By T. Scott Boatright
Pomp and circumstance blissfully blended with GramFam love over the weekend as 11 former Grambling State University athletes were inducted into the 15th Class of The Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame inside the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
The weekend kicked off with a press conference followed by a “meet and greet” at the Eddie Robinson Museum on Friday afternoon before the the Hall of Fame enshrinement dinner and induction was held on Saturday night.
Inducted into the Grambling Legends as part of the Class of 2023 were Jason Hatcher, Jesse O’Neal, Jimmie Roe, and Andre Robinson representing the sport of football; Grambling basketball stars Shrieka Evans and Kenneth Sykes; former baseball standouts Courtney Duncan and James Thompson; former golfer Richard Brown; former head track coach and longtime football assistant coach Ed Stevens, and philanthropist Thomas Moorehead, who was unable to attend because of overseas business but was inducted in the contributor category.
Sykes, a 6-4 shooting guard, was the SWAC Newcomer of the Year and a second team all-conference selection as a sophomore in 1992–93.He earned second-team all-conference accolades as a junior before being named the SWAC Player of the Year as a senior, averaging averaged a conference-leading 26.3 points per game as well as 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
He was selected in the 1995 Continental Basketball Association draft by the Yakima Sun Kings in the third round (42nd overall) and also played in the United States Basketball League for the Florida Sea Dragons.
Sykes, currently a high school hoops coach in Shreveport, eventually became an assistant men’s basketball coach at Grambling State and was the interim head coach for the G-Men for a brief time after the 2007–08 season ended\
“This is truly a blessing,” Sykes said. “I’m honored to be here among some of these guys – Willis Reed, Larry Wright, Doug (Williams), ‘Shack’ Harris – those guys paved the way for us. They basically had to come here because of the times. When I was being recruited I was recruited by all kinds of schools.
“But I was also recruited by Larry Wright, who also later gave me an opportunity to coach. All those guys helped me understand that I wanted to come to Grambling. I didn’t want to go to a bigger school and only be a number. … My years at Grambling were great. I love Grambling. My wife went to Grambling. My daughter plays volleyball here and my son’s a basketball player who’s probably also coming here. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here.”
Evans was the NCAA Division I Women’s 3-point field goal leader in 1999-2000 and 2000-21 and also led Division I in steals in 2002. The 5-10 native of Lisbon connected on 391 of 1,297 long-range shots during her college career for a 31.9 3-point shooting percentage.
“Those who remember me playing basketball here know I don’t talk much,” Evans said. “I’m still in shock about this. It’s such an honor to be here amongst y’all. I never thought about even being considered. I love Grambling and this community and am proud of this honor.”
Hatcher started at tight end for the G-Men in 2013 and caught one pass for 14 yards and a two-point conversion before being gradually converted to defensive end midway through the season.
As a senior, Hatcher helped his team win the conference title with an undefeated record (9-0) and a co-Black college football national championship (11-1 overall), while having an outstanding year of his own, recording 65 tackles and 10 sacks, and being named an All-SWAC selection. He finished his college career with 111 tackles, 31.5 for losses and 18.5 sacks.
Hatcher was drafted in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played in Dallas until 2014, when he became a Washington Redskin for his final two seasons.
“I’m excited to be here,” Hatcher said. “Thanks to my coach, Doug Williams, for recruiting a small-town guy out of Jena, Louisiana. He brought me in, took me under his wing and treated me like I was his son. He’s the reason I’m here. I mimicked him everywhere I went. I wanted to be like him and it paid off. A lot of guys probably have better numbers than me, so I’m just honored to be here and part of this group.”
Robinson was a standout linebacker who was named the Bayou Classic’s Most Valuable Player in 1980 during the Tigers’ 43-6 victory over the Southern Jaguars. The following year, he was a consensus All-American selection by the Associated Press, Kodak, The Sporting News and the Sheridan Press and also was named the SWAC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
He later served as a linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and interim head coach (2004) for the G-Men.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be inducted into this organization with so many great football players that have come through this university,” Robinson said. “I’m glad to say that I’m part of that group now.”
O’Neal, a native of Crowley, played defensive lineman for the G-Men and was a fifth-round draft pick of the Houston Oilers in 1975 who moved to to play in the Canadian Football League from 1975 to 1979 during his career with the British Columbia Lions, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He had one career interception as a Tiger-Cat in 1979.
“When I walked in here the first person I saw was Doug, and it brought back so many memories because I remember when Doug first came to campus,” O’Neal said. “And I probably owe him an apology because I was one of those who got after Doug in practice every chance I got.
“It was first-team defense against second-team offense, and nothing personal Doug, but I wanted to make sure I was on that first-team defense. I can remember many times Coach (Eddie Robinson) yelling, ‘Oh No! Don’t hit him!’ But today is a surreal thing for me. It’s like a dream. I’m just so glad to be part of this class that’s going into the Hall of Fame.”
Roe played center for the Tigers and earned second-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference accolades in 1974 and ’75.
“I want to thank the Legends for inducting me into the Hall of Fame and to thank all the guys I played with,” Roe said. “I’m a person of few words, but thank you.”
As a sophomore in 1995, Duncan was named to the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball First Team and was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 20th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft.
He played two seasons for the Cubs, going 3-3 with a 4.80 earned run average and 50 strikeouts“When I found out I was going into the Grambling Legends it was a shock,” Duncan said. “I didn’t expect it. When I first got to Grambling Coach (Wilbert Ellis) and (assistant coach James) Randall took me under their wings and showed me the ropes pretty much, because I had no clue about HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) or the culture or any of that.
“What I learned of course is about where I come from, but even moreso, the game of baseball. I was an underdog, being black, 5-foot-11 and a pitcher. I was an underdog. But I was drafted out of GSU in the 20th round. It means something to me to stand in front of you and say that Black men do still play baseball. That’s something I’m working to improve – to get more Blacks involved in baseball. And for me, it all started at GSU.”
An All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection, Thompson holds the GSU baseball record for most saves and appearances in a season as well as most career saves.
“I almost couldn’t believe it when they called me to tell me I was going to be a Legend,” Thompson said. “The roles I played for Grambling – there weren’t a lot of pats on the back for what I did. I ran in when others ran out. When a fire needed putting out, someone had to go do it. When I came to Grambling it was to play first base. But when I got here there were about six of us over there. So Coach Ellis told me he wanted me to throw a couple of innings in scrimmage one day. And he told me that’s where they needed me. I wanted to be involved right away, so I started pitching.
“I love this place. I will always be honored to be amongst all these guys. The guys I played with – we have a bond. We have a closeness. And that’s a tribute to Coach Ellis. That’s the way he did things. He taught me about life, and being a man, and representing my family. I love my teammates and I love Grambling State University.”
Stevens was represented by his widow, second wife Verone, who first met her future husband when he coached her on the GSU Women’s Track and Field team.
‘“I’m honored to be here today representing my family,” Stevens said. “I appreciate all my former teammates, his former players, that showed up here for this.”
Brown is the first Grambling Legend representing the sport of golf.
“When I got to Grambling in 1977 I never thought I would be in a situation like this,” Brown said. “To say this is amazing and I am awestruck is a major understatement. The ability I have now is based upon my having been here at Grambling State University. When I got here I was a nobody. But we all know that here, ‘Everybody is Somebody.’
“That came from my education. That came from watching people I aspired to be like competing in other sports. It’s amazing that now, after I watched them from afar, I get to sit at the table with them as a Grambling Legend. I’m honored and I’m grateful.”
