West Virginia State University Sports Hall of Fame to Induct Eight New Members

10/2/2018

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Contact: Jack Bailey
(304) 766-4109
Jbaile19@wvstateu.edu
 
   
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University’s (WVSU) athletic booster organization, the National “W” Club, will induct eight new members into the Sports Hall of Fame with a brunch at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, in the James C. Wilson University Union.

The Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony is taking place as part of WVSU’s annual Homecoming activities. Following the brunch, where the new inductees are given gold jackets to wear, they will walk to the nearby Canty House, home of the Sports Hall of Fame, and be led through a cheering lineup of previous Hall inductees.

The new “W” Club Sports Hall of Fame members are: Percy Vance Anderson (class of 1980) for basketball; Damon Booker for football; former head football coach and athletic director Colin Cameron; Michael Stephen Curry (class of 1983) for baseball; Keith Franklin (class of 1990) for football; and Tyrone Smith (class of 1983) for football and track. Honorary “W” Club Sports Hall of Fame inductees are Judge Richard E. Fields and Quewanncoii C. “Colonel Que” Stephens, Sr. 

Anderson was a four-year starter on the Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team. During his junior and senior seasons he was the co-captain of the team. In 1980, Anderson was named to the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) first team all-conference and all-tournament teams. During the same season, he also earned NAIA National Player of the Week honors. He is the Yellow Jackets fifth all-time career field goal leader, and eighth all-time career rebounder.

Booker was a four-year letterman in football for the Yellow Jackets and was named WVSU Sophomore, Junior and Senior Athlete of the Year. In addition, during these years he was also selected WVIAC First Team All-Conference as a sophomore, junior and senior. During his senior year, Booker was named a preseason regional All-American.

Cameron became the head football coach in 1968 leading the Yellow Jackets to the WVIAC football championship. He was appointed athletic director in 1969 in addition to his football responsibilities. He was named the WVIAC coach of the year in 1968 and was head coach of the Yellow Jackets until 1977.  In 1977 he moved on to Fairmont State University as director of athletics and chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education where he retired in 1997. He is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the Fairmont State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Curry was a four-year letterm­­­an and three-year starter on the Yellow Jackets baseball team. He was the team co-captain in 1983. Curry played on the WVIAC and District 28 championship teams in 1982 and 1983 and received special honorable mention on the all WVIAC team in 1983. Curry still holds the record in career stolen bases at WVSU.

Franklin was a four-year letterman for the Yellow Jackets football team. He was the team captain for three years, 1987-1989. His freshman year in 1986, Franklin joined the football team as a quarterback and led the team in total offense and received Honorable Mention All WVIAC. His sophomore year he led the team to an 8-1-1 record and was named the WVIAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Overall WVIAC Conference Player of the Year. He won Player of the Week award six times that year. He was also named to the NAIA All American Team. His junior year he was also named the WVIAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Overall WVIAC Conference Player of the Year. He won Player of the Week five times that year and he led the nation in total offense for four weeks and again received NAIA All American honors. His senior season, Franklin broke several West Virginia State offensive records and became the WVIAC Conference record holder in total offense and was named to the WVIAC All Conference Team.

Smith was a four-year letterman and a two-sport standout in football and track and field for the Yellow Jackets. In football, he played both quarterback and wide receiver. As a quarterback, he set both the single-game record for passing yards and the single game record for total offensive yards. As a wide receiver, he caught many passes that either scored touchdowns or led to drives that scored touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets. In track and field, he led his team to two WVIAC Championships. He won first place in the long jump, the triple jump, the 4x400 relay and second in the javelin throw. He was named WVIAC Track Athlete of the Year. He held the West Virginia Conference Track Meet all-time record of 32 1/2 points.

Honorary inductee Fields graduated from WVSU in 1944 and entered the Howard University School of Law graduating in 1947. He was admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and in the state of South Carolina in 1948. After his practice began in 1949 in Charleston, S.C., he was the first African-American to open a law office in that city since the early 1900’s and the first to ever become a litigator. Fields was a Municipal Judge for the City of Charleston, a judge of the Family Court of Charleston County, and Judge of the Circuit Courts of South Carolina where he served until his retirement in 1992. In 2000, one of Charleston’s Central Post Offices was named for Fields. Fields has maintained a close relationship with WVSU and has contributed to the ongoing activities of the University. He holds a life membership in the WVSU Alumni Association and the National “W” Club.

Honorary inductee Stephens is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and the Community Resource Supervisor with the Bureau of Juvenile Services of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the state of West Virginia. He is a combat veteran of two Vietnam tours. He is a Purple Heart recipient and during his 23 years on active duty has trained and taught throughout the world as an Armor/Calvary Officer, Special Forces Officer, Ranger and Jump Master/Parachutist. After his retirement from active duty, he was inducted into WVSU’s ROTC Hall of Fame. On Oct. 4, 1984, he arrived at State to take on the responsibility of professor of Military Science. In 1986, having a personal desire to monitor many of his cadets in something other than the classroom, and having had the experience of Head Coach of the Fort Bragg “Packers” in North Carolina, he began serving State’s football team in many capacities. He has worked as an assistant coach; special projects coordinator; counselor; photographer; team captain; bus driver; and team motivator.

Admission to the Sports Hall of Fame Induction brunch is $10, and tickets will be available at the door.  

The WVSU Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony is part of Homecoming activities at WVSU. For more information, and a complete schedule of Homecoming events, visit http://connect.wvstateu.edu/homecoming or call (304) 766-3387.

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West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.