Southern Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame will Induct Eight

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Five athletes from the modern era, two from the golden era, and one individual for meritorious service comprise the 2009 Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame class. SAU’s seventh hall of fame class will be inducted Friday in the first-ever hall of fame banquet at 7 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Southern Arkansas’ campus. The inductees will also be recognized Saturday at halftime of the Mulerider football Homecoming game against Ouachita Baptist. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. following the Homecoming queen and court ceremony at 2 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium.

Modern era athletes to be inducted are Kenneth Brown (football), Russell Hester (baseball), Shawn Mason (basketball), Tracy Morgan-Smith (volleyball and track & field), and Wayne Ross (swimming). Wayne Roper (track & field) and the late P.T. Waller (basketball and coach) are being inducted from the golden era, and the late Sue Bailey for meritorious service.

Kenneth Brown (Modern Era – Football)
A native of Pine Bluff, Kenneth Brown played at wide receiver for Southern Arkansas football teams from 1983-1986. He was named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) first team All-America in his senior season, after being a NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selection as a sophomore in 1984. In addition, Brown was a three-time first team pick on both the NAIA All-District 17 and All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference teams his final three seasons (1984-1986), also making the 1985 conference team as a punt returner.

Brown still holds school records for pass receptions in both a game and season, snaring 14 catches on two occasions against Southeastern Oklahoma State and Henderson State in 1986, and finishing with a total of 75 that same season, which also was a league record. He stands at third all-time at SAU in career receptions with 142; third in career touchdown catches with 20; is fourth with 831 receiving yards in a season (1986); and tied at fourth in touchdown receptions in a season with eight (1984).

As a return specialist, Brown also held school records in those areas for a number of years with the most recent being broken in 2005 of 54 career kick returns. He stands at third all-time in career kick return yards with 960 and fourth in career punt returns with 36. Brown has the fifth longest punt return at SAU, 74 yards against Arkansas-Monticello in 1985.

Brown also spent time in the professional ranks in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He began his pro career with the New England Patriots in 1987 and was later picked up that same year by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was with the Atlanta Falcons in 1988, and after sitting out a year was with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger Cats, both in 1990. He also had a year of Arena Football with the Dallas Texans in 1991.

Brown currently lives in Dallas where he works for DHL Packaging at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport as a cargo screener. He has a son, Quandon, who also lives in Dallas, and two daughters, Jessica Brown of Houston, and Kennedy Brown of Dallas.

Russell (Boggie) Hester (Modern Era – Baseball)
Russell “Boggie” Hester was a pitcher for the Mulerider baseball team in 1974 and 1975 after playing two years at what was then WestArk Junior College in Fort Smith.

Coached by former SAU baseball and basketball coach and hall of fame member Monroe Ingram, Hester was a NAIA All-District 17 selection in both his seasons and was named All-AIC in 1975. He had a combined 17-6 record in 24 appearances over his two years, pitching in 12 games each season. In 1974 he was 7-4, struck out 72, and posted a 1.90 ERA, and in 1975 had a conference best 10-2 record, with 88 strikeouts and an impressive 1.10 ERA.

Hester teamed with Southern Arkansas Hall of Fame member Gary Wilson to lead the Muleriders to the AIC championship in 1975, and like Wilson, pitched for the USA All-Stars in the summer of 1975 on a trip to the Orient to play Korea and Taiwan. He also was a member of the ’75 AIC All-Star team that played the Arkansas Travelers in an exhibition game. Hester and Wilson combined on a Mulerider pitching staff that led the NAIA in 1975 with a 1.16 ERA.

Hester and his wife, Joyce, have four children; daughter Dara Hensley of Clinton; and sons Brent Hester of Springdale, Brian Hester of Farmington, and Bart Hester of Rogers; and 12 grandchildren.

A native of Little Rock, Hester now resides at Greer’s Ferry and is superintendent of schools at Heber Springs.

Shawn Mason (Modern Era – Basketball)
A 6-2, 190-pound guard, Shawn Mason played basketball at Southern Arkansas from 1998-2002. Prepping at Shirley High School, near Fairfield Bay, he made an immediate impact upon his arrival to the Mulerider basketball team. A four-year starter, he averaged 14.8 points and 6.2 rebounds, and shot 44.7 percent from the floor, 34.5 percent on three-pointers, and 80.9 percent at the free throw line in 105 games over his career.

Mason led SAU to four consecutive Gulf South Conference tournament berths and was the league’s West Division freshman of the year for the 1998-99 season. He went on to become one of only 13 players at the time in GSC history to be a three-time first team All-Conference pick, making the team his sophomore through senior years. He was an All-South Region player both his junior and senior seasons, and was an honorable mention All-America selection his senior year of 2001-02.

As a senior, the fiery red-head not only led Southern Arkansas in scoring with a 17.8 average, but as a blue-collar worker, led his team in rebounding with an 8.2 average, astonishing for a 6-2 guard. Mason also dished out 58 assists and picked off 32 steals his senior season.

Mason scored a career-high 41 points against Arkansas Tech as a senior. In that game, he set a school and conference single-game free throw record that still stands, by converting 20 of 22 attempts at the line. Mason is second all-time in Mulerider history with 436 career free throws, converting 73.8 percent as a freshman, 84.8 percent as a sophomore, 83.5 percent as a junior and 82.4 percent as a senior.

Mason scored 462 points his senior year to finish sixth all-time in Southern Arkansas scoring history with 1,556 career points. His 400-plus points that season placed him in the university’s 400-point club, while making the 300-point club each of his first three seasons. As a junior Mason averaged 17.0 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, and had 43 assists and 37 steals.

Shawn and his wife, Andrea, now live in Bald Knob. He is presently taking courses in preparation for employment with the Arkansas State Police.

Tracy Morgan-Smith (Modern Era – Volleyball and Track and Field)
A native of Crandall, Texas, Tracy Morgan-Smith arrived at Southern Arkansas and became a legendary two-sport athlete in volleyball and track and field for the Riderettes, before they became known as the Lady Muleriders. She played volleyball during the 1989 and 1991 seasons and participated in track and field in the spring seasons of 1990 and 1992, sitting out volleyball in 1990 and track in 1991 due to injury.

As a junior in 1989, Morgan-Smith led the volleyball team to the AIC championship and was named both All-Conference and All-NAIA District 17, being named the district player of the year. Her career only blossomed when she returned in 1991, again receiving All-AIC and District 17 accolades, as well as being selected to the All-Southwest Region team, and highlighted by being a NAIA honorable mention All-America pick. She also helped lead the volleyball squad into the national rankings that year.

Morgan-Smith still holds SAU volleyball records for season and career blocks per set, both at 1.52; attacks in a single match with 71 against Arkansas Tech in 1991; and kills per set in a career at 4.13. She led Southern Arkansas to its best finish ever with a 42-4 season in 1989 and was a part of 16 and 18-match winning streaks that year.

In track and field, Morgan-Smith led the 1992 team to the AIC championship, scoring high-point honors with 52.5. She set a conference record in the triple jump with a leap of 37-9 ¾” and won both the long jump and shot put. The team placed fourth in the District 17 championship, with Morgan-Smith again winning the triple jump. The team advanced to the NAIA National Championship and placed 16th in the nation. Morgan-Smith competed in three events, placing fourth in the nation in the long jump, fifth in the triple jump, and was the anchor of SAU’s 400-meter relay team that placed third.

Her track and field accomplishments earned Morgan-Smith NAIA All-America and All-AIC honors in both 1990 and 1992.

Morgan-Smith still holds the Southern Arkansas record in the triple jump at 40-2 ½, and has a hand in two others as anchor on the 400-meter relay team in a time of 46.88 and the 800-meter relay in a time of 1:42.96.

Morgan-Smith currently is employed as a police officer in Dallas, and is married to Charles Smith. She has two sons, D.J. Grigsby and Dalen Morgan.

Wayne Ross (Modern Era – Swimming)
Wayne Ross, a Magnolia native, was an All-AIC swimmer at Southern Arkansas four consecutive years from 1980-1983.

Ross set and still holds numerous Mulerider swimming records for the 50, 100, 200, and 1,000-yard freestyle, the 100 breaststroke, the 200 individual medley, and as a member of the 400 freestyle, the 400 medley, and the 800 freestyle relay teams. His 1982 team participated in the NAIA national swim meet held in Vancouver, British Columbia, and at the NAIA national meet hosted by Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia in 1983.

Wayne was coached by his father, Dr. Delwin Ross, who also coached baseball, men’s basketball, and football in his long SAU career, and also played sports at what was then Magnolia A&M and a junior college. In his freshman season of 1980, Wayne helped provide his father with the AIC and District 17 coach of the year honors. Playing his final two years at Henderson State, Dr. Ross was recently inducted into their Hall of Honor.

Wayne and his wife, Judy, have two daughters, Christie Malone of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Cindie Nokes of Magnolia, and a grandson. Wayne resides in Magnolia where he manages Radio Shack.

Wayne (Pug) Roper (Golden Era – Track and Field)
Wayne “Pug” Roper began a long track and field career at Stamps Public Schools, performing for Coach Raymond “Rip” Powell. Roper finished a spectacular high school career in 1965 with a third-place finish in the 880-yard run in the Golden West Invitational Meet in Sacramento, Calif. that invited only the very best high school leaders from across the country. He set the overall high school state 880-yard record of 1:53.6 in the Meet of Champions as a senior in 1965, a mark that stood until 1970. That same year, Roper was selected Arkansas track & field athlete of the year for his classification.

Later that fall, Roper rejoined his high school coach, Powell, at Southern Arkansas. As a freshman in 1966, he was undefeated in the AIC and set a conference 880-yard record of 1:53.3 at the AIC Championship Meet. The next season, he had only one loss in the conference at the AIC Meet, but managed to set a school record for the 880-yard run in 1:52.9. He was an All-AIC selection in 1966 and 1969; was selected captain of the team his junior and senior seasons; and was also a NAIA All-American.

After college, Roper returned to athletic competition at the age of 33, running road races from 5,000-meter distances to marathons. From 1980 to 1995, he ran 127 5K races and placed first in his age group 104 times, and in the top three in his age group 17 other times. At the age of 57 Roper competed in the Northwest Louisiana District Senior Olympics, winning first place overall in the 400 and 800-meter events from 2005-2007. He serves as President of the Red River Road Runners and as the director of road races in the Shreveport/Bossier, La. area. Roper is currently on the board of directors of the Northwest Louisiana District Senior Olympics.

In 2009 Roper was inducted into the Arkansas Track & Field Sports Hall of Fame. Wayne and his wife, Carolyn, live in Waskom, Texas. They have two daughters, Wendy Russell of Stamps, and Misty Manshack of Waskom, and two grandsons. Wayne works in Bossier City for a real estate firm.

P.T. (Duddy) Waller (Golden Era Athlete and Coach – Basketball)
The late Prentice T. “Duddy” Waller was one of the purest shooters to ever step on the basketball court for Southern Arkansas. He played when SAU was still a junior college and after his Mulerider career, played at the University of Arkansas.

A native of Emerson, Waller might still hold the Mulerider record for scoring had the three-point shot been in effect when he played.

Waller was an All-AIC selection his freshman season of 1947-48, leading Southern Arkansas in scoring 453 points in 27 games, a 16.8 average, and scored 446 points in only 21 games, a 21.2 average, as a sophomore in 1948-49. He poured in 39 points to lead SAU to an upset of powerful Arkansas Tech in 1947-48.

After playing for the Muleriders and Razorbacks, Waller returned as head basketball coach at Southern Arkansas for three years from 1954-1957. SAU posted 42 wins against 24 losses in the three seasons, giving Waller the second-best winning percentage of .636 all-time, second only to W.T. Watson’s .665 percentage.

Waller left the Muleriders to become head basketball coach at Arkansas, where he coached the Razorbacks for four years from 1966-1970, winning 31 games.

Waller’s son, Steve, was an All-AIC defensive back for a strong Southern Arkansas football team in 1974. Waller’s nephew, Ted Waller, won state basketball championships in 1980 and 1985, and also the state overall championship in 1985, as coach of the Magnolia Panthers, after winning a state title at Village.

Waller is buried in the Stephens cemetery near another Mulerider legend and hall of fame member, Charlie McClendon, who coached LSU to the most football wins in school history. Waller and his wife, Rita, had two children, Steve, who lives in Texarkana; and daughter Teri West of Stephens; and four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Sue Bailey (Meritorious Service)
The late Sue Bailey served Southern Arkansas by volunteering to work as a secretary for the late and former athletic director and head basketball coach, W.T. Watson, and served in that capacity from 1980-1995.

Mrs. Bailey graduated from Draughn Business College in Camden with an emphasis on office management. She worked for Dr. Henry Hearnsberger in Stephens, where she self-trained as his nurse and doubled as office manager. She then worked for Dr. John Wilson in Magnolia as his nurse, where she was fondly referred to by many patients as “Dr. Sue”. In 1978, she suffered a back injury while at work, and after back surgery and partial recovery, was told by doctors she would not be able to continue as a nurse.

During her time at SAU, Mrs. Bailey not only served as secretary to Watson, but assisted with pre-game receptions, often bringing food and refreshments from home to serve guests. Twice each year, Sue and husband, Welton Bailey, would host a fish fry for the entire SAU coaching staff and their spouses, serving fresh catfish harvested from their farm pond.

Mrs. Bailey was honored with an award of merit in recognition and appreciation of her loyalty and 15 years of voluntary service without compensation to the Southern Arkansas athletic department, and she was also selected as radio station KVMA’s citizen of the week in August of 1991.

An excellent cook, Mrs. Bailey baked many pies to serve as dessert at dinners, including her famous burnt caramel pies, one of which sold at a church auction for $110.

Mrs. Bailey passed away March 1, 1996, with SAU coaches serving as honorary pall bearers.

Mrs. Bailey and her husband, Welton, who still lives in Magnolia, had three children, son Alan Bailey of Rockwell, Texas, and daughters Connie Hendrixson, and Regina Watkins, both of Little Rock, with all three graduating from Southern Arkansas. The Baileys also had six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.