Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - The Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1987 with an inaugural class that included the likes of Carmen Basilio, Dolph Schayes, Vic Hanson and Roy Simmons, Sr.
Twenty-two years, and almost 175 members later, the Hall is about to welcome six more local legends into its ever-growing museum.
The announcement was made Tuesday at the Hall of Fame headquarters in Cicero.
The Class of '09 is headlined by former Nottingham star and ex-Orange football player Keith Moody, who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Raiders.
Larry Kimball is also a part of this class; Kimball was the longtime sports information director at SU who didn't miss a single football game in 31 years.
Kimball and Moody are joined by Beth Mowins, a former two-sport athlete at C-NS who now works for ESPN, long-time referee John Sherlock, legendary LaFayette volleyball coach Kris Terrillion and Old Timer Edmund Dollard, who coached the SU basketball team to a national championship in 1918.
Induction day is set for October 19th in Liverpool.
Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2009 profiles
Profiles courtesy Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame
LARRY KIMBALL - Known as “The Dean” of Big East Conference sports information directors, Larry Kimball would have preferred spending years in Dodger blue...Brooklyn Dodger blue. “Not having that, I have the second-best deal,” the Massachusetts native once said of his career as Syracuse University SID, which spanned 31 years starting 1966, when he came here from the University of Vermont’s SID office. Kimball never missed an range football game (a nation leading string of 383 at the time of his retirement). A former newspaperman in Norwich and Utica, he never lost perspective about his job on the Hill - “the gathering and dissemination of information about intercollegiate athletics.” His peers recognized the high standards he set for SIDs. A past president of the ECAC Sports Information Directors Association, Kimball received that organization’s Service Bureau Award. He’s also been honored by the All-American Football Foundation and U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association, not to mention SU’s Varsity Club (the Miami of Ohio grad is an honorary Letter Winner of Distinction). Kimball worked IRA Regattas 42 consecutive years - more than 30 as co-director - and served as a Pan American Games and National Sports Festival press steward. The longtime president of Blind Men and Criers is already a Hall of Famer, so inducted by CoSIDA (college sports information directors).
KEITH MOODY - A Nottingham High School football star (1968-1970), Keith was an All-State selection as running back and defensive back. He starred Syracuse University (1972-1975) as defensive back and punt returner. His senior season he intercepted six passes while also returning a punt for a TD against West Virginia. In the pros he played for both the Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders, earning a Super Bowl championship with the Raiders in 1981. He holds the record for longest punt return in Bills history - 91 yards against the Cleveland Browns. He also returned three interceptions for TD’s for the Bills. After retiring from the NFL, Keith coached high school and college football for ten years and then turned his career toward school administration. Living in California, Keith currently is principal of Mountain View High School. Keith and his wife Kathy have daughters Adonna, Karen, Sharon, Shirley and Amber and son Keith Jr. (KJ).
BETH MOWINS - An accomplished athlete and now a well-respected broadcaster for ESPN, Beth grew up in Syracuse playing basketball (1,245 points), softball (shortstop) and soccer at Cicero-North Syracuse, earning All-Star honors. A 1989 graduate of Lafayette College, Beth was a two-year basketball captain, all-time season and career assist leader (200, 715), second in career steals (309) and seventh in career scoring (1,159). She received her masters degree in broadcasting from Syracuse University in 1990 and started her media career with Syracuse Cable Sports. She has been at ESPN since 1994 doing virtually all sports - basketball, football, golf, volleyball, bowling and softball. She calls NCAA Championships in basketball, softball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. In addition, her career has included calls of the NBA, college football, USA softball, USA soccer and USA hockey. She was inducted into the Lafayette College Maroon Club Hall of Fame in 2005. Mowins has been a regular contributor to ESPN.com and is a part of “shootAround w/Beth & Debbie”, the first national podcast of women’s basketball.
JOHN SHERLOCK - A life-long Syracuse resident, John Sherlock has been synonymous with high school basketball and amateur golf in our town. A CBA and LeMoyne College grad (1952), - where he also played basketball his four years -John began his officiating career in 1956. An outstanding high school official, John was president of IAABO from 1974-75. He became assigner of officials in 1980, just retiring this past year. Known by every basketball official in this area, John’s dedication, integrity and loyalty has been unparalled in his behind the scenes approach that made all area games be treated as if each game was the most important that night. John is only one of three people from Board #38 to earn IAABO National Lifetime Membership. He is a founding member of the Zebra Classic and has received the Al Distaola Silver Whistle Award. John’s other sports passion is golf wand he was president of the Syracuse District Golf Association for ten years and twice elected New York State Golf Association president. John and his wife Reggie have six children.
KRIS TERRILLION - When you think of ladies high school volleyball you must start with Kris Terrillion. While her commitment to the high school sport is beyond description, she even had the opportunity to coach Syracuse University for three years (1983-85) earning Big East Coach of the Year honors in 1984. But, it is at the high school level at LaFayette where here magical success is nearly unbelievable. Her won-lost record for 29 years (1972-1982, 1987 - 2005) as varsity coach is a beyond impressive 506-76. She led her teams to 26 league championships, 17 sectional championships and 10 regional championships. She began her teaching career at LaFayette in 1972, where she started the girls sports program. Over the years she coached a number of other sports, including soccer, softball and basketball. Her sports involvement has extended to the Empire State Games, both as coordinator and open competition; she was also a member of the USA East Volleyball Team. Kris has been inducted into the Cortland State Hall of Fame (1992), received the Walt Disney American Teacher Award (1991), numerous Section III honors and honored with a National Coaching Award in 1989 - Volleyball Coach Silver Award. Kris received her BS in education at Cortland State and her Masters at Ithaca College.
EDMUND DOLLARD - Old Timer Committee Selection
An undefeated college basketball season? Literally unheard of. Well, Coach Edmund Dollard led his Syracuse University basketball team to such an undefeated 12-0 season in 1913-1914. The Edmund Dollard era at Syracuse University (1911-1924) was called “among the brightest products in the history of the game” by former Syracuse Herald Journal sports editor Arnie Burdick. The won-lost record was an astounding 148-56 with a .725 winning percentage. Dollard had 11 consecutive winning seasons and a national championship (1917-1918) as designated by the Helms Foundation. At one point in his coaching career, SU won 46 consecutive home games. A 1904 graduate of CBA and 1908 SU degree holder, Dollard himself played varsity baseball and basketball and was basketball captain his senior year. In a publication, The History of Basketball, Roy Fairman circa 1930, this quote tells the importance of Dollard on the national scene: “Few men have had a greater influence in basketball during its transition from crude past-time to a highly scientific game played today than Edmund A. Dollard”. Dollard was 79 when he died in 1964. He held a number of local positions during his business career from tax commissioner to real estate executive.
