In recent years, we've been embracing more of our sports history in our state. For example, we have seen a growth of basketball statues and monuments.
We now have Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley statues at WVU. Former Marshall great Hal Greer now has one at a Philadelphia 76ers practice facility. Greer has had a major street and interstate exit named after him in Huntington since 1978. Former Charleston High great Curt Price has his own street in Charleston. Former WVU star Rod Thorn has an interstate exit in Princeton.
So, to take that one step further, if we had a WVU and a Marshall basketball Mount Rushmore in our state, who would be the four faces carved into the mountainside overlooking Morgantown and Huntington?
I almost hate to open up this can of worms. There are no correct or incorrect answers. There are many beloved and significant players and coaches at WVU and Marshall, but, for the sake of this discussion, there are only four slots for each.
Also, keep in mind that no one is saying these are the four greatest players, but they all have a special significance.
For what it is worth, here are my thoughts. First, here is my Marshall Mount Rushmore.
n Cam Henderson: I was not around for Cam, but you have to start with him, don't you? Heck, the arena is named after him and he did win a small-college (NAIB) national championship.
n Hal Greer: He has historical significance as Marshall's first black player. A product of Douglass High School in Huntington, Greer was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. His 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers team was one of the best in league history.
n Leo Byrd: An incredible high school scorer at the old Huntington High, Byrd starred at Marshall in the late 1950s. He was a consensus second-team All-American as one of the top 10 players in the country. He played with Jerry West and Oscar Robertson on the 1959 USA team that won a Gold Medal in the Pan Am Games.
n Mike D'Antoni: He is Marshall's Jerry West. He was a great college player and the point guard on arguably Marshall's greatest team, but now he is known around the NBA, the country and the world as an outstanding coach. He is one of our state's greatest basketball ambassadors.
There are many others who also deserve to be mentioned, but there is only room for four. Names such as Charlie Slack, Russell Lee, Cebe Price, Skip Henderson, Walt Walowac, Danny D'Antoni, George Stone, Andy Tonkovich, Tamar Slay, Laverne Evans, Ellis Johnson, Jules Rivlin are all beloved by Marshall fans.
Now, here is my WVU Mount Rushmore.
n Jerry West: Of course he is on there. He is our state's most beloved sports hero and known around the world as the NBA logo.
n Hot Rod Hundley: Before West and Rod Thorn, the Charleston native was WVU's most popular hoops star. In the NBA, he had a bigger impact as a broadcaster than as a player.
n Ron "Fritz" Willilams: I have long felt that "Fritz" is WVU's most overlooked and underappreciated star. He helped integrate the Mountaineer basketball program in the Southern Conference in the 1960s, and he is often cited as the reason WVU built the Coliseum. He was the ninth pick in the first round of the 1968 NBA draft and played for the Warriors, Bucks and Lakers. He coached collegiately at California and Iona. We lost the Weirton native to a heart attack in 2004.
n De'Sean Butler: Generationally, we needed someone a little more "modern" in these two groups. Butler is that player. He led the Mountaineers to their only Big East championship in 2010, then led WVU to an upset win over Kentucky in the NCAA Elite Eight and the Mountaineers advanced to the Final Four. His NBA career has never developed but he still has great popularity in our state.
Again, there are many others who should be mentioned such as Rod Thorn, Mark Workman, Scotty Hamilton, Willie Akers, Lowes Moore, Fred Schaus, Bob Huggins, Gale Catlett, Red Brown and more. However, there is only room for four faces on the WVU basketball Mount Rushmore.
As the state continues to look for ways to increase revenue and improve tourism, embracing our sports history could be a key component.
Contact Frank Giardina at flg16@hotmail.com.