University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: New HOF Members Quite Worthy
8/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, August 1, 2011, 11:13 a.m.
Class number 29 is in the books, the latest members of the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame were announced today, all very worthy great additions to the HOF.
Johnny Quinn, no argument on that one, a great receiver in a run-based offense and yet somehow he ends up as the school's all-time leader. Now he's a.... bobsledder? Go figure.
Melinda Pina is a great pick. She never really emerged from the shadow of Marilyn Marin her first three years, nobody would have, but her senior year she did something Marin was unable too. Take North Texas to the NCAA Tournament.
Her numbers weren't as gaudy as Marin's, but every Batman needs a Robin, Wade needs a LeBron, err, make that make that Dirk needed Terry. Pina was just that and then more when she was given her own shot.
Bobby Way was another legend from the late 50's teams that had one of the best runs in school history culminating in the Sun Bowl in 1959. He blocked for the great Abner Haynes, and was a two-way star as well.
Bill Walters, who is that you ask? Well I had to ask the same question when I first heard the name, but digging through his accomplishments it was pretty salty. It was said that he was one of the few guys who could run toe-to-toe with the great Ray Renfro.
That being said, I can already hear the howling over the omission of Scott Hall, Brandon Kennedy, and others. Are they HOF worth? You bet. Kennedy I would argue is the second best D-lineman in school history.
Hall might be the greatest winner in school history. This isn't a guarantee, but both will end up in the HOF someday.
Until that time comes, it's a day to make talk about the four newest members into an exclusive club of legends.
