Six Rattlers will be Inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame

Florida A&M University (FAMU) will induct six Rattlers into its Sports Hall of Fame (SHOF) during the 35th SHOF Enshrinement Ceremony at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium on Friday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m.

Andre Dawson, who was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in July, will be a special guest honoree at this year’s ceremony. Dawson, a Rattler baseball great in the 1970s, was a member of the 1981 FAMU Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement class.

The 2010 SHOF Class features four athletes - Tiffany Daughtry (Women's track), the late Robert Jackson Jr. (Baseball), Olrick Johnson (Football) and Ulysses Wilson (Baseball); one coach - Amos Hill, assistant football coach during the Rudy Hubbard Era; and one supporter of athletics – local radio personality and Marching “100” announcer Joe Bullard.
Daughtry (1989-1992) came to FAMU and helped build the women's track program into a perennial conference power under Head Coach Bobby Lang. Daughtry excelled in the shot put, javelin and discus helping lead FAMU to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 1989 and 1991;
Jackson (1987-1990) was the ace pitcher of three MEAC championship squads (1987, 1988, 1990). A product of FAMU High, Jackson still holds several single season records for innings pitched (96.1 in 1988; 85.2 in 1989). He also led the team in wins in 1988 (10-5) and 1989 (8-5) with his 10 wins in 1988 the second-most victories in a season by a FAMU pitcher. His 96.1 innings of work in 1988 was the third most innings pitched in FAMU history. Jackson will be recognized posthumously.
Johnson (1995-1998) was the epitome of the student-athlete concept. A three-year starter as linebacker, Johnson led the Rattlers in tackles in 1997 and 1998, piling up 193 total stops his last two seasons, twice earning All-MEAC first-team honors (1997 and 1998), while capturing Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) Black College All-America and NCAA Division I-AA All-America honors from the Associated Press as a senior (1998). He finished his career with 246 total tackles, 11 sacks, 39 passes defended with seven interceptions, seven forced fumbles and one touchdown return on an interception. The 1998 Defensive MVP at FAMU and the winner of the Jake Gaither Award from the Tallahassee Quarterback Club, Johnson did a brief professional stint with the New York Jets, the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots.
Wilson (1967-1970) led the Rattlers in hitting and stolen bases during his junior and senior seasons (1969-1970), capturing All-SIAC honors in 1970, as well as second team All-America. He was signed by the San Diego Padres in 1970, and ascended through the Padres’ farm system to the Triple A level, playing three seasons in the Pacific Coast League before retiring from baseball.
Hill (1977-1985) was an integral member of the Rattler Football coaching staff under Rudy Hubbard, tutoring FAMU’s defensive lines. During Hill’s tenure, the Rattlers boasted one of the nation’s top defensive units, ranking No. 1 in total defense (149.6 ypg) and rushing defense (48.6 ypg) in 1978 - the year of the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA national championship.
For more than 35 years, Bullard has put his personality and varied talents to work on behalf of FAMU. From serving as the ever-popular and irrepressible “Voice of the Marching 100,” to his tireless and award-winning work in the entertainment industry in radio and music, Bullard, like the FAMU Band, stands alone. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Bullard is a Distinguished Alumni of FAMU and has been honored by the Leon County Chapter of the National Alumni Association.
Dawson and the honorees will be recognized during halftime at the October 2 football game between FAMU and South Carolina State University at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Single tickets for the enshrinement ceremony are $50 and tables for groups of eight are also available. Seats can be purchased at the FAMU Athletic Box Office.

The FAMU Sports Hall of Fame, founded by the late athletic director Hansel E. “Tootie” Tookes in 1976, has recognized more than 200 sports personalities since its inception.

For more information, contact Vaughn Wilson at (850) 561-2701.