HR0944 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0944 LRB094 19588 HSS 55765 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, During the weekend of February 17 and 18, 2006, two teams and five individuals will be inducted into the Mt. Vernon Township High School Sports Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, The Hall of Fame induction ceremony pays tribute to the individuals and teams who have distinguished themselves by excellence in performance and achievement; it also recognizes the importance of sports and the significant contributions of coaches, athletes, and teams to our culture; the inspiration they give to their community of fans is inestimable; and

WHEREAS, The 2006 inductees include the 1920 Mt. Vernon Orange and Black Team, the 1949 State Champion Mt. Vernon Rams, and Jason James, Ernie Badger, Marvin Kendrick, Terry Gamber, Nate Hawthorne, and Coleman Carrodine; and

WHEREAS, The 1920 Mt. Vernon Orange and Black Team members were Roy Miller (Captain), Russell Miller, Chester Staley, Milton Forsyth, James Johnson, Harel Estes, Roy Groves, Thomas Wells, Carl Klein, and Harris; the team had a record of 17 wins and 8 losses and won the final eight games of the season; they won the district and State championships and were acclaimed to be the best team in the State on March 20, 1920; and

WHEREAS, The 1949 State Champion Mt. Vernon Rams team members were Eddie King, John Riley, Max Hooper, Walt Moore, Bob Lee, Bob Wood, Sam Kirk, Wiley Mays, Jim Wilson, Bobby Brown, Wayne Wagner, Albert Mckee, and Bob Musick (Manager); they had a record of 30 wins and just three losses and beat Hillsboro by a score of 45 to 39 to win the State Championship; and

WHEREAS, Jason James was a Class AA State High Jump Champion in 1988 and 1990 at 7'0"; he was a member of the 1989 sweet sixteen Mt. Vernon Rams basketball team and placed third at the Keebler International Invitational Track and Field Meet with a school record high jump of 7'1"; Mr. James also was a member of the school's 1990 track team 4 by 200 relay that still holds the school record of 1:30:35; and

WHEREAS, Ernie Badger was a two-time South Seven wrestling champion in the 185 lb. weight class, a three-time regional wrestling champion from 1979 to 1981, sectional wrestling champion in 1981 (the first one in school history), three-time State qualifier from 1979 to 1981, and was named All-State in 1981, placing fourth in the State; he still holds the single season winning streak at 37, was All-Conference and All-South in football in 1979 and 1980, and at one time held the school discus record; he was the NCAA Division II National Champion at the 190 lb. weight class in 1983, second in 1984, and fifth in 1985, and he was named All-American in Division II Wrestling for his sophomore through senior seasons; and

WHEREAS, Marvin Kendrick holds the Mt. Vernon Township High School football record of most yards in a season with 1,411 in 1966, most touchdowns in a season with 19 in 1966, most career touchdowns with 26, and he is tied for the most touchdowns in one game with five versus Salem in 1966; he played for UCLA in 1969 and 1970 and at one time held the single game rushing record for UCLA with a 192-yard effort versus USC in 1970; he also played for the Portland Storm World Football League team; and

WHEREAS, Terry Gamber was named first team Associated Press All-State in 1965, Chicago Sun Times All-State in 1965, and All-State for both his junior and senior seasons by the Champaign News-Gazette; he scored 1,166 points during his Mt. Vernon Township High School career and led the Rams to a sweet sixteen appearance in 1965 with a record of 23 and 7; he was a three-year starter for Northwestern University and was a Northwestern team captain during his senior year (1968-1969); he was then drafted by the Carolina Cougars of the ABA in 1969; and

WHEREAS, Nate Hawthorne scored 904 points in his varsity career at Mt. Vernon Township High School, is a member of the IBCA Hall of Fame, and was named to the Chicago Sun Times All-State team in 1969; he led the Rams to a record of 26 and 5 and to the sweet sixteen in 1968 and then to a record of 23 and 5 and to the elite eight in 1969; he scored 1,001 points at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale from 1969 to 1973 and played three years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns from 1973 to 1976; and

WHEREAS, Coleman Carrodine scored 1,448 points in his 4-year varsity career, is a charter member of the IBCA Hall of Fame (1973), earned 16 varsity letters at Mt. Vernon Township High School, scored 601 points in the 1959-1960 season, and coached Champaign Centennial to 264 victories in his 22 year career; his 1983-1984 Champaign Central Chargers finished with a record of 26 and 4 and earned elite eight status; he was inducted into the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976 and is Western Illinois University's second-leading career scorer with 2,128 points from 1960 to 1964; he is the number 20 all-time career scorer in all division levels below NCAA Division I; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate these outstanding individuals and teams on being inducted into the Mt. Vernon Township High School Sports Hall of Fame; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to each of the aforementioned individuals and team members.