak. His track and field teams won 19 VIA state championships. They won consecutive national mile relay championships at the Penn Relays in 1963-64. After school integration, his track and field teams were state runner-ups 7 times at Warwick High. Madden coached basketball for only 4 seasons but won 3 VIA eastern district titles and had an overall record of 112–13. He was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in 1968 and the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1995.

Maxie Robinson, Sr. Armstrong High, Richmond Maxie Robinson Sr. was a legendary coach at Richmond’s Armstrong High. As a collegian he was an All-CIAA halfback at Virginia Union University. He began his coaching career at Armstrong in 1933 where he coached football for 38 years, basketball for 30 years and baseball for 17 years. He and led his football and basketball teams to 13 district titles. His teams won five VIA state championships in 1941, 1945, 1947, 1959 and 1964. As state champions, his 1941 and 1964 basketball teams played in the National Negro High School Tournament finals in Nashville, Tennessee. These teams were runners-up both times. Although the statistics are incomplete, his basketball teams are believed to have won more than 500 games. Coach Robinson retired in 1970 and died in 1973.

Arthur “Stretch” Gardner Maggie Walker High, Richmond Arthur Lee (Stretch) Gardner, was a local sports legend and educator in Richmond. Stretch graduated from Armstrong HS and Virginia Union University where he played basketball, football, and baseball. Stretch was a Coach and PE instructor at Maggie Walker High for 31 years where his basketball teams are believed to have won more than 500 games. He guided his boys basketball team to the national black tournament three times and his girls teams once won 47 straight games. For decades, he officiated football, baseball, and softball in the Richmond area. He was past-President and CVFOA Board member. He was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in 1986. Stretch passed away in 1985.

Robinette Hayes Carter G. Woodson High, Hopewell Robinette Hayes was a graduate of Peabody High in Petersburg and Virginia State College. He began his coaching career at Carter G. Woodson in 1951 and won 6 VIA State basketball championships before his tenure ended in 1968. These included 5 consecutive championships. He had a record of 242–101 in 17 years at Woodson. In 1968 Coach Hayes moved to Petersburg High as assistant basketball coach under Carl Peal. The 1973-74 Petersburg teams (led by Moses Malone) won consecutive VHSL State Championships and compiled a 50 game winning streak. Hayes later succeeded Peal as Petersburg’s head basketball coach. He was elected to the Virginia State University Hall of Fame in 1995.

Carl Pinn Dunbar High, Lynchburg Carl Pinn was tennis coach at Lynchburg’s Dunbar High School. He organized the tennis team in the early 1940s and was an assistant coach for other varsity sports. His tennis teams won several district championships. In 1953 he coached VIA Girls State Champion Cora Organ. That same year his team won the National Interscholastic Tournament in Richmond. In 1955 he coached National singles Champion Jean Reid. In 1960 his team was VIA State Tennis Champions and he coached national boys and girls runner-ups John Daniel and Ethel Reid. Pin also

served as Supervisor of Recreation for the City of Lynchburg where he coached a variety of sports in addition to tennis.

Robert W. Smith Burley High, Charlottesville Coach Smith was a graduate of East side High in Patterson, NJ and Morgan State University. In 1945 he came to historical Jefferson High School in Charlottesville as head football, basketball and baseball coach. At Jefferson, his football teams had a record of 41-12-5. He moved to the new Jackson P. Burley High in 1951 as athletic director and coach of all sports. From 1951 to 1960 his Burley High football teams compiled a record of 73–11-2. His football teams won 5 district championships and 4 state Championships in the VIA and its predecessor organization, the VIAL. Between 1955 and 1958 Burley High won 28 consecutive games. The 1956 team was 9-0-1 and unscored on. Among his former players was New York Giant NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Roosevelt “Rosie” Brown. Smith left Burley in 1960 to coach football and basketball at St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va. after compiling an overall high school football record of 114-23-7. He passed away on October 21, 1997. Smith was elected to the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 2012.

George W. Quarles Crestwood High, Chesapeake Coach Quarles began his career as head football and basketball coach at Carver-Smith High School in Columbia, Tennessee and moved to John M. Gandy High in Ashland, VA in 1952. In 15 years as football coach at Crestwood he had a record of 96-54-4 including 2 eastern district championships and 1 season as VIA state runner-up (1964). Over the same 15 years his basketball teams were 247-71 including back to back VIA State championships in 1962- 63. Both teams placed 4th in the National Negro High School Tournament in Nashville, TN. As basketball coach for 11 years at Oscar Smith High he had a record of 107-90 and won consecutive Southeastern District Tournament Championships in 1971-74. In 26 years as a football coach he compiled a record of 130-96-8. In 30 years as a basketball coach his record was 409-193. Coach Quarles won 10 coach of the year awards and was elected to the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1990.

Fredrick T. Cooper Maggie L. Walker High, Richmond Fred “Cannonball” Cooper was assistant football coach at Maggie Walker High from 1946-59 and head football coach from 1960-69. As head coach his teams compiled a record of 83-19-1 and won VIA state championships in 1963 and 1965. In 1937 Cooper was an all-conference halfback and the first black captain at Haddonfield High in New Jersey. In the early 1940s, he was an All-CIAA halfback at Virginia Union University (VUU). In 1949 he became the first African-American player on a professional football team in the South when he signed with the Richmond Rebels of the American Football Conference. Over ten years as head coach at Maggie Walker, his teams had a record of 83-19-1 and won two VIA state championships (1962 and 1965) and one co-championship (1964). His teams also had nine straight wins in the “Armstrong-Walker Classic,” including a win in the 1969 game played before 34,00 fans – the most ever to attend a high school game in Virginia. Coach Cooper was indicted into the VUU, CIAA, and Virginia High School Halls of Fame in 1988, 1989 and 1990, respectively.

George Lancaster Highland Springs High , Henrico County (Legacy Selection) In a career of nearly 40 years, Lancaster has served as head coach in baseball, golf, girls track, girls basketball and boys basketball. Having begun his coaching career at Richmond’s Huguenot High, he moved to Highland Springs High in Henrico in 1979 as head coach for boys and girls basketball. While building at legacy as a teacher, mentor and community leader, Coach Lancaster has earned the respect of players, opposing teams and coaches across the state. He has a record that includes more than 650 career wins and two state titles in 2003 and 2007; 26 district championships and 28 district tournament titles. He was honored as state coach of the year in boys basketball twice in 2003 and 2007 and was named district coach of the year 15 times along with region coach of the year four times. During his tenure at Highland Springs, he has coached girls basketball (1979-80 and 1987-89); girls track (1981-84) and golf (1990-99). After graduating from West End High in Mecklenburg, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia State University (VSU) in 1967. He was inducted into the VSU Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 2013. He resides in Richmond, VA.

William W. Lawson, Jr. Petersburg High, Petersburg (Legacy Selection) Coach William W. Lawson, Jr., compiled one of the finest records in Virginia high school history. He coached at Carver and Matoaca High schools in Chesterfield County and 23 years at Petersburg High School. After 36 years of coaching he retired in 1998 as one of only five coaches in the history of the Virginia High School League to win more than 600 games. Coach Lawson's 626 victories, .727 career winning percentage, 23 regular season championships, 15 district tournament championships, and six regional championships place him in the top ranks of Virginia high school coaches. At Petersburg High his teams never experienced a losing season, advanced to the Central Region semifinals in 11 of his last 13 years as coach, won five Central Region championships, and advanced to the state tournament eight times. For all of his success on the basketball court, Bill Lawson had an even deeper effect as teacher, mentor, and father figure to generations of high school students. Coach Lawson was recognized as Coach of the Year in Groups A, AA, and AAA numerous times during his career. He was a graduate of Peabody High and Virginia State University (VSU). He was elected to the VSU Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

Contributors Ernest Shaw Media, VIA Historian, Petersburg Ernie Shaw is the premier historian for the records and accomplishments of the VIA and VIAL athletes, coaches and teams. His knowledge is even more compelling because he is a living witness to the history of the VIA and, to a lesser extent, the VIAL which preceded it. He began his career as a sports writer at the Petersburg Progress-Index as a 7th grader in 1948, becoming one of the youngest writers in the newspaper’s history. He covered Peabody’s VIA state championship basketball teams of 1951 and 1960 and their national tournament games in Nashville, TN. Mr. Shaw also announced sports and entertainment news as a radio personality for WSSV in Petersburg from 1961 to 1984. As a disc jockey, he was known as “Mr. Clue.” He encountered many elite athletes including Jim Brown, Julius Erving, Sandy Koufax, Warren Spann and Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson at all-star, playoff and World Series games as well as heavyweight Championship fights. In the entertainment world, Mr. Shaw has met James Brown, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Chubby Checker, Jerry Butler and many others. His honors and awards include NAACP Man of the Year (1992); SCLC Man of the Year (2001); Virginia State University Meritorious Award (1980); member of the Jesse Mayes Triple Nickle Airborne and Tuskegee Airmen; and the Montgomery, Alabama Hall of Fame for Civil Rights achievements.

Calvin Jacox Media, Norfolk Journal and Guide Cal Jacox was a sport reporter for the Norfolk Journal and Guide newspaper from 1948 to 1973. His weekly sports column entitled “From the Pressbox” was a major source of sports information on African-American athletes and interscholastic, collegiate and professional sport programs of interest to the African-American community. Cal met with and followed many athletes from the beginning of their scholastic careers through their collegiate and even professional endeavors. He traveled to and supported the games and championships of the VIA and the VIAL and, later, the VHSL. He wrote the stories that mainstream media did not report and ensured that records were maintained. Working for one of the most widely circulated African-American newspapers; his columns had a major impact across the state of Virginia. Cal was sometimes called a “crusader” for his commitment to the coverage of African-American athletics during the segregated era. To this he merely replied that “I never looked at it that way. I was there to document the games and to make sure the black athlete wouldn’t be forgotten by history. If that’s being a crusader, so be it. I was highly motivated to eliminate segregation.” He graduated from of Booker T. Washington High (Norfolk) in 1941 and Lincoln University (Jefferson City, MO) in 1948. He was elected to the CIAA and Virginia Sports Halls of Fame in 1986 and 2006, respectively.

Clarence Jones VIA and Virginia High School League Clarence Jones had a distinguished career in Virginia athletics as a coach, an official and a program coordinator. As a coach at Campbell County High (1955-1960) his teams won one VIA district championship in football and two in basketball. At Burley

High in Charlottesville (1960-1966) his football teams won three VIA Western District championships and were state runners-up twice. In 1970 he joined the VHSL staff as Programs Supervisor, where he was responsible for all officiating training programs and activities. He also provided leadership for many of the boys athletic programs, specifically basketball, track, cross country and gymnastics. He made a significant contribution bridging the gap when the VIA merged with the VHSL as black and white public schools came together as one organization. Jones dealt fairly and wisely in developing a quality statewide officiating program and smoothing relations between schools in the expanded VHSL. He enthusiastically established dialogue and eased tensions between the races. His leadership was recognized on the state and national levels. His recognitions include Distinguished Service Awards by the Eastern Region; the Virginia High School Athletic Directors Association and the Virginia High School Coaches association. He was also honored by the National Interscholastic Coaches Association for Distinguished Service.

James Hayes Music, Carter G. Woodson High, Hopewell James “Bro” Hayes is a member of the famous A Capella group the Persuasions. Members of the Doo Wop Hall of Fame, the Persuasions have performed in all 50 states, Europe, Scandinavia and the Far East. They have also recorded more than 30 albums. Hayes is a 1961 graduate of Carter G. Woodson High in Hopewell. Growing up in the Davisville public housing section of Hopewell, Hayes competed in street corner “battles of the quartets” and began developing his bass voice. As a student he participated in the Woodson A Cappella Choir. This choir participated in the annual all-day VIA Music Festivals which were competitions among the various schools. Hayes’ strong bass helped the Woodson choir earn superior ratings in 1958-61. He is an original member of the Persuasions which began singing in the early 1960s on the street corners in Brooklyn, New York and released their first album in 1969. The group has performed on stage and recordings with Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Liza Minelli, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Little Richard and Nancy Wilson. They have appeared on numerous morning, daytime and late night television shows. Jimmy Hayes currently lives in Chesterfield County, VA.

George Peterson, Jr. Principal, Armstrong High, Richmond George Peterson was valedictorian of his 1929 graduating class at Armstrong. He was also a graduate of Virginia Union University and Columbia University. He became a history teacher at Armstrong in the early 1930s and an assistant principal in 1942. In 1947, Mr. Peterson was appointed as the first African-American principal in Armstrong’s history. He served as principal for 26 years until he retired in 1974. Under his leadership Armstrong’s teachers worked hard to help the students excel academically. He selected highly qualified teachers who focused on student achievement. In a segregated learning environment, his students were given quality instruction, encouragement and challenged to be competitive with students at any high school in the state. One student remembers the day Mr. Peterson stood in the doorway of Armstrong refusing to accept delivery of used books from neighboring White schools. Despite the obstacles imposed by the “separate but unequal” educational system, George Peterson motivated, inspired and led thousands of students to become worthy citizens and make contributions locally, statewide, nationally and around the world. He was elected to the Richmond Education Hall of Fame.

Elmer F. Sampson Band, Burley and Albemarle Highs, Charlottesville Elmer “Sonny” Sampson was a 1944 graduate of Charlottesville’s Jefferson High and received a bachelor of music education form Virginia Commonwealth University. He was band director at Burley High from 1955-67. Under his direction, the band was outstanding. In 1958, nineteen of his students were selected to participate in the Virginia All-State Band, the highest number ever selected from a single school. In 1966 his band was chosen to march in the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D. C. During these years the Burley band was considered the best Black High School bands in the state. Mr. Sampson later served as band director at Albemarle High school in Charlottesville. He is remembered as a person with high expectations, integrity and a love for his students. He challenged his students to set personal goals beyond their normal expectations. He taught team work and self-discipline as well as music fundamentals. Mr. Sampson’s earlier years were spent performing in bands with Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Lena Horne and the George Hudson Dance Band. During his distinguished career he performed before President Gerald Ford and the Queen of England. Mr. Sampson retired from teaching in 1985 and died in 1999.

Special Recognition

Armstrong-Walker Football Classic Richmond

This annual football contest between Richmond’s two Black high schools rose beyond the level of a mere sports contest. Over 40 years this Thanksgiving weekend event achieved the status of a cultural phenomenon. Beginning in 1938, the game between the Armstrong and Maggie L. Walker High Schools were attended by as many as 35,000 fans. On occasion, the overflow crowd at Richmond’s City Stadium was said to be too large to count. Beyond the competition on the football field between cross-town rivals, this annual event was a source of school, neighborhood and family pride that spanned generations. The contest between the Armstrong Wildcats and the Maggie Walker Green Dragons attracted fans from the counties surrounding the City of Richmond and across the state of Virginia. Team support was based on family or neighborhood relationships or simply a preference for the blue and gold colors of Armstrong or the green and white of Maggie Walker. The Armstrong-Walker Football Classic will be long remembered as one the greatest traditions in Richmond and the history of the Virginia Interscholastic Association.