ON THE ROAD WITH THE STATE HALL OF FAME
Saturday, for the first time in more than 50 years, the state sports hall of fame’s induction ceremony was held outside of Hampton Roads. It was, in one sense, an act of desperation of sorts by executive director WILL DRISCOLL who was hired five years ago at a time when the country was more upside down than right side up … and the hall’s future suspect at best. More on that in a moment.
But first … you should understand Driscoll is a piece of work
… with energy to spare ... who apparently never met an
obstacle he couldn’t overcome … big and small … like? Well,
he attended Temple University planning to be the next great
sportscaster and, following graduation, found himself in Alaska
working for the CBS affiliate in Fairbanks doing everything …
news, weather and sports. “I sent out about 80 resume tapes,”
Driscoll said, “and they were the only one that offered me a
job.”
Undaunted, he made the 4,500-mile trip from Tidewater, Va.,
north to Alaska, made the best of an unusual situation … spent
little more than a year making $19,800 … and came home
armed with a bunch of funny stories.
Ask Driscoll about playing golf there, for example, and he will
leave you laughing about the time a moose was standing on the
green – in no hurry to leave … The native of Norfolk (born and
raised) finally solved the problem, nailing it on the rump with
his approach shot. Trouble was, MISTER MOOSE spun his
wheels trying to get away and tore up the turf badly. “My ball
was left 10 feet from the hole ... and I three-putted,” Driscoll
said.
Then there was the ball-stealing fox that would dart from cover
along the fairway, grab the unsuspecting golfer’s t-shot and take
it to an undisclosed location … Oh, the stories Driscoll can tell.
(We’ll get into them in more detail some time … when we have
a year or two to put it all together. The Life and Times of
William “Will, the Thrill” Driscoll is a book waiting to
happen.)
From Fairbanks, he returned to the lower 48 and got a TV job
in Johnstown, Pa., where “we covered high school football like
our lives depended on it … and I finally became the weekend
sports anchor … right before the station shut down.”
In other words, by now nothing should surprise Driscoll …
which, if nothing else, made him a perfect choice to run the
state Hall. After little more than two years in Johnstown, he
was a free agent in 2008, armed with “a good severance” …
and trademark confidence that serves him well.
“I still had ideas of grandeur … getting back into TV. I’m a
sports guy. I like telling stories [Really?] … and the recession
hit … and the first thing local stations cut was their sports
department.” In 2015 he decided to go back to school (sort of),
getting a masters degree in organizational sports leadership on-
line from Northeastern U., … “and I began reading about
problems the state hall of fame was having.” He signed on as
marketing director in June of 2017. Fewer than two years later,
Driscoll was in charge.
Having gone from a nondescript out-of-the-way facility to a
modern, first-class, it-can’t-get-much-better-than-this, stand-
alone 32,000-square foot museum in Portsmouth … suddenly,
with little warning, major funding dried up when the pandemic
led to panic, justified or otherwise. The city of Portsmouth,
which had guaranteed $500,000 a year plus other perks to
convince the hall to help revitalize a dying downtown,
apparently didn’t have the money to live up to its bargain and
pulled the plug. Then the General Assembly did likewise …
which meant another $350,000 was going bye-bye. When you
have an annual budget of $1.2 million … no wonder EDDIE
WEBB decided to retire after 24 years on the job.
They had to sell the museum at a cut-rate price then paid off the
balance of their mortgage with remaining funds. Just like that
Driscoll found himself with a bunch of exhibits, plaques and
memorabilia … honoring more than 300 of the state’s athletic
best … with no where to put them. He had to be asking himself
… Why me, Lord … why me?
“I wasn’t left with much of a war chest,” Driscoll said.
It should be noted here that Driscoll is, by any definition, an A-
personality … surrounded by A-personalities … wife KATIE
COLLETT DRISCOLL, morning anchor for WAVY-TV,
NBC-10, and son William V, 10, better known as Liam “who
can walk into a room full of strangers and, before long, knows
everyone … and they know him,” his mother says.
In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised that Driscoll IV
didn’t take long to get the Hall, on the verge of going under, up
and running again. First, he found a home for many of his
orphaned displays in Virginia Beach. Then he found a way to
get the state government in Richmond back on board.
Next in Driscoll’s comeback evolution was a plan to take the
Hall on the road … what he describes as “a long-term strategy
to increase visibility, outreach and engagement across the
Commonwealth.”
That’s a long-winded (what else is new?) update ;;; which
brings us (finally) to the 2024 induction at the Henrico Sports
and Events Center, the less than a year old $50 million facility
built on the site of the former Virginia Center Commons mall
and part of a $2.2 billion plan that (hopefully) will include a
17,000-seat arena. Say hopefully because ground-breaking has
been delayed because of rising costs and need for more money
to meet them.
This was designed as a one-year-only stop here … and the 2025
ceremony already has been scheduled for Hampton … but you
can expect a return to the HSEC in the near future. From all
appearances, the 51st induction day, that began with a morning
meet-and-greet and ended that evening … with the formal
presentation of such notables as former U.Va., athletic director
CRAIG LITTLEPAGE, ex-United States Women’s National
Soccer Team coach JILL ELLIS and CHRIS LONG, son of
Howie, 2007 All-American and ACC defensive player of the
year at U.Va., and three-times Super Bowl winner during 11
NFL seasons … was a success … all things considered … with
275 on hand for breakfast and another 500-plus at night.
Driscoll was pleased. “It exceeded my expectations,” he said,
“… for a first time event.” … A check for $50,000 from the
good people of Henrico, Va., didn’t hurt.
Some observations and other assorted stuff from a fun day by
one interested observer:
As he approached the dais for his presentation, Littlepage
whispered: “Don’t fall asleep.” Like there was any chance of
that during a stirring, heartfelt talk that centered around his late
mother … and why he left the business after bringing her from
Pennsylvania to make sure she had some quality of life until the
end came.
Driscoll made a promise he knew he couldn’t keep. The
speeches would be kept short … between six and eight minutes
which is what he asked of his 10 inductees … and only
MONICA WRIGHT ROGERS listened. The University of
Virginia’s all-time leading scorer in basketball – men as well as
women – kept her remarks to little more than five minutes …
which was (cliché alert) close but no cigar to the state hall’s all-
time record – never to be broken – for brevity (2 minutes, 43
seconds) set in 2003. Don’t ask.
At least nobody came close to some of the really long-winded
talks of years past. I remember one – in 2010 -- lasting about an
hour. He might still be yapping for all I know.
Actually, this time everyone had something important or, at the
very least, entertaining to say. Right up there with Littlepage for
memorable was RICK JEFFREY, Douglas Freeman High
School alumnus who received the 2024 Distinguished Virginian
Award for his work with Special Olympics. After 36 years of
dedicated service, Jeffrey probably should have permanent
possession of the honor.
Listening to Jeffrey, who kept insisting “THIS IS NOT ABOUT
ME!,” I was reminded of what clearly was the highlight of the
day for yours truly … In 1997, during college soccer’s final
four held at University of Richmond (now City) Stadium, there
was a young lad born with Down Syndrome … whose natural
enthusiasm was so infectious … WILL DANIEL was adopted
by the UCLA team and coach SIGI SCHMID as a good-luck
charm … and after the Bruins beat Virginia 2-0 for the
championship, there was 16 year old Will being hoisted on the
players’ shoulders. One of them, sophomore SHEA TRAVIS,
gave Daniel his championship watch. It was an easy, heart-
warming story to write … And there Saturday morning were
Will and his mother PAT DANIEL to remind us of the good
times and say thank you. He is 42 now, having overcome early
heart trouble and looking extremely fit. If only the late Schmid
could see him now … THANK YOU, Will.
Former Randolph-Macon basketball star PAUL GARTLAN
spoke on behalf of the late HAL NUNNALLY, R-MC coach
for 24 years … and 424 victories. The question always was:
What kept the Hall so long to honor Nunnally, who died in
2004? Gartlan and other former R-MC players refused to give
up in what at times appeared to be a long shot induction … for
reasons never understood or explained … and that was an
unmistakeable sigh of relief from everyone when word came
Nunnally was in … at last
Finally … among those on hand Saturday night to support Ellis,
a William & Mary alumnus and four-year starter (32 goals) for
the women’s soccer team, was former W&M men’s soccer
coach AL ALBERT … who, like many of us, keeps asking:
“Why isn’t Bruce Arena in the state sports hall of fame? He’s
the best American soccer coach of all time … college, MLS
and national team.” … Believe it or not, he hasn’t been
nominated, Al … but that will be corrected this year before the
Sept. 1 deadline. Promise.
Until next time ...
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