South Carolina’s Athletic Hall of Fame Announces 2016 Inductees

By: SCAHOF

COLUMBIA, SC (SCAHOF) — Barnwell’s Troy Brown, who collected three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, Clemson’s Greg Buckner, who spent 11 seasons in the NBA, and South Carolina basketball standouts Art Whisnant, B.J. McKie and Martha Parker Hester highlight the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016.

The Class of 2016 also consists of Citadel baseball great Richard Wieters, legendary coach and administrator Buddy Sasser and former Clemson and major league pitcher Flint Rhem. Rhem will be enshrined posthumously.

The eight individuals will be forever enshrined with the state’s highest athletic honor on May 16 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Tickets (table of eight for $600) and program sponsorships may be purchased by calling the SCAHOF office at 803/779-0905. The affair, which includes a reception and dinner, begins at 5:30 p.m.

In addition to the inductees donning of the symbolic blue jackets, the annual Bobby Richardson Sportsmanship Award recipient will also be recognized. The event, which includes a host of returning past inductees, is the largest annual celebration of Palmetto State sports stars under one roof. Legendary South Carolina State coach and 2008 SCAHOF President Willie Jeffries, known for his witticism, will again preside over the banquet as master of ceremonies along with Executive Director Ephraim Ulmer and this year’s president, Sam Blackman of Clemson.

TROY BROWN: Drafted by the New England Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft, Barnwell native Troy Brown played football at Blackville-Hilda High, where his team won the state championship in 1988 with a 14-1 record. He played collegiately as a wide receiver and returner at Marshall, where the Herd captured the I-AA National Championship. His career kickoff return average (29.69 yards per return) remains as an NCAA record, as do his four kickoff returns for touchdowns. Having scored a touchdown every eight times he touched the football, Brown in 2006 was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award by his alma mater. On May 11, 2010, Brown was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame and in June 2012, he was voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by fan vote. Brown played his entire 15-year career with the Patriots and earned three Super Bowl rings with the team. He played as a receiver and returner on five of the eight Patriots teams to reach the Super Bowl, and he retired as the franchise leader in career receptions. For his career, he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro status in 2001, was a three-time Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX), five-time AFC champion (1996, ’01, ’03, ’04, and ’07), received the Ed Block Courage Award in 1998, and held a spot on the New England Patriots All-2000s team and the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary Team. Brown is the Patriots’ all-time leading punt returner with 252 returns for 2,625 yards and three touchdowns. He is second all-time in Patriots history in receptions (557) and second all-time in receiving yards (6,366).

GREG BUCKNER: A four-year starter for the Tigers from 1994-98, Greg Buckner was enshrined in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. Ranking fourth on the Tigers’ all-time career scoring list with 1,754 points, he averaged 14.4 points per game. Buckner recorded 97 double-figure scoring games during his career, which is tied for first in school history. Starting 122 consecutive games, he participated in the 1997 U.S. Olympic Trials, the 1998 NABC All-Star Game and the 1997 World University Games. He was a member of the 1995 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman Team, serving as the ACC Rookie of the Year. A three-time Clemson team MVP (1996, ’97 and ‘’98) who played for coach Rick Barnes, Buckner earned 1997 and 1998 All-ACC Second Team honors, 1996 First-Team All-ACC Tournament recognition, 1997 NABC All-District First-Team honors and NABC All-District Second Team recognition in 1998. Buckner played professionally for the Dallas Mavericks from 1999-02 and again in 2006-07, the Philadelphia 76ers from 2002-04, the Denver Nuggets from 2004-06, the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2007-08 and the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008-09.

ART WHISNANT: At 6-4, Art Whisnant more than held his own against much larger centers when he starred on the hardwood for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks from 1959-62. A three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference First-Team selection in 1962 who garnered second team honors in 1961, Whisnant was named to the ACC All-Tournament team in ’62. He averaged 19.1 points in 79 games over three varsity seasons, claimed 723 rebounds and his 1,505 career points ranks in top 10 on the Gamecocks’ all-time list. Playing for Coach Bob Stevens, Whisnant attempted a record 880 career free throws (more than 10 per game) and made 567. He was a consistent scorer throughout his career as he averaged 17.0 points per game as a sophomore, 19.1 as a junior and 21.0 as a senior.

B.J. McKIE: Currently the associate head basketball coach at Charleston Southern University, B.J. McKie prepped at Irmo High School and was a standout guard at the University of South Carolina. In January 1999, he became the Gamecocks’ all-time leading scorer, surpassing Alex English. A native of Norfolk, Va., McKie finished his playing career (1996-99) as the Gamecocks’ all-time leading scorer with 2,119 career points and was honored by the Southeastern Conference as an “SEC Basketball Legend” as part of its class of 2011. McKie, who played for Coach Eddie Fogler, was named the 1996 SEC Freshman of the Year, and is just the 12th player in league history to earn Associated Press First-Team SEC honors for three seasons. The two-time team captain played in 123 consecutive games at the guard position, scoring in double figures 111 times and recording 38 games with 20 or more points. McKie averaged 17.3 points per game as senior and finished third in SEC scoring that season. In 1997, McKie averaged 17.4 ppg to lead the Gamecocks to their first-ever SEC basketball title. USC appeared in the NCAA Tournament in both 1997 and 1998, ranking 14th in the nation and receiving the No. 3 seed in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. He is one of five Gamecock players to have his jersey retired. After his college career, McKie was drafted by the Connecticut Pride of the Continental Basketball Association and played for them from 1999-01, appearing in the 2001 CBA All-Star Game. In 2001-02, McKie played for the North Charleston Lowgators of the NBA Development League, and internationally, he played for BCM Gravelines in France; Keravnos in Cyprus; Avitos Giessen and TBB Trier in Germany; Zarotti Imola, Pepsi Caserta and Nuova Pallacanestro Pavia in Italy; and Maccabi Haifa Heat and Hapoel Afula in Israel. While playing in Germany, McKie was a Basketball Bundesliga All-Star in 2004.

MARTHA PARKER HESTER: A 5-9 forward/guard from Columbia’s Hammond Academy, Martha Parker took home countless awards and posted impressive statistics during her four seasons as a member of the University of South Carolina basketball team (1985-89). Parker averaged 13.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game and ranks fifth on the all-time South Carolina scoring list with 1,728 career points. Parker earned All-America honors from the American Women’s Sports Federation in 1986-87 and was a Women’s Basketball News Service All-America honoree in 1987-88 and 1988-89. Parker is second on South Carolina’s all-time steals list with 284 as she started all but two games during her USC career (122 starts in 124 games). In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Parker, who played for Coach Nancy Wilson, garnered numerous awards for her academic success as well. Parker was a member of the GTE Academic All-America Team in her last two years and was honored with the Baden Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1989. During the 1999-2000 season, the SEC honored Dr. Martha Parker-Hester as USC’s Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2000 SEC Tournament. A graduate of the USC Medical School, Parker is now in private family practice in Columbia with her husband, Dr. Martin Hester.

BUDDY SASSER: Born in Conway who attended Conway High, Buddy Sasser played quarterback in the Shrine Bowl and was MVP of the North Carolina vs. South Carolina All-Star Basketball Game. A graduate of the University of North Carolina where he played quarterback, Sasser earned his bachelor’s degree and later received his master’s at the University of South Carolina. He served as head football coach and athletics director at Conway High from 1963-70 and amassed a record of 66-17-5. He then became an assistant football coach and assistant athletics director at Appalachian State from 1972-77, and later moved to Wofford as head football coach from 1977-82, posting a 36-26-3 overall record, including an 8-3 mark in 1982. He was named Kodak National Coach of the Year, AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, and NAIA District Coach of the Year in his final season at Wofford in 1982. From Wofford, Sasser served as head football coach and director of athletics at East Tennessee State from 1982-86. He is the namesake of Coastal Carolina’s George F. “Buddy” Sasser Athletics Hall of Fame and the Big South Conference’s Sasser Cup, which is presented annually to the department with the best overall performance. Sasser was inducted in the Coastal Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the inaugural Big South Hall of Fame in 2003. In his first stint as Coastal Carolina’s AD (1986-89), he oversaw the department’s transition to NCAA Division I and the addition of new programs. During his second term as AD (1996-99) in Conway, he again led the effort to establish several new programs, including football. As the Big South Commissioner from 1989-96 – the league’s second-ever commissioner – he initiated the league’s first television package, spearheaded conference expansion and helped establish NCAA Tournament automatic qualification for several league sports.

RICHARD WIETERS: A four-year baseball letterman at The Citadel who was an All-South Carolina performer, native Charlestonian Richard Wieters was twice named South Carolina Player of the Year at two different positions and was a third-team All-American as a designated hitter. Wieters earned Academic All-America citations and was twice named the Southern Conference’s Player of the Year. He led The Citadel in hitting three consecutive years, paced the team in wins two straight seasons and captured the Senior Class Sportsmanship Award in 1977. At the plate, Wieters had a .343 career batting average that spanned 117 games, 431 at bats with 11 homers, 84 RBI and a .391 on-base percentage. On the mound, he pitched in 35 career games, started 28, marked an 18-10 record with two saves and 15 complete games, three shutouts, and a 2.10 ERA with 176 strikeouts to 85 walks. Wieters played minor league ball for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox organizations, and was inducted into The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. His coach, Chal Port, a member of the SCAHOF, stated that Wieters “was the best player I ever coached.” Currently a CPA in Charleston, Wieters’ son, Matt, is the All-Star catcher for the Baltimore Orioles.
FLINT RHEM: Flint Rhem starred in baseball for the Clemson Tigers in 1922 and 1923, and later became a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Rhem, who left Clemson after his junior year to sign with the Cardinals, had a very impressive junior season that caught the eye of famous baseball scout Branch Rickey. In 1923, Rhem had a 7-2-1 record and completed nine games. He had a total of 136 strikeouts for a 15.1 per game average, and also had a pair of one-hit games that season and gave up only 40 hits all year, or 4.4 hits per game. In a contest against Furman on April 30, 1923, Rhem had 21 strikeouts and gave up only five hits in 13 innings with the game ending in a 3-3 tie. He gave up only six runs the entire year and had a 0.57 ERA with four shutouts. His ERA and his strikeouts per game average remain as school record. Rhem played for St. Louis from 1924-28, then again from 1930-32 and in 1934 and 1936. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932 and 1933, and the Boston Braves from 1934-35. He helped the Cardinals win the 1926, 1931, and 1934 World Series and the 1928 and 1930 National League pennants. In 1926, Rhem had a 20-7 record for the Cardinals. In 12 seasons in the big leagues, he had a 105–97 record with a 4.20 ERA and more than 1,500 strikeouts. He was 20-7 with a 3.21 ERA with the Cardinals in 1926, his best season. He struck out 16 batters in the game and made it in Ripley’s Believe It or Not by not allowing a ball to be hit out of the infield.