JONESBORO (6/15/07) ? Five ASU legends representing football, men's basketball, track and field, and baseball will be inducted into the Arkansas State University Letterman Club's athletic Hall of Honor this fall. The additions will bring the total to 119 inductees in the prestigious group.
The induction ceremony is set for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Fowler Center on the ASU campus. The inductees will be recognized during ASU's home football game with Memphis Sept. 8 in Indian Stadium. Tickets for the Friday event, which includes dinner, are $30 each and may be purchased from Letterman Club President Louis Nisenbaum by calling 870-932-5905. Also, tickets are available from any Letterman Club Board of Directors member including J.H. Williams, Dennis Zolper, Billy Joe Bailey, and Scott Roper.
The inductees include Jay Flanagan, who recently retired after 18 years as ASU's head track and field coach, former Indian basketball standout guard Micah Marsh, former professional baseball player Matt Whiteside, and two football players who excelled in two different eras?Tom Reese and Jim Wiseman.
Flanagan, who coached ASU's men's team to an indoor Sun Belt Conference championship in 2007, led the Indians to five women's indoor conference titles, seven men's indoor titles, six women's outdoor titles and two men's outdoor titles. During his service to ASU, he was named the conference coach of the year for men's and women's indoor and men's and women's outdoor track and a field a combined 17 times.
Throughout his 43-year coaching career at four institutions, Flanagan coached six Olympians, 12 NCAA All-Americans and national champions in the shot put, triple jump, discus and 200-meter dash. One of his jumpers, James Jenkins, finished fourth in the triple jump during last week's NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Sacramento, Calif. and was named an All-American. Flanagan was inducted into the Arkansas Track And Field Hall Of Fame June 2.
Marsh, one of the outstanding guards who played at ASU, directed the Indians throughout his four-year career from 1994-98. He went on from a career with the Indians to become a successful high school coach at his alma mater, Alcoa High School in Tennessee. In 2006-07, Marsh's team posted a record of 18-14.
A member of ASU's 1,000-Point Club, Marsh ranks 14th on the career chart with 1,225 points and is ninth in free throw percentage with 813. Known for his long-range jumpers, Marsh is second in three-pointers made with 206 for his career and ninth in three-point percentage (.383). He also ranks ninth in steals with 114.
Marsh led the Indians in free throw percentage all four years, hitting over 80 percent of his shots each season. As a senior, he led his team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game, and ranks fourth for consecutive free throws made with 25. During Marsh's senior year, ASU posted a 20-9 record and co-Sun Belt Conference championship with Marsh at the helm.
Whiteside played for the Indians from 1987-90 for the late Rich Johnson during which time he was one of the top pitchers in ASU's former league, the American South Conference. In fact, he was named the conference's “Player of the Year” in 1990. During his career as an Indian, he pitched 11 complete games, which still stands as a school record, and also holds the record for most innings pitched in a game with 13 against Louisiana Tech in 1990. He also pitched four shutouts in his senior season.
The righthander, who came to ASU from Charleston, Mo., was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 1990 draft's 25th round. After spending three seasons in the minors, he made his first Major League appearance in 1992 against the Oakland Athletics and pitched a perfect inning. That season, he pitched 20 games in relief with four saves, posting an ERA of 1.93.
Whiteside went on to play with the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and the Atlanta Braves and made a name for himself as a successful closer before spending some time with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2006, he posted an earned run average of 1.69 in 20 games and recorded 10 saves for the Indianapolis Indians of the International League's West Division.
Wiseman played during one of the most heralded eras of Arkansas State football history from 1984-87 when the Tribe recorded a string of 37 victories against 14 losses and three ties and made four straight NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances. ASU won the Southland Conference championship in 1986, breezed through three straight playoff opponents, and advanced to the Division I-AA National Championship?the Diamond Bowl?in Tacoma, Wash.
Wiseman, who anchored ASU's offense at center, was selected first-team All-America by the Associated Press and Football News his senior year. As a junior, he was chosen an AP honorable mention All-America. In addition, he was named to the ASU 1980s All-Decade Team (selected by ASU's coaching staff). Wiseman earned first-team All-Southland Conference accolades in 1986.
Reese also played football for four seasons from 1962-65 during which time he excelled at halfback for the Indians. Reese, who came to ASU from Osceola, was highly regarded by the coaches and his teammates as an all-around performer. He led his team in punt returns as a sophomore and was the Tribe's second-leading rusher with a 4.7 yard per gain average. As a junior, Reese rushed for 235 yards on 66 carries and caught 12 passes for 124 yards and one touchdown.
Reese began his collegiate career under legendary coach King Block and helped his team to a 6-3 record. Another ASU legend, Coach Bennie Ellender, took over the program in 1963 and Arkansas State signed on as a charter member of the Southland Conference. The team finished 2-6 that year, but rebounded to finish 7-0-2 and 6-3 over the next two years.
Bill Templeton, ASU's Director of Planned Giving, remembers Reese as “a leader, a tough guy, and someone who really loves Arkansas State.” Reese, still a staunch supporter of ASU Athletics, is currently in the insurance business in Jonesboro.
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