The Athletic Hall of Fame of the Lower Virginia
Peninsula is Proud to Announce the 2011 Inductees
The 2011 inductees for the Athletic Hall of Fame for the Lower Virginia Peninsula are Gary Bodie, Aaron Brooks, Vince Brown, William E. "Willie" Brown, Buddy Lex, and Mike Tomlin.
The eleventh Induction Banquet will be held in Hampton on May 15, 2011. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception followed by a dinner. Emcee for the evening will be Scott Cash, Sports Director WVEC-TV and a video presentation for each inductee will highlight their achievements on a statewide or national level. For more event and tickets information, the public can call (757) 727-8314.
Hall of Fame Inductees Biographies
GARY BODIE
He is a longtime leader in the area sailing community. Bodie graduated Hampton High School and from California Institute of Technology. He coached at Old Dominion University, the Naval Academy and Hampton University where his teams won 15 national championships. In 1998, he was named as the United States Olympic coach and coached the team for three Olympic Games.
AARON BROOKS
Brooks is a former National Football League quarterback with Green Bay, New Orleans and Oakland. Brooks graduated from Ferguson High School and the University of Virginia. At UVA, he was the starting quarterback on the 1998 team that played in the Peach Bowl. He retired in 2007 as the Saints' franchise leader in season and career touchdown passes.
VINCE BROWN
As the longtime track and field coach at Christopher Newport University Brown compiled an outstanding record during his 25 years at the school. Brown's teams won 12 national team championships and 61 individual and relay Division III national titles and his athletes amassed an incredible 444 All-America honors. Before CNU, he coached in Southwestern Virginia at Chilhowie High School and Blacksburg High School, he also coached at Hampton High School.
WILLIE BROWN
Brown played basketball, football and ran track at Carver High School and the Apprentice School. He became a basketball official who worked games from the high school level to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Brown has been a long-time supporter, volunteer for Virginia Special Olympics, and has been instrumental in the operation of the Boo Williams Summer League basketball program for 25 years.
BUDDY LEX
Lex graduated from Newport News High School and the College of William and Mary, where he was a triple-threat tailback. In 1949, Lex threw 18 touchdown passes, a national record at that time. Also in 1949, Lex was runner-up to Sam Snead as Virginia's Athlete of the Year. Lex also played basketball in high school and was a two-year starter at William and Mary.
MIKE TOMLIN
Tomlin is a graduate of Denbigh High School and the College of William and Mary. He played football at both schools and then began his coaching career. After stops as an assistant coach at VMI and several other colleges, he moved on to the NFL with Tampa Bay and Minnesota. On Jan. 22, 2007, Tomlin was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers and in 2008, he coached the Steelers to the Super Bowl championship.
Athletic Hall of Fame for the Lower Virginia Peninsula
In 1971, the Hampton City Council established the Athletic Hall of Fame of the Lower Virginia Peninsula to honor individuals who by outstanding achievement or service have made lasting contributions to the cause of sports on the Lower Virginia Peninsula. And that their achievements, have reflected favorably on the Lower Peninsula area in the eyes of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation and the world. Every three years the committee selects new inductees to be honored. Since 1971 fifty-two members have been selected to the Hall of Fame. This year will mark the 40th Anniversary of the Athletic Hall of Fame of the Lower Virginia Peninsula.
A nominee must be either a native of the Lower Peninsula (the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and York County), and /or resided 10 or more years of his/her life on the Lower Peninsula before taking up residence elsewhere, or be a permanent resident. The inductee must be at least 25 years old.
In 2002, the selection committee established the "Outstanding Achievement Award" to honor those whose achievements on and off the field have played a significant role in the development and promotion of athletes and athletics in the local area. This year we honor Bill Smith, for his outstanding contributions to wrestling and posthumously Sandra Pickin director of the Peninsula Muscular Dystrophy Benefit Baseball tournament throughout its 19 years.
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