While participating in the lively locker room celebration after defeating the New York Jets 34-7 in Shea Stadium on December 10, 1983, I paused for a moment and quietly looked around the room. Although the room was small, there seemed to be a thousand people gathered inside. There were smiles everywhere. My teammates were hugging, giving each other high-fives, and cheering about the victory that secured our spot in the NFL playoffs.
Among those celebrating in the room that day were legendary players and future NFL Hall of Famers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, running back Franco Harris, wide receiver John Stallworth, center Mike Webster, linebacker Jack Lambert, cornerback Mel Blount, and safety Donnie Shell. As kid growing up in Waco, Texas, I hated those guys because I was diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. But, when I became a Steeler in 1982, I quickly grew to love them. They were my teammates. As I reflect on that day, I recall feeling how proud and fortunate I was to be a Steeler and a member of a extraordinary team filled with extraordinary people. That memory will be frozen my mind forever.
Now, as a fellow member of the Baylor “B” Association, I feel equally as proud and fortunate. There is something special about our organization. The hundreds of members who help fill McLane Stadium and crowd the Letterwinners Lounge on game days are now my teammates and together we are building one of the strongest, most active letterwinners associations in the nation. As Art Briles and the Baylor Bears continue their quest to be National Champions, I urge you to contact your teammates and encourage them to come back home, get involved, and help us become the very best we can be. Just like championship teams, committed people who believe and get involved build successful businesses and organizations like ours. Together, we can do it.
I would like to take a moment to thank President Debbie Mann for her leadership with selecting this year’s “B” Association Homecoming Queen nominee, Adrien Richburg. Adrien is a native of Garland, Texas, and a senior middle hitter on the Baylor Volleyball team. Not only is she a fierce competitor on the court, Adrien is a beautiful and spirited young lady with an impressive academic record having been selected five times to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. In 2014, she was an Academic All-Big 12 Big First Team honoree.
Finally, due to expected inclement weather, the annual Baylor Homecoming Parade has been cancelled, so the “B” Association has also cancelled its annual Letterwinners Breakfast along the parade route at 4th and Webster. Instead, we invite members to join us for the pre-game breakfast at the Letterwinners Tailgate on the peninsula at McLane Stadium (opens at 8:00 am) and at the Letterwinners Lounge (opens at 9:30 am).
I look forward to seeing you all at the HOF banquet on Friday evening to pay tribute to this year’s Hall of Fame/Wall of Honor inductees and the 2015 Athletic Honor Team. The banquet will be held at the Ferrell Center in Waco at 6:30 pm. The 2015 HOF/WOH honorees are: Terry Black (Men’s Basketball), Danielle Crockrom (Women’s Basketball), Molly Cameron (Soccer), Benedikt Dorsch (Men’s Tennis), Bayano Kamani (Track & Field), Ed Marsh (Football), Tom Muecke (Football), and Jimmy Walker (Men’s Golf). In addition, former Baylor Baseball letterwinner, Rick Hawkins, will join the “B” Association’s Wall of Honor Award. The 2015 Athletic Honor Team is Baylor’s ’05 Women’s Basketball National Champions. If you have not purchased your ticket for the banquet, you still have time to do so. Please call the “B” Association at (254) 710-3045.
Sic ‘em!
Walter Abercrombie
Executive Director, Baylor “B” Association
Follow @walterabercromb