SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2022 SESSION

22106185D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 32
Offered February 16, 2022
Commending the 2020 and 2022 inductees into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
----------
Patron-- Davis
----------

WHEREAS, in 1996, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame was designated the official Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, located in Virginia Beach, has honored many of Virginia’s exceptional athletes, coaches, and media personalities since its inception; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame celebrates athletic excellence in the Commonwealth, highlights philanthropy through sports, and inspires sports fans through engaging and entertaining programs; and

WHEREAS, as part of its 49th Induction Weekend, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame will honor the Class of 2020, the 2020 Steve Guback Distinguished Virginia Award honoree, and the Class of 2022; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is honored to present the Class of 2020 inductees as follows:

The Class of 2020

Dennis Carter

A native of Danville, Dennis Carter began his career in sports media working for two outlets in his hometown, the Danville Register, and WBTM/WAKG Radio. He moved to WSET-TV in Lynchburg in 1983 and worked there for 37 years, 35 as sports director. He has been honored numerous times by both the Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters and Virginia Association of Broadcasters. He has previously been inducted into the Lynchburg Area, Amherst County, and Danville Community College Sports Halls of Fame.

Michael “Mike” Cubbage

A Charlottesville native and University of Virginia graduate, Mike Cubbage was drafted by the Washington Senators in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft in 1971. He played eight seasons in the MLB, then served as manager for the Tidewater Tides and Lynchburg Mets. He held coaching roles for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, and Boston Red Sox, including one stint as interim manager for the New York Mets. Beginning in 2004, he focused on scouting and player development and served as a special assistant to the general manager of the 2019 World Series Champion, Washington Nationals.

Lawrence Johnson

A native of Chesapeake and a graduate of Great Bridge High School, Lawrence Johnson placed first in the pole vault high school division at the 1992 Penn Relays and continued that success at the University of Tennessee. He was a seven-time Southeastern Conference champion and four-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion and was named the 1996 NCAA Athlete of the Year. He competed in two Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in Sydney in 2000, becoming the first African American pole vaulter to medal in an Olympic Games.

Bruce Rader

Bruce Rader took on the role of Sports Director at WAVY-TV in Portsmouth in 1979 and has held that position for 43 years. Serving the Hampton Roads market, he changed the landscape of television sports media by focusing on underserved segments such as high school sports and the area’s historically Black colleges and universities. He has previously been honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, and the Norfolk Sports Club. He has been inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, and the Hampton Roads Sports Media Hall of Fame.

Tracy Saunders

A native of Suffolk, Tracy Saunders enjoyed a legendary career with the Norfolk State University women’s basketball team. While playing for the Lady Spartans, she was named three-time All-Conference, two-time All-American, the 1991 NCAA Division II Player of the Year, as well as the 1991 Honda Award recipient, recognizing the top female athlete in all Division II sports. She finished her career with 2,084 points and 978 rebounds. Her number 10 jersey is retired by Norfolk State University, and she has previously been honored by the Norfolk State Athletics Hall of Fame, the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, and the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame.

Albert “Al” Toon, Jr.

Al Toon from Menchville High School in Newport News was a record-setting athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in both football and track and field (triple jump). Drafted 10th overall by the New York Jets in the 1985 National Football League Draft, he caught 517 passes for 6,605 yards, and 31 touchdowns over an eight-year career with the Jets. He was a three-time Pro-Bowl and three-time All-Pro Selection and was named the AFC Player of the Year in 1986. He was named to the Jets All-Time Four Decade Team in 2003 and the team’s Ring of Honor in 2011.

David Wright

David Wright is a native of Virginia Beach and a graduate of Hickory High School in Chesapeake. He made his MLB debut in 2004 and enjoyed a 14-year baseball career, which saw him set numerous team records for the New York Mets. He is the all-time leader in hits, runs scored, runs batted in, doubles, extra base hits, and all-star selections for the Mets. He was a seven-time All-Star selection and two-time Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards winner, and he was named team captain from 2013 until his retirement in 2018. He ended his career with a .296 career average, 1,777 hits, 242 home runs, 970 runs batted in, and 949 runs scored; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is honored to present the winner of the 2020 Steve Guback Distinguished Virginian Award:

Dennis Ellmer

Dennis Ellmer is a Norfolk native and the founder and chief executive officer of Priority Automotive Group. Since 2011, through his involvement with the Priority Toyota Charity Bowl, he has helped raise over $3.8 million to support children’s charities in the Hampton Roads region. Over 400,000 children have benefited from the money raised by the Charity Bowl. He is the fifth Distinguished Virginian honoree in the Hall of Fame’s history. The award recognizes an individual that uses sports as a philanthropic platform, and is named in honor of 2005 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Steve Guback; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame is honored to present the Class of 2022 inductees as follows:

The Class of 2022

William “Sonny” Allen

Sonny Allen came to Old Dominion University as the head coach of the men’s basketball team in 1965 and built the Monarchs into one of the most entertaining teams in the country over the course of 10 seasons. Culminating with a 1975 NCAA Division II national championship victory, his teams won 181 games during his tenure. His impact was felt off the court as well as, he became the first coach at a predominantly white school in Virginia to offer an athletic scholarship to an African American athlete.

Jon Lugbill

A graduate of Oakton High School in Fairfax County and the University of Virginia, Jon Lugbill is considered the best paddler to ever compete in the sport of whitewater canoeing. He is a five-time world champion in C1 Slalom, a seven-time team world champion, and a three-time World Cup overall gold medalist. He was recognized as USA Canoe Kayak’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1989 and is the only paddler ever to appear on the Wheaties Box. He was a 2005 inductee into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame.

Anthony Poindexter

A native of Lynchburg, Anthony Poindexter was a two-sport star at Jefferson Forest High School in Forest and earned 1993 Group AA State Football Player of the Year honors. At the University of Virginia, he became one of the most decorated defensive players in Cavaliers history. He was the 1998 Consensus 1st-Team All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and one of just three players in UVA history to receive All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition three times. His number three jersey was retired by the University of Virginia, and he was a 2020 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Chris Warren

Chris Warren grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax. He helped lead Ferrum College to back-to-back NCAA Division III South Region Championships in 1988 and 1989. He was named Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III South Player of the Year in 1989 and Virginia Sports Information Directors State College Division Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Draft in 1990 and played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles. The three-time Pro-Bowl and two-time All-Pro selection finished his career with 7,696 rushing yards, 1,935 receiving yards, and 58 total touchdowns; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Dennis Carter, Michael Cubbage, Lawrence Johnson, Bruce Rader, Tracy Saunders, Albert Toon, Jr., David Wright, Dennis Ellmer, William Allen, Jon Lugbill, Anthony Poindexter, and Chris Warren hereby be commended for their outstanding achievements in athletics and philanthropy; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and its 2020 and 2022 inductees and award winners as an expression of the House of Delegates’ congratulations and admiration for their many contributions to the world of sports.