[Brad] It's time now for our Bulldog Conversation, Brad Radice back with you
and I'm joined by Hal Langston our associate athletics director for
development and strategy, and Hal under that umbrella comes the Samford
Athletics Hall of FameI know you guys recently announced our
second class. [Hal] We did and and it's it's a special Brad as the first class which we
inducted in May last year, and that was a very special evening, but this class is
equally as special but a little different.
We're inducting for the first time a team so we're inducting the '98-'99 men's
basketball team. It was the first team in school history to make the tournament
the NCAA tournament, we're also inducting a gentlemen Billy
Bancroft who is deceased so it's the first deceased member we'll have in our
Hall of Fame. Billy played here in the 20s and then
coached here in the 30s. I just spoke with his grandson yesterday and the
family is just thrilled that they're gonna be able to come up here and accept
on his behalf. We're also inducting Alyssa Whitehead
who is a current staff member on our soccer team Alyssa was a world-class
soccer goalie and played professionally overseas, and then we're also inducting
Jimbo Fisher who has been in the news is now the head football coach at Texas A&M.
We're inducting Michael Marseco who played baseball here about 10 or 12
years ago still holds several records here was a great player, and then finally
last but not least is Craig Beard. Craig is the program's all-time leading scorer
in basketball, was the first NBA draft pick we had back in 1985 to the Bulls. So,
anyways it's it's a it's a special class. [Brad] And, you mentioned it talking to
Billy Bancroft's grandson what's it been like the past couple years making these
phone calls and talking with people and letting them know that their Hall of
Famers. [Hal] It's yeah I've been in the working world
for the better part of 30 years and I can tell you of all the things I've
worked on this hall-of-fame project for Samford has been a special of a thing
that I've worked on so you asked a question what it's like to talk to these
inductees or their families it's just kind of neat to let them do the talking
and let them you know share what this place means to them and it while it
means different things to different people it's it's obviously or it's
obvious that this is a special place. [Brad] And as we've moved into basketball season
and people are attending games at the Pete Hanna Center talk about the Hall
of Fame it's located on the third floor of the Pete Hanna Center and I'm not
just saying this you guys did an amazing job in constructing out that space it's
something that all of us Samford folks are really proud of [Hal] You're right it's
it's the Hall of Fame is right next to our athletics ticket office on the third
floor of the Hana Center it's the main entry point to the arena for our home
men's and women's basketball games so as we've as we've had some of our games you
know our fans are coming in they see the Hall of Fame to your point
we were committed to creating a first-class space something that was
consistent with the brand image of Samford, and also consistent with our
athletics brand, so I would encourage fans alumni to come by and take a look
at something that they would be very proud of in house. [Brad] We look at these first
two classes and when we heard the idea of a Samford Athletics Hall of Fame you
know one would first reaction was well who are we gonna put in it and we had
our original names well you look at these first inductees these two classes
in the people that we still have to come Samford athletics has just an amazing
tradition and very worthy people of being inducted into any Hall of Fame
whether it's just Samford if not state hall of fames or national Hall of Fame's.
[Hal] You're right and several of our inductees and future inductees are
already in other halls of fame we started athletics here at Samford in
1878 with small so so we're only inducting our
second class so the the list is long of potential inductees that we can put in
what I would encourage people to do is to nominate and they can find the
nomination form on our website Sanford sports comm once someone is nominated
they're nominated in perpetuity and anybody can nominate anyone so it's it's
a it's something that we encourage people to do we already have about a
hundred nominees that we're working from and and we know there are many more out
there that need to be nominated. [Brad] And lastly the big event is February 17th if
anybody wanted details on it just please provide them. [Hal] Yes so you're right the the
induction dinner and ceremony is Saturday February 17th it'll start in
our Hall of Fame in the Hana Center and then we'll move to to our Brock school
of business up on the top floor and that'll be around 6 o'clock we'll open
up ticket sales to the general public around the middle of January which will
be about a month in advance and we'll have a press release and all of that so
last year's event was a sellout and we fully expect another sellout this year.
[Brad] Good deal the Sanford Athletics Hall of Fame inducted its second class coming up
this February you've been listening to the Bulldog Conversation.