ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030009
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Ralph Sampson, a three-time player of the year in college basketball, and Lanny Wadkins, who ranks 12th on professional golf's career money list, will be among the six 1996 inductees to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
The annual six-person induction class includes one Southwest Virginian. Ralph Cummins, who holds the state record for high school football coaching victories in 35 seasons at Clintwood, will be inducted at the May 3 awards dinner at the Portsmouth Holiday Inn.
The other inductees are former Old Dominion and U.S. Olympic basketball great Anne Donovan, Dr. Carolyn Sinclair, a Gloucester native who was a pioneer of women's programs at William and Mary and James Madison University, and the late George Lacy, a Richmond native and three-sport all-state choice at the University of Richmond in the 1930s.
The 7-foot-4 Sampson went from Harrisonburg High School to Virginia, where took the Cavaliers' program to unprecedented national prominence. In Sampson's four seasons, UVa had a 112-23 record, won the NIT and reached three NCAA Tournaments, including the 1981 Final Four. He was the NBA's No.1 draft pick, by the Houston Rockets, and was named the league's rookie of the year.
Wadkins, a Richmond native, won the National Pee-Wee golf title at age 12, then was an All-America choice at Wake Forest and won the U.S. Amateur. He was the PGA Player of the Year in 1985 and has played for the U.S. Ryder Cup team a record eight times. He has 21 PGA Tour victories.
Cummins' record at Clintwood (1953-87) was 267-90-14. In those years, his teams won three state and five regional titles, and in a 64-game stretch from 1973-79, Clintwood was 63-0-1. He also was named national coach of the year by the National Coaches Association. He becomes the 42nd state Hall inductee from Southwest Virginia.
The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is located on High Street in Olde Town Portsmouth. Founded in 1966, it currently has 149 people enshrined.
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