A night to remember: 18 Inducted into SU Sports Hall of Fame

On Saturday, eighteen former Southern University alums, athletes and coaches were acknowledged and inducted into the 29th Annual Enshrinement of the Southern University Sports Hall of Fame (SUSHOF). The ceremony was held at the Belle of Baton Rouge Sheraton Hotel Atrium at 7 PM in front of SU Hall of famers, family, friends and former teammates of the inductees.
In this year’s induction ceremony, SUSHOF honored athletes from baseball, football, golf and track and field. The names are as followed: Jason P. Anderson, Minister William A. Bates, Jerry Butler, Charles E. Hudson, John A. Forman, John W. Williams Sr., John W. Williams Jr., Trudy D. Bihm, James E. Brown Jr., Erica R. Burrell, Kevin C. Harris Jr., Karl W. Hartfield, Monica C. Hayes, Erikka J. Thomas-Wishom, Kylon R. Wishomd and Coach A. W. Mumford. Honorary members honored during the ceremony were Bishop Raymond Johnson and Otis Washington.
Anderson was named all 1st team all SWAC pitcher (2000, 2001), 2nd team all SWAC pitcher (1999) and was apart of the trio of championships (1999, 2001 and 2002).
While at SU, Bates was apart of 3 SWAC baseball championships.
Clark was on the all SWAC baseball teams in 2005 and 2006, while leading the conference in homeruns (13).
During his academic year at SU, Forman was credited the longest touchdown from line of scrimmage, most receiving yards and touchdowns as a wide receiver in one season.
Williams Sr. played 40 consecutive games with missing one while starting at offensive guard and was on the all SWAC team his junior year.
In his senior year, Williams Jr. led Southern in interceptions (5) and finished with 2nd team all SWAC honors.
Butler won ten collegiate golf titles, thirteen runner-ups, and seven third place finishes.
From 1962 to 1964, Hudson won 2nd place in the SWAC’s Conference Golf championships.
Bihm is the 1997 to 2000 SWAC champion of the outdoor 100 meter hurdle, 4×100 relay SWAC champion of 1997 to 2000 and 4×400 relay SWAC champion of 1997 to 2000.
Brown Jr. was apart of the 1993 to 1994 indoor and outdoor SWAC championship team and qualified for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) outdoor track and field championships in the same year.
Burrell won the Modesto relays and 100 meter dash in 2000, became a two-time All American track and field recipient in 1999 and 2000, ranked in the top ten fastest 100 meter runners with 11.03 in 1999, became a SWAC outdoor champion of the 100 and 200 meters from 1997-2000 and was the first woman sprinter at SU to medal and make All American in the NCAA indoor track and field championships of the 60 meter dash.
When giving her induction speech, Burrell mentioned her phrase her mom spoke to her.
“When putting together a good speech, you want to remember two things: a good speech is like dress, long enough to cover the important parts but short enough to keep their attention,” said Burrell.
Harris helped lead the Jags track and field team to the SWAC’s indoor and outdoor championships from 2001 to 2003.
Hartfield was apart of the 1965 and 1966 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship team and the SWAC championship from 1965 to 1967. In 2006, Hayes became the SWAC champion in the long jump, pole vault and 100 meter hurdles.
Hayes reflects on whats she gained from SU.
“One thing I can say that I have taken from my time at Southern is to have a strong, confident will,” said Hayes.
In 2005, Thomas-Wishom scored 36 total points in 5 separate events including the 800, 1500, 3000, 5000, and 2000 meter steeple chase while becoming a SWAC champion. In 2006, Wishom ranked 16th in the Mid-East regions in the 400 meters, timed at 46.7 seconds.
Daughter of deceased coach Mumford, Irene Mumford gave her thanks to SUSHOF for inducting her father.
“The Mumford family is so proud and so honored to acknowledge this wonderful symbol that is represented here. It represents the love and esteemed admiration of respect that the members of the “S” club have for their fallen coach and mentor,” said Mumford.
For more information on the extended list of accomplishments, visit www.sushof.org.