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2001 United States Inductees

DON BARKSDALE (BASKETBALL (POSTHUMOUSLY)

Don Barksdale, a Berkeley California native graduated from Berkeley High in 1941. He went on to attend the College of Marin and was a key factor in the school’s two consecutive California State Junior College Championships in 1942-1943. 

Following in the steps of his close friend and mentor Jackie Robinson, Don enrolled at UCLA in 1943 and immediately helped the Bruins snap a 42-game loosing streak against cross-town rivals USC. His collegiate career was interrupted by a stint in the military during World War II. He returned to UCLA in 1946 to lead the Bruins to the Pacific Coast Conference Championship and was the first African-American in basketball history to be named to the NCAA “All-American” team in 1947.

Don also competed on the UCLA track & field team in the high jump, broad jump, and the hop-step-and jump. Balancing academics, business and sports, Barksdale had the initiative to open his own record store, his first of many business ventures.

After a successful career at UCLA, Don retuned home to the East Bay to play for the Oakland Bittners of the AAU. The team finished second in the 1948 national AAU tournament. In 1948, U.S. Olympic basketball coach Adolf Rupp, of the University of Kentucky selected Don as the first African-American to compete on the Olympic basketball team. Don served as co-captain of the U.S. team that went on to capture the gold medal at the 1948 Olympic games in London, England.

In 1949, the NBA rule prohibiting African-Americans from playing within the league forced Barksdale to return to the AAU. Don somehow managed to persuade Oakland Bittners owner, Lou Bittner, to change the name of the team to the Blue and Gold Nuggets, and Oakland based beer distributorship that Don owned and operated while competing as an amateur. (He also owned two of the most popular clubs in Northern California, among other businesses). Don’s earnings from the Blue and Gold netted him more money than the highest paid players in the all white NBA. Don Barksdale, a marketing genius was able to reap financial rewards while being denied the opportunity to compete on basketball’s highest level (NBA).

Don entered the NBA in 1951 with the Baltimore Bullets as a 28-year old seasoned rookie. In 1953, Don was the first African-American selected to play in an NBA All-Star game. He played with the Boston Celtics from 1953-1955 and retired from pro basketball with severe ankle problems after the 1955 season. Don passed away in Oakland, California in 1993.

BOB “BOOMER’ BROWN (FOOTBALL)

Bob Brown was born in Cleveland, Ohio and after numerous years of prep football, became a professional football player. He was a 6’4” 275 pound tackle that played with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1964-1968, Los Angles Rams from 1969-1970, and the Oakland Raiders from 1971-1973. He played ten seasons and 126 games.

He was a Consensus All-American and considered the best college lineman in the nation while in college. In 1963, he was the Eagles’ first round draft pick. In 1964, he was known for being extremely quick, and agile for his weight, which reached a high of 300 pounds. He was considered a punishing blocker, and unsurpassed as a pass protector. He was also hard working and rugged.

Brown started his first 50 pro games until he had a right knew injury that shelved him in the eighth game of the 1967 season. That injury plagued him for the rest of his career. The Philadelphia Eagles traded him to the Rams with Jim Nettles for Joe Carollo, Don Chuy, and Irv Cross. He was traded a final time to the Oakland Raiders.

Bob was All-NFL/All-Pro for seven or his ten pro seasons in the league. He was named All-NFC in 1970, All-AFC in 1971, and named to six Pro Bowls (three as and Eagle, two as a Ram and one as a Raider). He was named three-time NFL/NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1966, 1969, and 1970.  Bob Brown now resides in Oakland, California and owns an investment firm.

JOE “THE JET” PERRY (FOOTBALL)

One of pro football’s greatest running backs, Joe “The Jet” Perry, was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1969. He was part of the Million Dollar Backfield (a book by that title is available through this Hall of Fame), a distinction he shares with Y.A. Tittle, Hugh McEleney and John Henry Johnson. He distinguished himself as the first rusher in the NFL history to attain back-to-back 1000-yard season, and more significantly, at a time when each season consisted of only 12 games. Over 33 years later he still ranks 13^th among the top 20 leading rushers, and is one of the only two players of NFL fame that holds a 5.0 or better yards-per-carry average. In addition, Joe is the only running back to play 16 seasons.

Born in Stevens, Arkansas, Joe’s family moved to California when he was two years old. Joe credits much of his later success to a loving and attentive mother, who, at a young age, instilled in him a strong sense of self-esteem, a high regard for his fellow man, and healthy respect for authority. When asked about his philosophy of life, he answers, “I like me. You have to like yourself. If you have high self-esteem, it shows in every facet of your life.”

At Compton Junior College where he was majoring in mathematics, aspiring to be an engineer, Joe scored 22 touchdowns in his first season. The following year, while in the U.S., Navy, he was spotted by 49er tackle John Woudenberg. Impressed with the young athletes’ tremendous speed and ability, Woudenberg reported back to owner of the San Francisco 49ers, Tony Morabito, and head coach Buck Shaw. “Just point him in the right direction and watch him go!” Said Woudenberg.

According to Joe all it took in those days to play for the 49ers was a personal handshake from Moribito. “Tony was like a father to me.” Joe was the first black player to be signed by the 49ers, and until 1957 when Tony had a fatal heart attack; a handshake was all that was needed between the two men. His nickname came from 49er quarterback and later coach, Frankie Albert. “I’m telling you, when that guy comes by to take a handoff, his slipstream damn near knocks you over. He’s strictly jet-propelled.”

In 16 seasons, Joe gained 12,505 combined net yards; he totaled 9723 in rushing yardage and caught 260 passes for another 2021 yard’s scoring a total 513 points in his career. Again, all this was accomplished at time when only 12 games were played a season. He joined the 49er organization in 1948 when that club was a member of the All-American Football Conference. He stayed until 1961 when he went to play two seasons with the Baltimore Colts. His final season, however, was back with the 49ers where he completed his amazing career in 1963. In 1986, he was inducted in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Joe’s only regret was that neither his mother nor Tony lived to see him inducted into three Hall of Fames. Joe lives in Arizona with his wife and occasionally appears for autograph signings.

JIM HINES (TRACK)

Jim Hines, Oakland California’s own, was named the “fastest human” as a result of his anchor leg in the 4X100 relay Olympic finals in Mexico City. According to the 1968 Track and Field News, “one watch had him in 8.2” for an average speed of 43.9 kph. Hines won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympic in Mexico City. The Guinness Book of Records list highest running speed in a ten-meter segment of the 1988 Seoul Olympic finals run by both Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson in 0.83 seconds or 43.37 kph. or 43.37 kph. .

 Hines became the first man to break 10 seconds for 100 meters when he ran a hand-timed 9.9 at the 1968 AAU Nationals. He later ran a 9.95 that was considered faster than the hand-timed 9.9. He held the record for 15 years. Hines attended Texas Southern and won the NAIA national 100-yard dash titles in ’66 and ’67, and the 220 crown in ’67, clocking an NAIA record time of 20.3 that likely will stand forever because the event now is run over 200 meters. Hines was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame in 1994.

“I grew up in West Oakland, California and I had to find a way to touch people, said Hines. A lot of people can’t or don’t want to address the problems in their community. I do. When I grew up, Willie Mays and Jesse Owens were my role models. I want to be that kind of role model. I feel the same competitiveness dealing with these problems in my community as I did when I was sprinting years ago.”

These days he runs the Jim Hines Foundation in Oakland, California (where he resides); a program designed to address drug abuse patients and battered women. He has a day-care center, a shelter for the homeless and runs an amateur track program..Double Gold Track Club—geared for inner-city youth.

WILLY T. RIBBS (AUTO RACING)

After graduating from high school in 1977, Willy T. Ribbs began a racing career that enabled him to compete with the greatest drivers in history. Driving Formula Ford Cars in Europe, he won the Dunlop Championship during his first year of competition. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the U.S. to race Formula Atlantic cars.

In 1982, his career experienced a tremendous boost when he won the pole at the Long Beach Formula Atlantic race. In fact, he outpaced veteran drivers such as Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti before engine failure preempted his race to the finish line. Nevertheless, that race opened the door to the SCCA Trans-Am in 1993, where he won five races and was named Pro Rookie of the Year.

In 1984 Edsel Ford asked Ribbs to drive for Jack Roush in a factory effort. Between 1984 and 1985, he won 17 Trans-Am races before leaving the series at the end of the 1985 season. In 1986, he competed in two NASCAR Winston Cup races for DiGard Racing. However, the team was not able to complete the season due to financial difficulties. Ribbs finished the 1986-racing season in the IMSA series, winning two races in Columbus, Ohio and Sears Points, California.

In 1987-1988, Ribbs raced in the IMSA series. While a member of Dan Gurney’s Toyota team, he was named Driver of the Year for both seasons and won four races. In 1989, he drove Gurney’s developmental AIMSA GTP Eagle HF prototype. That same year, Ribbs became the star driver on the newly created Raynor-Cosby Motorsports team. Actor-comedian Bill Cosby funded this effort.

In 1990, Ribbs made his CART Indy car debut at Long Beach. He competed in ten CART races and won two top-ten events. In 1991, he qualified for the Indianapolis 500 on the last day, earning the 29^th position, becoming the first African-American to drive in the 500. Throughout 1994 Ribbs raced in the CART series and achieved top-ten finishes at Denver and Michigan Grand Prix races.

In 1998, Ribbs competed against Mark Martin for the lead in the NASCAR Street Race in Los Angeles. He ran the Las Vegas 500 IRL race in 1999 before signing with Victoria Beach, third at Detroit and fourth at Las Vegas where he was awarded the Johnson Control Triple Crown.

 Ribbs will enter an entirely new form of racing with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the 2001-racing season. His entry into the series highlights the profile of diversity in Motorsports. Along with driver Joe Ruttman, he will compete on the Dodge factory-backed team for Bobby Hamilton Racing. Ribbs resides in San Jose, California.

Elijah “Pumpsie” Green (Baseball)

Elijah “Pumpsie” Green was the first African-American to play with the Boston Red Sox’s Baseball Team. As a youngster, Pumpsie played baseball at every opportunity. Even though he was an all around athlete, baseball was his passion. During those early years he played with community and citywide organized teams.

Pumpsie played basketball for El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito, California where he excelled in football as well. Later, he went to play baseball for the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League and the San Francisco Seals as well and the Winter League Baseball League in Central America as an infielder. In 1956-1965, he played for the Boston Red’s Minor League Team before he was brought up the big leagues. He also played for the New York Mets as an infielder.

Despite the racism that was prevalent in sports during Pumpsie’s sports career, he persevered and said he would “do it all again.” He hopes that in some way, he has been influential in opening up opportunities for other young black athletes. Pumpsie resides in Richmond, California and is a Park and Recreation Department leader and part-time baseball coach.

TONI STONE (NEGRO BASEBALL LEAGUE (POSTHUMOUSLY)

Toni Stone was signed by the Indianapolis Clowns in 1953, a team which the previous year featured Hank Aaron. Stone was the first female athlete to play with a professional team at this level of competition. Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, the first women pitcher in the Negro Leagues, later joined her on the team. “Peanut” was inducted into the AAESHOF in 2002 (see 2002 inductee list).

From the earliest years of her childhood, Toni wanted to be a baseball player. Born Marcenia Lyle, she attended Gabby Streets Baseball School in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she began here diamond career as a softball player with the Girls Highly Softball Club. But by the age of 15 she was playing with a men’s team.

After high school graduation, the self-described “tomboy” switched to baseball and later took the name “Toni Stone” because she liked the way it sounded. During World War II, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began playing American Legion Baseball.

Locked out of the All-American Girl’s Baseball League, Stone joined a barnstorming team, the San Francisco Sea Lions, before progressing to the Black Pelicans and the New Orleans Creoles in the Negro minor leagues. With the Creoles, she earned $300 a month while batting .265 for the 1949 season. The next year, matrimony led to a temporary baseball hiatus. But with the financially strapped Negro American League suffering from the exodus of African-American players to the major leagues, Stone was persuaded to return to the game she loved. The skilled promoter proved to be a true visionary, as the fans turned out in large numbers to see “the girl” second baseman.

Competing among male athletes was not a problem for the pioneering baseball player. She had played with boys since childhood and could field, throw, run and hit as well as any of the men. And she pledged to wear the same kind of uniform as the men. And she did. Stone had to overcome racism and sexism in order to achieve her goal as a professional baseball player. She wanted to be accepted on her own without any special distinction as a woman. “I was a ballplayer, and I just wanted to play baseball, Stone said.” Toni passed away in Oakland, California in 1995.

 CLEM DANIELS (FOOTBALL)

Clem Daniels, originally from the Lone Star State of Texas, was born and raised in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, after completing his formative education; he entered Prairie View A & M University in southeast Texas, where he studied Biology and Health Science, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in 1959. He also completed the Army ROTC program at Prairie View, and commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

After a brief tour of military duty, Clem was signed to a contract to play professional football by the Kansas City Chiefs. He played with the Chiefs for one year, seven years with the Oakland Raiders and one year with the Son Francisco 49ers.

Clem’s stellar athletic career includes many accomplishments. He was named to the All Conference honors at Prairie View his sophomore and junior years and Captioned the Prairie View team his senior year when they won the NAIA National Championship. Despite injuries that limited his playing time, Daniels was recognized in 1996 as one the top fourteen players in the seventy-five year history of the Southeastern Athletic Conference. He was voted into the conference Hall of Fame in May of 1998.

Clem was voted Most Valuable Player in the American Football League in 1963. He was voted to the All Pro teams in 1963, 1965, and 1966. He played in the Pro Bowls from 1963-1967. He was the all-time leading rusher in the American Football League at the time of the merger in 1969, and still ranks second to Marcus Allen, in combined yards in Raider History. He was inducted into the Prairie View Hall of Fame in 1972. More recently, he was voted into the Texas Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Clem served on the Oakland City Board of Commissioners and Recreation; the East Oakland Youth Association Board; the Boys and Girls Clubs Board of Directors; the Oakland Police and Fire Department Retirement Board; and the NFL Caring for Kids Program. He serves as chairman of the Cal-Pac Trade Association and was the principal founder of the Cal-Pac Scholarship Fund, Inc., which has raised over 1.5 million dollars for inner-city youth in California.

Clem is the owner/operator of The End Zone in Oakland California, which includes a sports bar. He also has a real estate management firm. He resides in Oakland and plays golf as much as possible.

MADELINE MANNING (TRACK)

It was while in Elementary school in Cleveland, Ohio that Madeline became interested in sports. She began running track but did not show a promise of greatness until she was a junior at John Hay High School. Determined to win, propelled by desire to excel, she ran the race that was set before her with endurance.

While running for her high school, she was spotted by Alex Ferenczy, A Hungarian coach who recognized Manning’s’ potential and immediately began working with her for the Cleveland Divisions of Recreational Track Club, a national ranked organization. The following year, Madeline made the national team for women’s track and field, representing the United States in Russia, Poland, and West Germany. After graduation, she enrolled into Tennessee State University on a track scholarship. She won championship after championship.

 Madeline accomplished many athletic accomplishments:

 Madeline also had many honors and awards:

JAMAAL “KEITH” WILKES (BASKETBALL)

Jamaal “Keith” Wilkes was born on May 2, 1953, in Berkeley, California, the third of four children. After brief stays in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Dayton, Ohio, the Wilkes family settled in Southern California (Ventura) early in Jamaal’s life. When his Baptist Minister father accepted a new church, Wilkes completed his senior year of high school in Santa Barbara. Wilkes excelled in basketball by becoming a two-time All-American and Player of the Year in his high school division. In addition, he was elected Student Body President and competed in local oratorical contests.

Upon completion of high school, Jamaal attended the University of California, Los Angeles and played for the legendary John Wooden and won two National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships and was twice named Collegiate All-All-American. While at UCLA Wilkes was given the legendary moniker “Smooth As Silk” by international sports broadcasting legend Dick Enberg for his style of play, which was simply shortened to “Silk” during his NBA career.

When ask to define his version of the ideal player, John Wooden said, “I would have the player to be a good student, polite, courteous, a good team player, a good defensive player and rebounder, a good inside player, and a good outside shooter. Why not take Jamaal Wilkes and let it go at that.” Wilkes received his B.S. Degree in Economics from UCLA, was two-time NCAA Scholastic All-American, and upon graduation, received an outstanding senior award for distinguished service to UCLA. Jamaal is a 1990 inductee into the GTE Academic Hall of Fame.

After graduating from UCLA, Wilkes co-starred along with Lawrence Fishburne in the feature film “Cornbread, Earl, and Me”, which was released in 1975. He went on to play for the Golden State Warriors and received the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year award in 1975 en route to- his first NBA championship. While with the Warriors, he was also voted to the All—Star team.

As a member of the famed “Showtime” Los Angles Lakers for eight years, Wilkes was equally impressive, winning another three NBA Championships and being voted to the NBA All-Star team twice. After a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, he ended his career in 1985. Throughout high school, college and his NBA career, Jamaal Wilkes never had a losing season. Jamaal is an investment counselor for one of the World’s largest firms and resides in Los Angeles.

R.C. OWENS (FOOTBALL)

Following and outstanding National Football League career as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts, and New York Giants, R.C. rejoined the 49ers in 1979 in an alternative capacity. The following year R.C. was promoted to the position of Director of Training Camp and served in that capacity from 1980 until 1993. In 1996, R.C. was selected to the 50 Golden Anniversary all time as a receiver. He has been a major force in helping to establish the organization deep desire for strong alumni network by coordinating alumni functions, alumni day a 3Com Park and the 49ers away game road trips for former Niner greats, as guests of the 49er organization.

In his role as executive assistant and alumni coordinator, R.C. also serves as the club’s main spokesperson at countless civic and charitable functions throughout Northern California. R.C. first joined the 49ers roster in 1957, after being the 14^th player drafted by the team in 1956, while a junior at the College of Idaho.

He also attended the school on a dual football/basketball scholarship. Owens is best remembered by the “49ers Faithful” for the “Alley Oop” receptions he made famous while teaming with Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle during the late 1950’s. He remained with the Niners from 1957 through 1961, having his best season in 1961 with 55 catches for 1,032 yards (7^th in NFL stats that year). After playing out his option in 1961, R.C. joined the Baltimore Colts for the 1962 and 1963 seasons. It was during the 1962 campaign in a game versus the Washington Redskins that R.C. again made a place for himself in lore.

He became the first player to block a field goal on ascent over the cross bar, in the manner of a basketball center playing defense (he was on a basketball scholarships to Idaho). After being traded by the Colts to the New York Giants in 1964, in a deal that reunited “Oop" with his former teammate Y.A. Tittle, he completed his playing career in New York that fall. R.C. served as National Public Relations Representative for J. C. Penny Company from 1963 through 1971.

A lot of his energies in that position were focused on youth programs and economic opportunity programs. Several received local and national awards and generated nationwide publicity. Before joining the Niners’ staff in 1979, R.C. also spent time with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (1971-77) and served the Oakland California Stompers Soccer Club as Marketing and Promotions Director. R.C. resides in the Central Valley of California with his wife and attends most 49ers games.

Brad Pye, Jr.  (Wendell Smith Media Award)

Long time followers of Brad Pye, Jr., recall a line he wrote many times when anything but a level playing field greeted Black athletes trying to make a living in professional sports. When players failed through no fault of their own, Pye wrote:” He had the wrong paint job.”

 It turned out that different tones of ebony were the right color all along. Pye championed their cause in the offices of team owners until it became clear winning was impossible unless Black athletes dominated the rosters. And with them came record attendance in football, basketball and baseball.

Crusaders like Pye should be credited with a “triple-double for their part in making it happen. Brad introduced White journalist to Black writers who knew all along that athletes were being cheated of livelihoods in which they could excel. People like the great A.S. “Doc” Young, L. I. “Brock” Brockenbury, Halley Harding, Herman Hill, Wendell Smith, and Edward “Abie” Robinson.

Black players such as Kenny Washington, owes many thanks to Brad who help open the doors for him to play for the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. Pye’s voice was heard through his columns in the Los Angeles Sentinel for 29 years. A little known fact is the role Pye played in bringing the National Football League to its knees and merge with the American Football League. Al Davis brought Pye into the AFL as his West Coast administrative assistance during an important time in history.

The NFL saw the benefits of merger when Pye did his part by helping then AFL Commissioner Al Davis in signing NFL quarterbacks and other top stars in 1966. The NFL got the message and the result is a bigger and better NFL today. We all try to make a contribution on this mortal soil. Brad Pye, Jr., made a major one. Brad Pye, Jr., spent fifty years in Sports Journalism. Pye now writes for the L.A. Watts Times, The Compton Bulletin and the Inland News. He resides in Los Angles with his wife.