Posted: Jun 28, 2009
TJC Inducts 7 Into Circle Of Honor
TJC HONOREES: Inducted into the Tyler Junior College Sports Circle of Honor (from left) Judy Kniffen Clardy, Lee Ann Riley, Scotti Wood, Richard Farris, Robert Talkington, David Rodriguez and Jack Sweeny.
(Photo By Fred Peters/Tyler Junior College)
By JOE BUIE, Tyler Morning Telegraph Staff Writer
Lee Ann Riley stepped to the podium Saturday to make her induction speech as the newest member of the Tyler Junior College Sports Circle of Honor.
The former TJC women's basketball coach warned the audience that she did not have a prepared script, and that none was needed.
For Riley, a Tyler native and ex-TJC player, the script was completed when she guided the women's basketball program to its first national championship in 2000.
"This school raised me," said Riley, fighting back tears. "I was born and raised (in Tyler); my mom was a cheerleader (at TJC). Coach (Floyd Wagstaff) practically raised me, although he probably didn't claim me all the time.
"I was not a great player. I was competitive, I was a little mean ? I got that from my brothers. I played for the finest human being in Coach Herb Richardson, who taught us so much."
Riley, donning a customary gold blazer presented to the inductees, was honored at the Rogers Student Center alongside Judy Kniffen Clardy (tennis), Richard Farris (football), David Rodriguez (basketball), Jack Sweeny (basketball), Robert Talkington (football) and Scotti Wood (basketball).
The Circle of Honor, which began in 1995, now has 58 members.
Riley, the current Stephen F. Austin women's basketball coach, played at TJC from 1980-82 and was head coach from 1994-2000. She compiled a record of 131-58, winning nearly 70 percent of her games as the coach.
When hired by the late Billy Jack Doggett, Riley had a burning desire to win a national title.
"I didn't know if I would get the job, I wasn't the first choice ... but sometimes that's OK, because this was my first choice," said Riley, who graduated high school from Robert E. Lee. "I came here in 1994 and I said I was going to win the national championship.
"I just believed it because I had sat in the stands as we hosted the national (tournament), and either Kilgore won it or (Trinity Valley). And that burned me up."
Riley's 1999-2000 team finished the season with a 34-2 record. The Apache Ladies were led by standout players Jessica and Nicole Guild, who are twins, and Carthage product Sholanda Pipkin.
"I was blessed with great players, great kids," said Riley, who left TJC after the championship season to be the associate head coach at the University of Missouri. "My last year here as coach, you know it doesn't always happen like that. It's maybe the only time in my career that I've had a team like that.
"To do that here, the Lord has blessed me. Not many people get to live out a dream and that was my dream."
Riley has only one regret -- both of her parents, plus the legendary Coach Wagstaff and athletic director Doggett, passed away before the Apache Ladies won the national title.
"Anything I do in my life, it comes back to TJC," Riley said. "I will always be an ambassador to this school. It's not the buildings ... it's the people. I'm very passionate about Tyler. It's my home."
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Another Tyler native inducted was Judy Kniffen Clardy, who played on TJC's first national championship women's tennis team in 1983. She played for her father, Fred Kniffen, himself an inductee in 2001.
Another Tyler native inducted was Judy Kniffen Clardy, who played on TJC's first national championship women's tennis team in 1983. She played for her father, Fred Kniffen, himself an inductee in 2001.
She said her father's favorite saying was, "If you shoot for the moon and miss, at least you'll be among the stars."
Kniffen Clardy didn't miss very often.
After graduating from TJC, she transferred to Abilene Christian and became a two-time All-American. She held a singles record of 27-4 her junior season, including a 14-2 mark against NCAA Division I players.
After graduating from TJC, she transferred to Abilene Christian and became a two-time All-American. She held a singles record of 27-4 her junior season, including a 14-2 mark against NCAA Division I players.
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Richard Farris was a member of the 1960 national championship football team that finished the regular season 12-0. The Apaches earned a trip to the Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where they lost to Long Beach City College (now Long Beach State).
Richard Farris was a member of the 1960 national championship football team that finished the regular season 12-0. The Apaches earned a trip to the Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where they lost to Long Beach City College (now Long Beach State).
"When we came to the 1960 season, somebody put a picture of the Rose Bowl in our dressing room and we all made a pact that we wanted to go to the Rose Bowl," said Farris, an NJCAA All-American at tackle for the Apaches.
Farris, who currently serves on the Palestine Main Street Board of Directors, played for North Texas State in 1961 and 1962 where he served as captain his senior year. After college, Farris was drafted into the NFL and played one year with the Los Angeles Rams.
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David Rodriguez was the starting center for the Apaches' first-ever national championship basketball team in 1949.
David Rodriguez was the starting center for the Apaches' first-ever national championship basketball team in 1949.
He said some of his fondest memories of Tyler and TJC were the pep rallies before playing Kilgore; the parades down Broadway; and the receptions at the Tyler airport before and after the team's trip to the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.
Rodriguez, who also played for the University of Houston, was inducted into the Latinos in Action Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 in San Antonio and the Sidney Lanier High School Hall of Fame.
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Jack Sweeny, president of Temple-Inland Forest Products of Diboll, played basketball at TJC from 1965-67.
Jack Sweeny, president of Temple-Inland Forest Products of Diboll, played basketball at TJC from 1965-67.
He was part of a national tournament team that finished ninth. TJC earned the bid to Kansas following a spectacular win against rival Kilgore. That team was known as the "Iron Man 8" -- the Apaches had only eight players.
Sweeny's highest honor in business was receiving a U.S. Department of Interior conservation service award on behalf of Temple-Inland Forest Products, the highest honor bestowed by the government upon a private citizen, business or group.
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Robert Talkington, who lives in Kansas, lettered two seasons at TJC at tackle and was all-conference in 1948. He played in the first Texas Rose Bowl for the national championship, a game TJC lost to Compton Junior College of California, 20-19.
Robert Talkington, who lives in Kansas, lettered two seasons at TJC at tackle and was all-conference in 1948. He played in the first Texas Rose Bowl for the national championship, a game TJC lost to Compton Junior College of California, 20-19.
After TJC, Talkington transferred to the University of Kansas where he was the starting catcher on the 1949 Big Seven championship baseball team.
Talkington was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1968 and served two terms before his election to the Kansas Senate in 1973.
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Scotti Wood, a guard for the TJC women's basketball team for two seasons (1981-83), came to Tyler after leading Bogata Rivercrest High School to a state title in 1980.
Scotti Wood, a guard for the TJC women's basketball team for two seasons (1981-83), came to Tyler after leading Bogata Rivercrest High School to a state title in 1980.
She recalls beating Henderson County in 1983 to win the regional title among her fondest memories at TJC.
Wood was even more accomplished in the classroom as she was named the Southwest Conference Student Athlete of the Year in 1985 for SMU, where she also played basketball.
Wood said she still bleeds black and gold and not blue and silver, despite being married to current Kilgore College president Dr. Bill Holda. Wood was also the Kilgore women's basketball coach from 1998-2003.
Smoke Signals
KTBB radio's Bill Coates, a TJC graduate, was the master of ceremonies. ... Bill Herchman (football) and David Lunceford (football), who are in the Circle of Honor, passed away in the last year. A moment of silence was held in their honor.
Link to Original Article: http://tylerpaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090628/SPORTS06/906280306