Andre Dawson's Hall of Fame Speech

Andre Dawson 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Speech and Transcript.


"So, today, I want to start by thanking Paul Como, my coach at Southwest Miami Senior High School, who moved me from the infield to the outfield, and Coach Costa Kittles, who gave me a chance at Florida A & M University as a walk-on when no other college would look at me because of a knee injury."

BUD SELIG: "Andre Nolan Dawson. The 21 Hawk. Montreal, National League, 1976 to 1986. Chicago Cubs, 1987 to 1992. Boston Red Sox, 1993 to 1994. Florida, National League, 1995-1996.

A powerful run producer, whose poise, work ethic and unsurpassed determination made him a complete player and a leader by example. Totaled 438 home runs and 2774 hits while stealing 314 bases in 21 seasons. Earned eight Gold Glove Awards, made eight All-Star teams. Was named 1977 Rookie of the Year. Revitalized by his arrival in Chicago. Won 1987 National League MVP Award with the Cubs. Leading league in home runs 49, runs batted in 137. Twice lead National League in total bases." Congratulations, Andre.

ANDRE DAWSON: Thank you, Commissioner Selig. Congratulations to my fellow inductees, Jon Miller, Bill Madden, Doug Harvey and Whitey Herzog. It's an honor to be here with you both, though I'm surprised that they let this manager and this umpire sit so close together today. It is both humbling and overwhelming to see the men sitting up here on this stage, to hear their names called before mine. Thank you, gentlemen, for welcoming this rookie to your team. (Applause)

ANDRE DAWSON: All I ever wanted growing up was to be like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays and now I get to shake their hands and be treated as a friend. It's an honor beyond words. We've got a lot of Cubs in this group. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins. These guys had to go through a lot to fight their way here, more than you will probably ever know. I admire you all a lot and I thank you for paving the way. Ryne Sandberg, who was a teammate of mine for six years and I didn't even know the man could speak until I saw him up here five years ago. My kind of player, never whined, never complained. Showed up every day, left it all on the field.

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Northern's return good for Prairie View A&M Panthers

Prairie View A&M University coach Henry Frazier III said he wanted to see his defensive coordinator, Heishma Northern, have a shot to become the Southern University head coach after the school fired Pete Richardson in December.

Northern, a Baton Rouge native and former SU safety, indeed had a chance — he interviewed for the job and was one of the three lead candidates identified by athletic director Greg LaFleur — but SU settled on Stump Mitchell instead. Which, Frazier said, was good for him.

“I would like to go on record and publicly thank Southern University for not hiring him. It was good news for us,” Frazier said with a laugh Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala., site of the Southwestern Athletic Conference media day. “Really, he wanted to be there, and I want the best for coach. But he’s definitely a very good football coach. Extremely smart, intelligent and well-prepared.” Frazier said he believes Northern, now in his sixth year at PV, is prepared to take over his own program.



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Insight from the SWAC’s new 'Dean'

He looked around this small meeting room in Birmingham, Ala., last week, and he saw new faces. Lots of new faces. Times have changed in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Everywhere Anthony Jones turned, he saw proof of that. He’s now in his ninth year as the football coach at Alabama A&M. When he made his first appearance at a SWAC football media day, way back in 2002, Doug Williams was still at Grambling. He’s long gone. Back then, Robert Hughes was still at Jackson State. He’s gone, too.

And every single year, Jones could count on seeing Pete Richardson from Southern. Now, Richardson is gone, too. For so long, Richardson was the Dean of the SWAC, with five titles and 17 years. Now, the dean’s title falls to Jones. Through eight seasons at A&M, he’s made four trips to the SWAC Championship Game, winning it all in 2006. He has averaged eight wins per year. And even in down seasons, opponents knew that when they played the Bulldogs, they were in for a long afternoon.

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14-year-old college student to speak at scholarship fundraiser

Stephen Stafford II, in front of MLK statue on Morehouse College campus. The triple-major (math, computer science and pre-med) child prodigy will receive his college degrees in 2012, and will go on to Morehouse School of Medicine. Georgia law requires a student to be 16 to graduate high school, so he will be getting his high school diploma the same year he receives his college degrees. Stephen is from Lithonia, Georgia and was home schooled by his mother, Michelle Brown-Stafford (SEE Web Link Below).

Scholars of Minnesota-COPE Project is holding its Fifth Annual Scholarship Program Fundraiser/Gala on Sunday, August 15, 2010, from 4 to 8:30 pm at the Airport Hilton Hotel/Bloomington, Minnesota. This year’s guest speaker for the evening will be scholar/child prodigy Stephen Stafford II, a 14-year-old student currently attending Morehouse College.

According to Stafford’s biographical statement, “…Whe Stephen’s parents enrolled him in Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth, that Stephen soared into advanced mathematics and began mastering… geometry at age seven and algebra two years later.

“Soon after, Stephen was then allowed to audit a course at Morehouse College once his talents outpaced his mother’s ability to teach him. There Stephen scored the highest averages in both his college honors algebra and pre-calculus at the age of 11 and was honored by the college’s mathematics department.

“Stephen uses his gifts in mathematics and computer science to uplift other students. Stephen tutors students in K-12 schools as well as students twice his age enrolled at Morehouse in both subjects. He also lends his programming talents to projects on campus while offering technical assistance in the college’s computer lab.

“In addition, Stephen speaks to youth in schools, churches and community organizations in hopes that they will choose education as a means to better their lives. Stephen has even contributed his talents and notoriety to scholarship committees for the purpose of making education available to more youth.”

The COPE Project mentors community youth, provides scholarships, and acknowledges outstanding students in the metropolitan areas.

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RELATED WEB LINK:: http://www.gifted-spirit.com

13 Year Old Donates Life Savings to S.C. State University

Orangeburg, SC -- A 13-year-old girl gave her life savings to South Carolina State University in hopes that more students could receive an education.

From many angles, Katarina Judge is like any other kid enjoying summer break. She swims, plays tennis, and helps to look after her younger brother and sister.

"I am still a 13-year-old; I still do 13-year-old things. I like Justin Bieber a lot," she said. She is also making moves to help others. She donated $585, her entire life savings, to South Carolina State University for scholarships.



"If you don't have an education, you can't get a job, and if you can't get a job, you're not going to be successful," she said.

Her father, Hardeep Judge, is the tennis coach at the school.

"It didn't surprise me, because Katarina has always done stuff like that, even when she was a small child. If she got too many Christmas presents, she would give some away," he said.

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First-time head coach Stump Mitchell, Karl Morgan taking over at SWAC schools

Mississippi Valley State University coach Karl Morgan has one of the more difficult task in the SWAC in rebuilding the Delta Devils football program.

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- It's always been someone else's canvas, someone else's paint and brushes. It's belonged to Mike Holmgren and Jim Zorn and Terry Bowden. It's been Terry Donahue and Gene Stallings and Bobby Ross with the canvas. It's different now, going from assistant coach to head coach, after going from player to assistant coach. You're the artist. It's your canvas.

"The biggest thing," Stump Mitchell said, "you have to take a look at the picture and see what color you need to use, what you want to draw." "You've got control," Karl Morgan said. "I'm not a control freak, but whatever happens, good, bad or indifferent, you'll have a bigger part of it."

Mitchell and Morgan are the two new head coaches in the Southwest Athletic Conference, which held its annual media day Tuesday morning. Mitchell, an assistant coach in the National Football League for the past 11 years, is the new coach at Southern University. Morgan, a former captain of the UCLA defense, takes over at Mississippi Valley State. They bring to the SWAC an amazing stat that's likely not surpassed in any league. Half of the 10 SWAC head coaches are former NFL players.

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Talking about 'The Hawk'

Andre Dawson’s friends and colleagues talked about “The Hawk” on his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Mel Didier (longtime scout and player development person): “I first saw Andre at Florida A&M when I came out to see some other players. When I saw him hit the ball, and I saw the way the ball bounced when he hit it and how it took off, I said to myself, ‘I have another Hank Aaron here.’ At that time, I ran the draft for the Montreal Expos. And for some reason I let him fall to the 11th round of the draft and still got him. I knew he’d be a great player, but I didn’t know at that time he was also going to be a great man.”

Dallas Green (Cubs general manager 1982-1987: “I was the happiest guy in the world when Andre and his agent Dick Moss came to me with that blank contract to sign for 1987. I was embarrassed that I didn’t have more money to give him, but I was thrilled to death that he wanted to play for the Chicago Cubs. It was a great day for the Chicago Cubs and their fans when Andre Dawson made his decision to play for less money than he deserved that season.”

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Professor at historically black college questions 'black national anthem'

Timothy Askew, Ph.D., Emory University, M.A. Yale University, B.A. Morehouse College
Associate Professor - Clark Atlanta University... American Literature, American Studies, Southern Literature, Autobiography and Biography, Advanced Grammar.

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" is an uplifting spiritual, one that's often heard in churches and popularly recognized as the black national anthem. Timothy Askew grew up with its rhythms, but now the song holds a contentious place in his mind.

"I love the song," said Askew, an associate professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, a historically black college. "But it's not the song that is the problem. It's the label of the song as a 'black national anthem' that creates a lot of confusion and tension."

The song and its message of struggle and hope have long been attached to the African-American community. It lives on as a religious hymn for several protestant and African-American denominations and was quoted by the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery at Barack Obama's presidential inauguration.

After studying the music and lyrics of the song and its history for more than two decades, Askew decided the song was intentionally written with no specific reference to any race or ethnicity.



Askew explains his position in the new book, "Cultural Hegemony and African American Patriotism: An Analysis of the Song, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,'" which was released by Linus Publications in June. The book explores the literary and musical traditions of the song, but also says that a national anthem for African-Americans can be construed as racially separatist and divisive.

"To sing the 'black national anthem' suggests that black people are separatist and want to have their own nation," Askew said. "This means that everything Martin Luther King Jr. believed about being one nation gets thrown out the window."

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2nd Annual Paine College Golf Tournament Builds on Success

Last year's inaugural Paine College Golf Tournament was such a rousing success -- the event raised nearly $25,000 for the Lions' golf program -- that it seemed it would be hard to top in 2010.

It appears that won't be a problem. The second annual tournament, set for Aug. 31, 2010, at Jones Creek Golf Club, Evans, Georgia, already has another full field of 50 three-man teams, and sponsorship money is up from this time last year. The field filled up last week. The cost was $300 per three-man team, or $100 for an individual. "We've got a standby list again," said Kenny Larry, who is back as the chairman of the tournament committee.

Sponsorships are still being accepted. Anyone interested in sponsorships or getting on the waiting list should contact Paine College at (706) 821-8233. With sponsorship money ahead of last year's pace, thanks in part to a $3,500 donation from one area foundation, the tournament is setting a goal of $50,000 raised for the golf program.

Last year's money went for golf equipment, range finders, scholarships, assisting in recruiting and to cover expenses to send the team to the PGA Minority Golf Championships.

The Paine College Golf Tournament started in response to the fact the Paine team qualified for the minority tournament in 2008, but the trip was canceled, with the school citing lack of funds. In the wake of an outpouring of public support after word got out about the problem, Frances Wimberly and other Paine officials thought a benefit tournament might help out. It certainly has. "The tournament is doing very, very well," Larry said.

The tournament is using the same format as last year: a three-man captain's choice. Augusta native and Champions Tour winner Jim Dent will return as honorary chairman and play.

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Message From Honorary Chair Jim Dent

I am pleased to serve as Honorary Chair for the 2nd Annual Paine College Golf Tournament. It is with great pride that I express to you the success of the Inaugural Paine College Golf Tournament held in August of 2009. The overwhelming support from last year’s tournament makes me even more excited to be a part of the 2nd Annual Paine College Golf Tournament, which will be held on August 30, 2010 at Jones Creek Golf Club in Evans, Georgia.

As a supporter of Paine College I am familiar with its mission, stand behind its vision and live by the College’s core values. My interaction with the tournament committee and the Paine Men’s Golf Team has further strengthened my love for this cause. All of the proceeds raised at the Golf Tournament are donated to the College to provide scholarships and program support.

The Paine Men’s Golf Team is on the rise. The team recently placed 2nd in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Tournament. Your support helps encourage the team to strive for excellence on and off the course.

We appreciate your support and look forward to hearing from you soon. I look forward to seeing you on the course.

Sincerely,

Jim Dent
Honorary Chair

Erbe signs with Stillman College Tigers

Former Nature Coast Technical High School (Brooksville, Florida) catcher Ryan Erbe, a 2007 gradate and an All-County selection in 2006, has received the second chance he sought. After taking a year off from his baseball career due to a shoulder injury, Erbe has signed with Stillman College, a Division II school in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"Baseball is my life," Erbe said. "I took this year off. Yeah I was doing other things; I was down at Fort Myers, living on my own, working, going to school. But it just didn't feel the same without baseball."

The 21-year-old from Spring Hill said he will receive what essentially amounts to a full ride to man his old position, catcher, for the Tigers. "It's great," Erbe said. "That's what I want to do, I want to play baseball. I know it's a long shot, but I want to make a career out of it and this is my chance to make that happen. It meant the world to me when the coach called and said they want to give me a spot on the team. I would have went there for free."

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Buck O'Neil recommended Dawson to Cubs in ' 75

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The late Buck O'Neil played an instrumental role in sending some great players to the Cubs, including Ernie Banks, Lou Brock and Lee Smith. He could have had another huge find had then-GM John Holland and scouting director Vedie Himsl followed another of his recommendations.



Montreal scout Mel Didier spotted Andre Dawson playing in a 15-inning scrimmage game for the Florida A&M Rattlers before the 1975 season. He remembers him as a "skinny center fielder'' who hit two grounders with "overspin that chewed up the infield grass,'' and the Expos would take Dawson in the 11th round of the draft.

O'Neil regularly scouted Florida A&M and knew all about his potential. He even had the Rattlers' head coach move Dawson to shortstop at one point during the season for an audition as a middle infielder - "I hurt my arm throwing sidearm,'' Dawson said - and pushed the Cubs to selected Dawson, according to some interviews. But Himsl had used the second pick of the '75 draft on Lee Smith, another O'Neil recommendation, and decided not to give him two picks in the top 10.

O'Neil filled Dawson in on the background at a banquet in Chicago one winter. "There was the possibility of the Cubs drafting me,'' said Dawson, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Sunday. "But it never manifested itself.''

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ASU Board of Trustees Approves Danley for Athletic Director Vacancy

Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees announced the hiring of the Hornets new athletic director at the University during its 2 p.m., July 23 meeting at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

The Board named Stacy L. Danley II as the University’s new athletic director. Danley was the director of athletics at Tuskegee University from 2008-2009. He developed and managed the department’s budgets and provided fiscal overview for the athletic programs. Prior to Tuskegee, Danley was the associate athletic director and the men’s sports coordinator at Auburn University. His accomplishments include creating and serving as publishing editor for AU Connection, a biannual magazine designed to improve and restore relationships between the university and former athletes.

Danley has a bachelor’s degree in Vocational and Adult Education from Auburn University (1993) and a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University (1996).

While attending Auburn, Mr. Danley was a member of the football team and went on to play in the National Football League. The 6'-3"/216 lbs., Auburn star tailback is more famously remembered for the hit he received in a nationally televised game bowl game with Ohio State University in 1989 (See Video below).



He also completed an internship at the Southeastern Conference commissioner's office. Danley has served the Southeastern Conference (Birmingham) in the areas of compliance and championships/events management. He was previously associate athletic director for external affairs at Auburn University. He has participated in compliance seminars on both the regional and national levels, and has attended four NCAA conventions.

Danley is a member of the Black Coaches Association, the National Advising Association, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, and the Greater Lee County 100 Black Men.

Omega men 'are about our people' in Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Omega Psi Phi, one of the nation's most celebrated fraternities, took over downtown Raleigh this weekend for fun and fellowship. Moore Square became "Omega Village" Saturday, awash in the fraternity's purple and gold colors. A few thousand Omega men and family members from across the country - spending nearly a week in Raleigh for the fraternity's 76th Grand Conclave - shared food and drink under a broiling sun.

"We fed the homeless - and even the people who were driving past saw what was happening and got out of their cars to come eat with us," said Charles Hayden, a 1974 graduate of N.C. Central University who owns an investment company in New York. "We are about our people, man!" Visitors sipped cold drinks under shady oak trees and purchased everything from fraternity regalia to shaved ices at vendors' stalls. Others lined up to grub on ribs, chicken wings, hot dogs and burgers while a whole pig lay on a mammoth grill.

Fun and fellowship were only part of the reason why the fraternity descended on Raleigh last week. Omega Psi Phi, founded at Howard University in 1911, lived up to its creed of community service Saturday morning when more than 100 members showed up at the Garner Road YMCA to give it a makeover and a paint job. The real work of the convention will occur this week, when the fraternity elects officers and reviews bylaws and policies.

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Bowl 'surrender' or status quo for MEAC football?

We're into the dog days of the sports calendar, which means that feuding cyclists and the words of football coaches who haven't held a practice yet pass for news. Along those lines, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honchos are discussing football's future postseason direction. Specifically, the league is considering opting out of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in favor of a bowl game between historically black schools.

Dennis Thomas, the MEAC's genial commissioner and the former athletic director at Hampton University, said that no conclusion has been reached, that the principals are in the midst of due diligence. He said that a decision would come this fall, and if everybody chose the bowl route, the game would take place beginning in 2011. Thomas wouldn't bite on arguments for and against a bowl versus playoff participation, politely repeating that the topic remains in the discussion phase.

Apparently, those discussions are to remain private, since North Carolina A&T athletic director Wheeler Brown said through his executive assistant that Thomas issued a gag order to league ADs about the subject. Brown is about to begin a stint on the FCS playoff selection committee.

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When it comes to rogue agents, Grambling's coach makes Saban look soft on crime

As Nick Saban demonstrated and advocated at SEC Media Days, name-calling and license-revoking are two ways to deal with agents and their minions who don't play by the rules. Grambling State University coach Rod Broadway, a former Florida assistant, favors a tougher approach.

Blindfolds and cigarettes. Then lock and load.

"No. 1, they should put 'em all in front of a firing squad, then shoot their ass, if you catch guys doing that stuff," Broadway said Tuesday at SWAC Media Day in Birmingham. "Because that's wrong.



Coach Broadway comments are at the 2:45 mark.

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FAMU's Hawk swoops into MLB history

Former Expo Andre Dawson will be inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame tomorrow.



Andre Dawson stared almost in awe as he watched a brief video biography of his playing career, brushing away tears as familiar faces spoke in admiration of the intense man most still call "Hawk." "When I think back, there are so many things that flash through my mind," Dawson said. "How did I ever pull it off ? I can only say, 'Wow!' Indeed.

Despite 12 knee surgeries, Dawson was an All-Star eight times and managed to become just one of three major league players to hit 400 homers and steal more than 300 bases (Willie Mays and Barry Bonds are the others). For that and so much more, Dawson will be inducted tomorrow into the Baseball Hall of Fame, part of a class that includes former manager Whitey Herzog, umpire Doug Harvey, broadcaster Jon Miller and sports writer Bill Madden. The ceremony also will honour a musician for the first time. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty will sing his classic song "Centerfield", which he wrote 25 years ago and has been played at the start of induction Sunday for more than a decade.

Now 56, Dawson is the 203rd player elected to the Hall of Fame, making it on the ninth try. Many wondered why it took so long. An 11th-round draft pick by the Montreal Expos in 1975 (Florida A&M University), Dawson quickly made it to the big club in September 1976.

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SIAC moves headquarters to Atlanta

SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore continues to take steps to strengthen the conference’s visibility by moving its offices to downtown Atlanta.

ATLANTA, GA – Better web site? Check. Facebook? Check. Move to a more appropriate location? Check again. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference officially moved its headquarters from Tucker to Atlanta on Friday, the latest move in an effort to increase public awareness for the conference. “The move to downtown Atlanta is beneficial to the SIAC and its member institutions,” said Edythe Bradley, Albany State’s University Sports Information Director. “The move means more visibility and more exposure in a corporate environment.”

The relocation to the South Tower of the Peachtree Center — which is in the heart of downtown Atlanta — makes sense, since it is closer to sponsors and the location of the SIAC basketball conference championship, but it isn’t exactly new territory. “The irony of the whole thing is that we moved back into the same building we were in 10 years ago,” SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore told The Herald in an exclusive interview by telephone Friday. “But it’ll make the basketball tournament bigger and better, and increase the visiblity of the conference, where we’ve made great strides in the past.

“The goal is to make our conference more accessible as well.” Moore — who made the decision for the move after consulting with advisors — has also made a series of changes since he was hired a year and a half ago, among them adding a Facebook page for the conference and signing a deal with web design company SIDEARM Sports to increase visibility on the Internet.

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SIAC NEW ADDRESS:

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Peachtree Center- South Tower
225 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 1975
Atlanta, GA 30303
NEW PHONE NUMBER: 404-221-1041
NEW FAX NUMBER: 404-221-1042

Alcorn State football players conditioning for 2010 season

LORMAN, MS — Because of NCAA rules, Alcorn State head football coach Earnest Collins is only allowed to have limited contact with his players until Aug. 4. Because of this, Collins defers to the Braves’ strength and conditioning coach, Lavell Williams, in keeping his team busy during July. And Williams is taking his experience as a former coach with Kansas, Texas Tech and the Dallas Cowboys, and using it to get the Braves in peak physical condition for the upcoming season.

“At this point in the summer, conditioning is the main thing. We’re doing strength and conditioning together, but focusing on conditioning,” Williams said. “The reason for that is that these guys have to be out in the heat. We want to make sure they can go at 100 percent without their muscles being bogged down.” That way, by the time the fall rolls around, muscle endurance won’t be an issue, Williams added. “That’s the main reason why we’re concentrating on conditioning, after we concentrated more on strength (closer to) the beginning of the summer,” he said.

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Incoming ... Bonner comes to ECSU

Elizabeth City State’s basketball team is starting to look like an Atlantic Conference all-star team. Perquimans’ Michael Bonner is the latest former star of the 1A conference, now known as the Four Rivers, to join the Vikings, transferring from Winston-Salem State. Earlier this year, former Camden star Ricky Krainiak transferred to ECSU from Campbell, joining last year’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Rookie of the Year Angelo Sharpless of Plymouth.

Being close to home and the presence of Sharpless and Krainiak influenced Bonner’s choice of schools. “ECSU is a very good place,” said Bonner, the 2007-08 Daily Advance Player of the Year. “Coach (Shawn) Walker is a really cool guy and from what I hear, he is an excellent coach. Angelo Sharpless, I played with him in high school. Ricky Krainiak, I played with him in high school. We all have that bond already. It’s a beautiful school and my family is around here and my church is around here.”

After Bonner experienced a rough freshman season, Winston-Salem coaches decided to redshirt the 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard last season, a choice that confused the Hertford native.

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