ROLAND BANKS

Administrator - 2006

Roland Banks retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1974 and joined the Wichita athletics department. Thirty-two years later he retired after rising to the position of Special Assistant to the Athletics Director. From 1976 he supervised equipment operations and was given additional responsibilities of coordinating outside and university events in Cessna Stadium. Being in charge of issuing, custody, repair and ordering of equipment and uniforms for all Shocker athletic teams, he became an integral part of maintaining relationships with WSU’s former student-athletes. Banks is a member of the Shocker Hall of Fame.

FRANK ‘PETE’ BAUSCH

Athlete - 2005

One of the greatest all-around athletes ever at Kansas University was a graduate of Wichita’s Cathedral High. Pete won nine letters in football, basketball and track at KU and was a “give-no-quarters” lineman in the NFL, where he played for the Boston Redskins (1934-36), Chicago Bears (1937-40) and Philadelphia Eagles (1941). He was the younger brother of Olympic legend Jim Bausch. Pete was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the legendary George Halas. Pete returned home and established the Weyl-Bausch Tire Co.

JIM BAUSCH

Athlete - 2004

The Olympic decathlon champion has traditionally been acclaimed as the “World’s Greatest Athlete,” and there was nothing in Bausch’s performance in the 1932 Olympics to say otherwise. He dominated the competition with a world record point total of 8,462. He said he could have topped 8,600 points with two healthy knees. He intimidated his competition by passing on his first three tries in the pole vault and still won it at 13 feet, 2 inches. He was so far ahead that he only had to jog the final event, the 1500-meter run, to break the world record. James Aloysius Bausch was born in South Dakota but his family moved to Garden Plain, KS. He transferred to Wichita’s Cathedral High then attended Wichita University one year before transferring to the University of Kansas. “Jarrin’ Jim”  was twice named All-America in football and earned the AAU’s Sullivan Award in 1932 as the nation’s best amateur athlete. He was a charter inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame. He played three years in the National Football League.

JUDY BELL

Athlete/Administrator - 2006

There was no glass ceiling in golf’s hierarchy for Wichitan Judy Bell, who in 1996 became the first woman president of the USGA, which had been a “good old boy” bastion for a century. She had already put a severe dent in the all-male USGA a few years earlier when she became the first woman on the Executive Committee. Bell had a brilliant amateur golf career, being ranked among the top 10 amateurs in the U.S. in the 1960s. She competed in more USGA events than any other Kansas golfer (38), played on two Curtis Cup teams, captained two other Curtis Cup teams and one Women’s World Cup team and tied a record low round in the U. S. Women’s Open at 67. Bell learned the game under Dave Truffelli at Crestview Country Club and Mike Murra of Wichita Country Club. She wrote a book, Breaking the Mold, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Kansas Golf Hall of Fame, Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

MIKE BELL

Athlete - 2004

Mike and Mark Bell were one of 10 sets of twins who played in the NFL. Mark played for Seattle from 1979 to 1982. The two Bishop Carroll High School athletes starred at Colorado State. In his senior year, Mike was a consensus All-American. He was the first-round draft choice of the Chiefs in 1979 and played in 133 games before retiring in 1991. From his defensive end position he made 490 tackles and 52 sacks. In 1992 he was named to Colorado State’s All-Century team. He is a prominent Wichita businessman in real estate.

BOBBY BOYD

Athlete - 2004

Nicknamed “The Rope” for the line drives he hit into the gaps in the outfield, Boyd was the first black player to sign with the Chicago White Sox in 1950. He had a nine-year Major League Baseball career with the White Sox, KC Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Braves. He also managed the Wichita Rapid Transit Dreamliners to the championship in the 1965 National Baseball Congress tournament and was the MVP, hitting .423 with seven runs batted in. He is a member of the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame.

ANGELA BUCKNER

All-Centennial WSU Basketball Star - 2008

Buckner, a Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel graduate, is one of only five Missouri Valley players to score more than 1,000 points and grab more than 1,000 rebounds in her career. That earned her a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Centennial team. She was named to the All-Missouri Valley basketball team three times. She scored 1,382 points and picked off 1,297 rebounds in four seasons, 2001-2004. A 6-foot-2 center, she was a stalwart in the Shocker attack. She led Kapaun to the Wichita City League championship three times. Her 1,472 career points were fourth best in City League history. She was also outstanding in the shot put, winning state titles three times and finishing second once. She also tied the state shot put record.

ANTOINE CARR

Athlete - 2004

The 6-foot-9-inch Wichita Heights High School product joined Cliff Levingston to provide one of the greatest eras in Shocker basketball. The “Bookend Forwards” led the Shocks to two Missouri Valley titles and the Elite Eight in the 1981 NCAA Tournament, featuring a triumph over Kansas University in the “Battle of New Orleans.” In his final game, Carr scored a school-record 47 points against Southern Illinois. He was known for his explosive dunk shots, much of his game being played well above the rim. He was a first-round draft choice of the Detroit Pistons in 1983 but opted to play in Europe. He later returned to the U.S. for an 18-year run in the NBA with Atlanta, San Antonio, Sacramento, Utah, Houston and Vancouver. WSU retired his No. 35 jersey.

JOE CARTER

Athlete - 2004

One of the unforgettable moments in Major League Baseball was when Carter hit the home run in the ninth inning to clinch the 1993 World Series title for the Toronto Blue Jays, giving them back-to-back titles in baseball’s biggest spectacle. At the time, Carter was the highest-paid player in the Majors at $5.5 million. In 16 seasons and 2,189 games, Carter had a career batting average of .259 and 396 home runs. He hit 30 or more homers in a season six times playing for Cleveland and Toronto. At WSU, he hit 58 home runs, had a career average of .430 and was named Player of the Year in 1981. He was named All-American three times.

LES DAVIS

Coach - 2007

In 50 years of coaching, 38 at Sedan High School, Davis compiled a state record of 1,522 victories in football, basketball and baseball. He had one of the longest winning streaks in basketball, 68 consecutive regular-season triumphs which ended Jan. 3, 2006, in a 43-41 loss to West Elk of Howard. The 73-year-old Davis had 316 victories in football, 694 in basketball and 512 in baseball, including a state title in 1973. In 1979 Sedan reached the Class 3A basketball title game, losing in overtime. Davis is an alumnus of Wichita North High (1951) and Friends University (1956). He coached at Grenola, Greeley and Towanda high schools and one year was head baseball and assistant football and basketball coach at Friends. His basketball teams featured full-court zone pressure defense.

DARREN DREIFORT

Athlete - 2007

One of the greatest players ever to don a Shocker uniform. He led WSU to the 1993 College World Series championship game and captured the 1993 Golden Spikes and R. E. “Bob” Smith awards. He was the No. 2 pick in the 1993 draft by the Dodgers. A two-time All-American, he led WSU to three College World Series appearances, including runnerup finishes in 1991 and 1993. He became the WSU career leader in ERA at 2.24 in 78 appearances. He was a prolific hitter. He rose quickly through the LA system and became the Dodgers’ closer in 1994. He experienced a series of injuries and surgeries, missing one and one-half seasons. He had a 12-9 season as a starter in 2000 with a 4.16 ERA. He is a member of the Shocker Hall of Fame.

GREG DREILING

Athlete - 2006

An imposing center on the Kansas University team from 1984 to 1986 was the 7-foot-1 graduate of Wichita’s Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School. He helped lead KU to the Final Four in 1986, then played 10 years in the NBA, seven with the Indiana Pacers, who drafted him in the second round. He later played with the Dallas Mavericks. In 1985, he was KU’s MVP and was selected for the World University Games U. S. squad. He scored 1,209 points and grabbed 650 rebounds in three years at KU. His 57.2 shooting percentage ranks No. 5 on KU’s all-time list. He also blocked 138 shots. Dreiling first signed with Wichita State but transferred to KU after his freshman season.

RAY (HAP) DUMONT

Contributor - 2004

Every year baseball teams from across the country converge on Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita to compete in the National Baseball Congress tournament, conceived in the 1930s by Hap Dumont, a former sports writer. He staged a state tournament in 1931 and it was successful for a few years. When the old stadium burned, he made a deal to go national if the the city would build a new stadium. With the help of the WPA, the city built the stadium in 1935, and the NBC has been a fixture ever since. Dumont brought in famed pitcher Satchel Paige for the inaugural event. Many future Major Leaguers have competed in the NBC. It became a rich source for Major League scouts. Dumont was a promoter who devised many innovations, including a 20-second clock on pitchers and a home-plate duster. The NBC championship is coveted by teams everywhere, and it became a lucrative business supplying baseball equipment to amateur teams.

RIC DVORAK

Athlete - 2007

Ric Dvorak is one the greatest defensive lineman ever to play at Wichita State.  From 1970 to 1974 Dvorak dominated every offensive lineman who tried to block him.  Dvorak was a first- team all Missouri Valley Conference player for three years and honorable mention All-America his senior year. He had more that 200 unassisted tackles and more that 200 assisted tackles at WSU.  Dvorak was the MVC Defensive Player of the Year in 1972 and runner-up MVC Defensive Player of the Year in 1973.  In 1974, Dvorak was drafted by the New York Giants in the 3rd round. He played from 1974 to 1977 for the Giants and finished his career with the Miami Dolphins. He is a member of the Shocker Hall of Fame. 

JEFF FARRELL

Athlete - 2005

As a 1954 graduate of East High School, Jeff Farrell won three state swimming titles swimming for his coach, Bob Timmons.  Farrell then swam for the University of Oklahoma where he earned All-American honors.  But it was at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome, where Farrell shined.  As a swimmer on the 400 medley and the 800 freestyle relay teams, Farrell won gold medals in both races while setting world records in both races.

NATASHA FIFE

Athlete, Administrator, Educator - 2008

Fife followed her golf pro father into the sport of golf and spent 13 years as women’s athletic director at Wichita State University. She has played several roles with the Kansas Women’s Golf Association. She is a member of the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and the Wichita State Hall of Fame. She won five Kansas Women’s Amateur golf titles, three Broadmoor golf crowns and seven Kansas Senior Women’s Golf championships. She has also served as the KWGA president and served many years as golf course rater and rules official. She still works as rules official and scoreboard operator at KWGA functions. The Natasha Fife Women’s Golf Scholarship is awarded annually to a member of the WSU women’s golf team.

OWEN FRIEND

Athlete/Administrator - 2007

For 30 years, Wichitan, Owen Friend has fanned the flames of Kansas’ proud baseball heritage as president of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, which was founded in 1932 as the Baseball Oldtimers Association. Few people are as steeped in baseball lore as Friend, who  for 21 years between 1944 and 1964 played in the big leagues and minors with seven seasons in the majors with the Browns, Tigers, Indians, Red Sox and Cubs. He played on 17 different minor league clubs and managed eight farm teams. In 1954 he led the American Association shortstops in double plays with 108 for Indianapolis. He drove in 104 runs for Muskegon in the Central League in 1948. The Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame is housed in the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.

MILT GLICKMAN

Owner - 2007

Local scrap metal dealer Milt Glickman brought professional baseball back to Wichita after an absence of 12 years. In 1970 he headed a group of 17 investors who bought an expansion franchise in the American Association and created the Wichita Aeros, who represented the city for 14 years under working agreements with the Indians, Cubs, Rangers, Expos and Reds. The Aeros won one pennant in 1972. Glickman and his wife Gladys were known for their philanthropy. Glickman said he lost more than a million dollars supporting the Aeros. He sold the franchise to Bob and Mindy Rich, who moved it to Buffalo, N.Y., then brought it back in 1989 as the Wranglers, who competed in the Class AA Texas League. He eventually bought out the remaining investors over a several year period and was the sole owner for most of the time. While he lost a fair amount of money running the team, he got more than that in enjoyment in being involved in Wichita baseball, and it was a big part of his and his mother's social life. He also "blessed" the games with not only his attendance at virtually every home game, but he also was known for his baseball and non-baseball humor. Examples of his clean jokes: Did you know baseball was mentioned in the Bible? In the Big Inning... Why does it take longer for a runner to get from second to third base than from first to second base? Because there is a SHORT STOP in between.

GUS GREBE

Mr. Excitement - 2008

A veteran sportscaster in Colorado, Illinois and California, Grebe came to Wichita’s KFH from Los Angeles in 1965 and in 1966 became the Voice of the Shockers. He aired Shocker basketball and football until 1973, when he went to KCMO to do the Kansas City Chiefs games.  He was exciting and excitable to fans of that era. He would stand throughout football games and lean out the window of the press box. A net was placed under the window to catch him in the event he fell out. Grebe covered the tragic air crash of WSU’s 1970 football team. He was in the plane that did not crash.

RON HELLER

Athlete/Coach - 2006

Whether playing for or coaching the Shockers or coaching Friends University, or doing color broadcasts for WSU, the congenial Heller was a constant on the Wichita basketball scene for 47 years. At 6-foot-7, he was a three-year starter and All-Missouri Valley Conference forward in 1960 and 1961. As a senior, he was the Shockers’ leading scorer at 17.4 points per game, but was renowned as a rugged defender and rebounder. After his playing days, he joined the coaching staff and was assistant coach for 12 years. He was assistant to Coach Gary Thompson when the 1964-65 Shockers reached the Final Four. He also served as assistant coach under Harry Miller. He was later head basketball coach and director of athletics at Friends University. He is a member of the Shocker and Friends University halls of fame.

CORENE JAAX

Athlete - 2006

Eight-time All-American Corene Jaax was the backbone of a group of outstanding women who twice were runnersup in the national AAU championship and finished in the top four 10 times between 1929 and 1945. They played under several names – Wallenstein-Raffman, Thurstons, Merchantettes and Boeing Bombshells – but the key players on most of the teams were half a dozen from area high schools. Jaax was one of 16 named to the original Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame selected by the Helms Athletic Foundation. Jaax, who also played under the married names of Smith and Donahue, was graduated from Maize High School in 1928. She also coached the Boeing team in the 1940s. Other Wichita stars were Dee Noel, Ruth Ott, Hazel McConnaughy, Bonnie Harwood, Myrtle Brockert, Jo Fetcho and Mae Ceuervorst.

MARK JENSEN

Athlete - 2007

Jensen was inducted into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 2002. He honed his on-lanes skills in Wichita thanks to his father Woody, a bowling lanes owner and Kansas Baseball Hall of Famer. Mark’s first pinnacle was winning an ABC Tournament eagle in doubles with Mark Lewis in 1988 as well as being a part of the team all events champions. The righthander helped Wichita’s Chilton Vending win an ABC team title in 1989 and owns four other top 10 finishes. He compiled a 200-plus average for nearly 30 years in that event. Jensen also won the inaugural 2001 FIQ World Senior Open Masters title in Reno and three senior division titles in the 2001 Tournament of the Americas.

WOODY JENSEN

Athlete/Contributor - 2004

Forest Docenus (Woody) Jensen played nine seasons in the Major Leagues and posted a .287 lifetime batting average and a sparkling .972 fielding average with only 39 errors in 1,471 chances. Jensen’s best season was 1935, when he batted .324 and drove in 62 runs. In 1936, Jensen made a National League record 526 putouts, a record which stood for 26 years. Jensen was born in Bremerton, Wash., but lived much of his life in Wichita. He was a member of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. Jensen rarely walked, setting a National League record of 696 at-bats in 1936, a record which stood until 1969 when Matty Alou registered 698. Jensen’s 696 is still among the best in the Major Leagues. He played minor league baseball for the Wichita Aviators in 1930, when he met his wife, Lola. They returned to Wichita in 1940 and he was president of the Wichita Braves and Wichita Indians in the 1950s. He became the owner of Rose Bowl East and Rose Bowl West, two bowling establishments.

CHEESE JOHNSON

Athlete - 2005

Cheese Johnson was a fan favorite at WSU from 1976 to 1979.  As the MVC Newcomer of the Year in 1976 and all MVC 1977 through 1979, Johnson led the Shockers in scoring three years and led WSU in rebounding one year.  With 1,907 points scored in his career, Johnson ranks fifth in career scoring for the Shockers.  He also made 52% of all his field goal attempts in his WSU career.

GRIER JONES

Athlete/Coach - 2007

Jones won golf championships in 1960s in the Kansas Amateur, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and won the PGA Tour qualifying tournament and was Rookie of the Year. After capturing the NCAA title while at Oklahoma State, he won almost three-quarters of a million dollars on the PGA Tour before opting to stay home with his family. In his first 10 years as coach at Wichita State, he has won seven Missouri Valley titles and took his team to the NCAA playoffs four times. Four times he has been named Coach of the Year in the Missouri Valley. He was the first head pro at Wichita’s Terradyne Country Club and Resort.

EDDIE KRIWIEL

Athlete/Coach - 2004

Kriwiel was a highly successful quarterback at WSU who set 12 school records. He has since become one of the most successful high school coaches of all time in football and golf. His football teams won nine state titles at Kapaun Mt. Carmel and a mythical crown at West High before Kansas had a playoff system. His golf teams, both boys and girls, at Kapaun have won a record 20 state titles. He is a member of the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame and the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame.

HAROLD LEEP

Racer - 2007

In the 1960s and 1970s one of the most consistent winners on tracks in Kansas and Oklahoma was Harold Leep, a Wichita bowling lanes owner. Leep won the National Jalopy Championship at Hutchinson five times (1961, 1967, 1972, 1983 and 1984). He won super-modified titles at Wichita in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1969, won at Oklahoma City in 1969, 1971 and 1972 and at Tulsa in 1969. He raced sprint cars with the IMCA, BCRA, USAC and NCRA from the late 1950s into the 1980s, winning NCRA championships in 1972, 1973 and 1976. He was inducted into the Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Iowa in 2000 and the National High Banks Hall of Fame in Belleville, Kan., in 2002.

CLIFF LEVINGSTON

Athlete - 2005

No question, Cliff Levingston was one of the best basketball players to ever take the court for the Shockers.  From1979 to 1982, Levingston scored 1,471 points and grabbed 965 rebounds.  That makes Levingston the eighth leading scorer in Shocker history and the fourth leading rebounder.  In 1982, Levingston was a first round draft choice of the Detroit Pistons and played 12 years in the N.B.A.  Levingston also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and the Denver Nuggets.

MARK LEWIS

Athlete - 2006

The phenomenal story of Wichita State University bowling teams added another chapter in March of 2004 when Coach Mark Lewis received the sport’s highest honor, induction into the American Bowling Congress National Hall of Fame. Lewis has been involved with the WSU program for more than two decades. He was part of the school’s first men’s championship team in 1980. In 1988, Lewis won the Team USA National title, earning a spot on Team USA, and became the only U.S. male to bowl in the Olympics in South Korea. He won the 1987 National Amateur title and has won four ABC National titles. From 1995 to 1997 Lewis was head coach of the national team of the United Arab Emirates, leading them to their first FIQ World Championship medal in Reno, Nev., in 1995. He and Coach Gordon Vadakin have made WSU’s program one of the more successful in the nation with 14 titles, 7 men’s and 7 women’s.

CLEO LITTLETON

Athlete - 2004

Littleton was named third-team All-American in his senior year but was all-Missouri Valley all four years that he played. He set the school career scoring record at 2,164 points. He also set career records for free throws made (642) and scoring average (19.0). The former East High School star led the 1953-54 Shockers to a berth in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time. An iron man, Littleton played in 184 consecutive games without a miss from his sophomore season in high school to his senior season at WSU. He was drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons of the NBA. His No. 13 is one of five that have been retired by WSU.

CHARLIE LUTKIE

Athlete - 2006

Charlie was a larger-than-life figure whose son and nephews followed him into auto racing. He won races from the 1940s to the 1970s all over the Midwest in almost every category, including midgets, stock cars, track roadsters, sprint cars, jalopies, semi-late modifieds and super-modifieds.
He was famous for more than just racing. A former professional wrestler, for years, he was the Sedgwick Country jailer under former Sheriff Vern Miller. He also ran Miller’s successful boxing program.
Lutkie won the United Speedways of America Sprint Car championship in 1959 and in 1962 captured the National Jalopy title in Hutchinson. He and his son Mike both won feature races at the Cowley County Fairgrounds half-mile dirt track in 1968. Charlie was driving his #43 1956 Chevrolet. Nephews Tom and Steve Lutkie also won late-model feature races at Cowley County in 1975 and 1976, respectively.
 

HAROLD MANNING

Athlete - 2005

Harold Manning was a skinny, 115-pounder at Sedgwick High School and a tireless runner. His high school coach noticed he was not winded after winning the mile run. He asked him to run another quarter mile, then another and another. He still was not winded. Manning began running longer races, and winning. In the 1936 Olympic trials in New York, he set a world record of 9:08.1 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In the Berlin Olympics, he was violently seasick on the voyage was plagued with the flu. A Finn broke his world record. Manning finished fifth in 9:11.2. Still much in demand, he ran in London and Paris. Manning won many events competing for Wichita University and played on the Shocker basketball team. He returned to Sedgwick and married, and later played drummer in his wife’s band.

ARTHUR McAFEE JR.

Morehouse’s 514-Game Winner - 2008

The former Wichita East High and Wichita State player coached basketball 40 years and retired in 2000 ranked among the nation’s top 18 small-college coaches with 514 victories. He coached for 35 years at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. Between 1989 and 1992, his teams were 90-30, reaching the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1990. In 1999 he was third vice president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and in line to become president in 2001-02 but retired before reaching that office. Ninety-five percent of his players received their degrees.

ROSS McBURNEY

Pioneered Wichita Tradition - 2008

Star 6-foot, 3-inch center on the 1925 Wichita High (now East) team which won the National High School championship in Chicago, Ill., in 1925. He then led Wichita University to third place in the National AAU tourney  in 1929 and later was a key figure on Wichita Henry’s teams in 1930-31 that won national AAU titles en route to a record three crowns in a row (1930-32). He was named as center on the National AAU first team. He played for Wichita U from 1926 to 1929 and was the first WU player to be named to an All-America team.  He became an insurance agent in Wichita and Halstead.

CURTIS McCLINTON

Athlete - 2006

McClinton scored the first AFL TD in Super Bowl I and the Wichita North grad went on to lead the Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas City Chiefs to gridiron glory. There was always a strong undercurrent that made this quiet man more than he appeared. At KU, he was part of one of the greatest backfields in the school’s history. With John Hadl at quarterback and Bert Coan at running back, McClinton was primarily a blocking back. But he still rushed for 1,377 career yards and was a 1961 All-American. The 1960 Jayhawks romped through the league, destroying Colorado and previously unbeaten Missouri, but were forced to forfeit both games when the league ruled Coan ineligible for illegal incentives. In 1961, McClinton and Hadl led KU to a victory over Rice in the Bluebonnet Bowl. McClinton played eight seasons with the Chiefs and is in the team’s Hall of Fame as well as the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and the KU Athletic Hall of Fame.

XAVIER McDANIEL

Athlete - 2004

The X-Man was the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in both scoring (27.2) and rebounding (14.8) in 1984-85. He stood 6-foot-7 and weighed 205 but played much bigger. His “smash-mouth” style made him one of Wichita State’s all-time greats. He was drafted in the first round by the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics and helped lead them to the playoffs three times. He played in the NBA for 12 seasons, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds per game. He is one of only five players who have won two NCAA rebounding titles. He was twice named first-team All-America. McDaniel also played for the Boston Celtics as well as the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets.

PRINCE McJUNKINS

Shocker Football Legend - 2008

The first player in NCAA history to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 4,000 was this Wichita State quarterback. He was a master at running Coach Willie Jeffery’s option offense. He concluded his college career by leading WSU to an 8-3 record in 1982, the school’s best mark in 21 years. McJunkins’ No. 1 uniform was retired. He and Linwood Sexton are the only two WSU football players so honored. An elusive yet strong 170-pounder, McJunkins set WSU and Missouri Valley Conference records for total offense with 6,591 yards. He was honored as the MVC Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982. Upon his induction into the Shocker Hall of Fame in 1989, he held or shared career records for most points, rushing attempts, total offense and plays, and ranked third in rushing yards with 2,047 and second in passing with 4,544.

RALPH MILLER

Coach - 2004

In the 1950s and early ‘60s, Wichita State opponents dreaded the raucous crowds and the yellow glow of The Roundhouse. What they feared more was the constant full-court, zone pressure defense of Coach Miller’s Shockers, who scored many of their points by forcing foes into turnovers and shooting layups. Miller used zone pressure to fashion a career in which he won  674 games and championships in three conferences. An all-around athlete at Chanute High and the University of Kansas, Miller began his coaching career at Wichita East High in 1948, winning 63 games and one state title in three years. Then he went to Wichita University and put together a 220-133 record in 14 seasons. He also coached at Iowa University and Oregon State, retiring as the sixth winningest coach in NCAA history. He was the National Basketball Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1982, took nine teams to NCAA tournaments and five to the NIT. Miller  was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.

JOHN MOSIER

Athlete - 2007

Big, strong, poised, confident. Mosier dominated games for Coach Eddie Kriwiel at West High at quarterback. He was a triple threat who passed, ran and kicked extra points as West went 18-0 during the two seasons he was a starter, and won a mythical state championship. Mosier was all-state in 1965. He was also All-City in basketball in 1966 and led West to a 19-2 record and a City League title. Then he went to Kansas University and became the Big Eight Conference’s Newcomer of the Year at tight end. He was one of six all-conference players on KU’s 9-2 team in 1968 that lost to Penn State in the Orange Bowl, where he caught five passes for 77 yards. Mosier spent three seasons in the National Football League playing with Denver, Baltimore and New England.

KIM ROENTVED

‘The Rocket’ Rocked - 2008

The sturdy Dane was not only the greatest defender in the history of the Major Indoor Soccer League but also the highest scoring defender. Teammates alluded to Roentved’s strength as Herculean. Called ‘The Rocket’ because of the ferocious velocity of his shot, he played 19 seasons in the MISL and the National Professional Soccer League, 14 with the Wichita Wings, four years as player-coach. He helped make the Wings the longest running pro soccer franchise in the U.S. at 22 years. He appeared in more MISL All-Star games than any other player, scored 380 goals and was the league defender of the year three times. After he retired from soccer, Roentved became part owner of a Kansas City company that sells roof coatings and floor coatings worldwide.

JIM RYUN

Athlete - 2004

Ryun had a finishing kick that often left the world’s best middle distance giants of his day in his dust. In June of 1964 he became the first high school runner to break four minutes in the mile, posting a 3:59.0 in the Compton Relays. In the 1965 Compton Relays, Ryun finished third at 3:56.8, only four-tenths of a second behind former world record holder Peter Snell of New Zealand. Then Ryun hit his stride. He broke the world record in the mile twice, running 3:51.3 in 1966 and breaking his own record in 1967 at 3:51.1. He was named Sportsman of the Year in 1966 by Sports Illustrated and won the AAU’s Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete. He also held world records in the 1500 at 3:33.1, the half mile at 1:48.3 and anchored the KU sprint medley relay team to a 3:15.2 world record. He was a member of three U.S. Olympic teams, 1964, 1968 and 1972.  He is a member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Ryun became a professional photographer, then ran successfully for a seat in the U.S. Congress representing northeast Kansas.

BARRY SANDERS

Athlete - 2004

Sanders’ career took him from an obscure football player at Wichita North High to the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma State University and to fame as perhaps the greatest running back in the history of the National Football League. Some still tout straight-ahead battering ram runners, but as an open-field ball carrier Sanders had no equal. Most good backs can juke and make a tackler miss but Sanders could put on two or three fakes and leave an opponent wondering which way he went. He gained 1,417 yards in his senior season at North, 2,628 yards in the 1988 season at OSU and 15,269 yards during his career with the Detroit Lions. His senior season totals at OSU set NCAA records for yards rushing, points (234) and rushing touchdowns (39). Four times he led the NFL in rushing and became the No. 3 rusher all-time. There is little doubt that he would have become the all-time NFL rushing leader if he had not simply walked away from the game in 1999 without an explanation.

DICK SANDERS

Athlete - 2006

Sanders found success in three sports at Wichita North High and at Wichita University. He led North to mythical state titles in baseball and football in 1949, before the playoff systems were begun. At WU he played quarterback and defensive back in football and was a member of Coach Ralph Miller’s first basketball team in 1951-52. A slick-fielding Shocker shortstop, he signed a contract with the New York Yankees following his junior season in 1952 and played in the Yankees and Dodgers organizations for eight seasons. Following his pro career, he played and coached semipro baseball clubs in Wichita. He was also a respected basketball and football official in the Missouri Valley and Big Eight conferences for 20 years. He is a member of the Shocker Hall of Fame, National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame and the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.

LINWOOD SEXTON

Athlete - 2004

Sexton was a gifted black football player who broke the color barrier at Wichita University as a running back in the 1940s. He was a three-sport star at Wichita East High and a three-time All-Missouri Valley running back at WU (1945-47). His 1,995 career rushing yards were fourth all-time and 2,260 all-purpose yards were ninth at WSU. His No. 66 jersey was retired during his senior season. He is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame. He was presented the 1977 Alumni Achievement Award by the WSU Alumni Association and several scholarships have been endowed in his name. He is a past member of the WSU Endowment Association and the Board of Trustees as well as the Kansas Board of Regents.

AUBREY SHERROD

Athlete - 2007

The smooth-stroking lefty could score from exceptional range. The home-grown WSU star finished his career as the school’s sixth-leading scorer with 1,765 points. He started all but one game in four years as the Shockers piled up 84 victories and captured MVC regular-season and post-season titles. He averaged 18.5 points as a senior in 1984-85. One of the more noted outside “bombers” in Shocker history. Twice shot better than .500 from the field in a season and compiled a .493 career shooting percentage. His 148 steals were the most by a Shocker. He was a second-round selection of the Chicago Bulls in the 1985 draft. Sherrod was inducted into Shocker Hall of Fame in 1994.

JEFF SMITH

Athlete - 2005

Jeff Smith was an outstanding running back at Southeast High School.   As a three time All-City running back and two time All-State player, Smith led Southeast to a 33 – 2 record and two State Football Championships.  Smith rushed for more than 1,000 yard in both 1978 and 1979.  Smith elected to attend the University of Nebraska and gained nearly 2,000 years for the Cornhuskers and was All-Big Eight.  He was just elected to the University of Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame.  Smith played four years in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

MARILYNN SMITH

Athlete/Coach - 2005

She won three Kansas Amateur golf titles in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and the national collegiate crown in 1949 playing for Kansas University. A pioneer of women’s golf who signed articles of incorporation that created the Ladies Professional Golf Association at the U.S. Open at Wichita’s Rolling Hills Country Club in 1950. She won two majors (1963-64 Titleholders) and 22 titles on the LPGA Tour and served as LPGA president three years. A member of the Kansas and Texas Golf Halls of Fame, Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and LPGA Teachers Hall of Fame.

ROGER A. SMITH

Athlete - 2006

He set the all-time record in the Grand American trapshoot in 1983. The only target he missed was his 30th and his 399x400 stands alone as the All-Around record for the tournament. The next two years he scored 976 and 971 and became the first to capture it in two and then three straight years. These are among the many feats which earned him enshrinement in the Kansas Trapshooting Hall of Fame and the American Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame. He was a 10-time All-American. He earned Trap and Field All-Around Average Awards in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1981. Smith began registering in trapshoots in 1967, one year after Mark Heinz, his brother-in-law, introduced him to the sport. He collected his first Grand awards after 200s in 1974 at the Dayton Homecoming championship, and top AA laurels in the Singles Class race.

GENE SMITHSON

Led Shocker Revival - 2008

Smithson came in like a whirlwind and went out in a storm. Meanwhile, he took the Shockers to new heights in basketball – a trip to the NCAA’s Elite Eight in 1981, a victory over Kansas University in the “Battle of New Orleans” in 1981, two Missouri Valley titles and a 155-81 record. The 1982-83 team had a 25-3 record and was 17-1 in the Valley, but was unable to compete in the NCAA tournament because it was on probation. His teams featured Antoine Carr, Cliff Levingston and Xavier McDaniel, three of the finest players ever to don the black and gold. Smithson had six winning seasons in his 11 years at WSU. He later became head coach at Central Florida Community College.

DARYL SPENCER

Athlete - 2004

Spencer was that rare shortstop who could hit with power and he wielded his power for a decade in the National League and for several more years in Japan. Spencer struggled to make the starting lineup in his days at Wichita East High and on other amateur teams. But he never gave up and finally landed on a Class D professional team in Pauls Valley, Okla. That is where he suddenly began to hit home runs. The New York Giants bought his contract in 1951 and Spencer spent six years with the National League club in New York and San Francisco. His best season was 1958 when he hit 17 homers and drove in 74 runs for San Francisco. He later played for the Cardinals, Dodgers and Reds and hit a total of 105 home runs and had 428 RBI during his Major League career. Then he went to Japan and became one of that nation’s top sluggers and made the all-star team twice. He also coached in Japan. Spencer has lived in Wichita since his playing days ended.

DAVE STALLWORTH

Athlete - 2004

The silky smooth Stallworth could drive to the basket on any defender. Dave the Rave led the Shockers to season records of 19-8, 23-6 and 21-9, including two NCAA Tournament appearances (1964 and 1965) and one National Invitation Tournament (1963). He was graduated at mid-term and did not appear in the 1965 NCAA event but helped get them into the field. The 6-foot-7 forward set nine school records, including a scoring average of 24.2. He also set a school record 46 points in one game against Cincinnati in 1963. He played seven seasons in the NBA with the New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets before retiring because of a heart ailment.

MARK STANDIFORD

Big Boom in a Small Package - 2008

The Wichita North High School product is the all-time home run leader (69) in Wichita State University’s powerful program. At 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, he was an All-America catcher in 1988 when he hit 28 homers and helped lead the Shockers to the College World Series. He also excelled in high school as the only four-time all-City League player in history. He was named to the Wichita Eagle’s Top 11 all-state football team as a quarterback and defensive back and was a starter on North’s basketball team. His career stats are 333 hits, 313 runs and 301 runs batted in. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and played two seasons in the minor leagues. In 1994, he opened Sluggers, a 60,000 square foot building that is home to a variety of sports leagues. 

RICK STEELSMITH

Four-Time WSU All-American Bowler - 2008

Steelsmith was the first bowler ever to be named All-America four straight times – twice with Vincennes University and twice with Wichita State University. Through the 2006-7 season he had earned more than three-fourths of a million dollars on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Owns two career PBA Tour titles, including the 1997 PBA National Championship. Also won the 1991 National Doubles event with Teata Semis and the 1987 American Bowling Congress Masters. Has cashed in 251 of 372 career events, is 9-19 in 20 TV appearances in singles. Has made 150 match-play appearances. Was PBA Rookie of the Year in 1988. Lives in Wichita with his wife and two children and is involved with the WSU bowling program as a coach.

PHIL STEPHENSON

Athlete - 2005

Phil Stephenson played college baseball for WSU from 1979 to 1982.  Stephenson hit 57 home runs in his career, 91 career doubles and 25 triples. He also established an incredible NCAA record of hitting in 47 consecutive games in 1981.  In 1982, he hit a team-leading .399 with 30 doubles and had 87 stolen bases, which led the country that year. These statistics gained him both national and Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. He was also named first-team All-American as a first baseman in 1981 and 1982.  Stephenson played in the Major Leagues from 1989 to 1992 with the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres.

JAMIE THOMPSON

Athlete - 2006

In his junior year, Thompson turned in a definitive performance by hitting all nine of his field goal attempts and all 10 of his free throws. That helped propel Wichita State University to a 100-94 victory over Michigan, which was ranked No. 2 and the time. He stood only 6-foot-3 and was not swift afoot, but his quick release and his deadly accuracy made him one of the most feared Shockers. He was a key to the success of the 1964-65 WSU team which won the Missouri Valley title, beat Oklahoma State in the Midwest Regional title game and became the only Shocker squad to reach the Final Four. Thompson scored 36 points in the NCAA semifinal loss to UCLA. He is still the Shockers’ free throw accuracy leader at 85.3 percent. He was equally adept on the golf course as on the basketball court. He was runnerup in the Kansas Amateur golf tournament in 1964 and finished second twice in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

BOB TIMMONS

Coach - 2005

As the head track coach and swimming coach for East High School, Bob Timmons touched many lives.  His most famous East High School athlete was the mile world record holder, Jim Ryun.  Olympic swimming gold medal winner in the 1960 Rome games, Jeff Farrell was also coached by Coach Timmons.  Coach Timmons left East High School and coached track and cross-country at Kansas University.

GORDON VADAKIN

Coach - 2004

After a successful career as a collegiate bowler at Wichita State, Gordon Vadakin joined the Shockers as head coach in 1977. Vadakin coached 11 of the program’s 13 national collegiate bowling championship titles and his Shocker teams are consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Vadakin is a member of TEAM USA’s coaching staff and leads a series of successful summer youth bowling camps that attract young bowlers from across the country and overseas. Vadakin prides himself on developing collegiate bowlers who are successful on the lanes and in the classroom. This year, a record 12 Shocker bowlers were honored as Academic All-Americans, earning a 3.5 GPA or higher. Nationally recognized as one of the top collegiate bowling programs in the country, Vadakin’s program has produced such PBA stars as Rick Steelsmith, Justin Hromek, Lonnie Waliczek, Chris Barnes and Patrick Healey Jr.

DARNELL VALENTINE

Athlete - 2004

Valentine was Wichita’s first McDonald’s All-American in 1977 playing for a Wichita Heights team which many consider the best prep team in Kansas history. He averaged 26 points for a 23-0 Heights team that clinched the state Class 5A championship with a 40-point victory in the title game. At Kansas University, he was named All-Big Eight four times and averaged 15.4 points per game. He was drafted in the first round by the Portland Trailblazers and during a nine-year NBA career, which also included stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers,  scored in double figures four times while averaging 5 assists. He was such a force as a penetrating point guard that he forced KU nemesis Coach Jack Hartman of Kansas State to create a 3-2 zone defense specially designed  just to try to  stop Valentine. After his pro career, he became the regional representative for the NBA Players Association and the liaison between the players and the union on the West Coast.

MARC WALDIE

Athlete - 2007

Wichitan Marc Waldie (Wichita HS East) reaped many honors as a mainstay on the Ohio State men’s volleyball team in the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with an Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Games. He was an outstanding middle blocker who was named to the all-tournament team in the NCAA playoffs in 1975-76-77. He was also named to the Ohio State University Sports Hall of Fame and was honored with a spot on the National Volleyball All-Era team which covered the period from 1978 to 2002. Several times he was named captain of the U.S. National team. He helped lead the Buckeyes to a four-year record of 89 victories and only 18 losses. He was the 1976 Ohio State University Player of the Year and three-time All-American.

LYNETTE WOODARD

Athlete - 2004

Woodard led the U. S. team to the gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games. She also qualified for the 1980 team but the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics which were staged in the USSR. The 6-foot tall product of Wichita North High School broke many records as a four-time All-American at the University of Kansas, averaging 26.3 points per game. Woodard was far ahead of her time. A women’s pro league snapped her up out of college in 1981 but it fizzled and she played pro ball in Japan and Italy. In 1985 she made history by signing on as the first woman star of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters. In 1988, Woodard led the U.S. team to the gold medal in the University Games. In 1997, at age 37, she joined the newly formed Women’s National Basketball Association and played for Cleveland and Detroit before retiring in 1999. In 2000 she became assistant coach of the women’s team at KU. 

JAY WOODSIDE

Athlete - 2005

Jay Woodside graduated from West High School and began a racing career in 1955.  As one of the most successful racers of his era, he raced for 29 years before retiring from active racing, but remained in racing in various capacities.  From 1975 through 1981, Woodside finished in the top three of all races he entered a staggering 82 per cent of the time.  Woodside has been elected to five Racing Halls of Fame, including the Sprint Car Hall of Fame.   

1970 WICHITA STATE FOOTBALL TEAM

Team - 2004