JONESBORO, Ark. (9/21/15) – Members of Arkansas State University's 1970 undefeated, college division national championship football team and two coaches were inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) Friday night and recognized at the A-State football game on Saturday.
A sold out crowd in A-State's Centennial Hall welcomed the inductees as ASHOF board member Jim Rasco introduced each team member. Keith Ingram, president of the Hall of Fame, noted that the induction ceremony was only the third to honor an entire team and the first time ceremonies traveled to a site other than Little Rock.
“We thought as a committee that everything went well,” said Nelson Catalina, a member of the ASHOF Board of Directors. “I cannot say enough about all the committee members and how pleased we all were with the attendance at the event. Our emcee, Mr. Ray Keller, and all the speakers were great. The entertainment with Jesse Burnette to the food, room décor, and the great framed picture that Don Harmon and Beth Smith put together were fantastic as well. The videos that Bob Harris and crew put together were spot on and fantastic!”
During A-State's game against Missouri State Saturday, over 30 members of the squad in attendance were announced and recognized on the field. The group gathered for a huddle and heard a roaring ovation from the crowd at Centennial Bank Stadium.
“I attended the game on Saturday and could see that the team was delighted to be recognized,” said Catalina. “I felt the crowd was really appreciative of them as well. The ASHOF was proud to induct the 1970 team, and I hope all of the members were pleased.”
The perfect 11-0-0 season was selected by the Associated Press as the top college division football team in the nation in its final poll by writers and broadcasters. This No. 1 ranking was symbolic of the national championship, the first in Arkansas State history. A No. 1 ranking by United Press International's poll of coaches gave credence to and added prestige to the national ranking.
Bennie Ellender, a four-time Southland Conference Coach of the Year, was the head coach for the “Indians,” as they were known then. He took his teams to three straight Southland Conference championships and earned three straight post-season bowl bids, including a televised 38-21 Pecan Bowl victory over Central Missouri in 1970. He became the winningest coach in Arkansas State football history at that time and was named NCAA Region 7 Coach of the Year for three consecutive years.
There were more All-Americans during Ellender's tenure than in all the other years of Arkansas State football combined, including Wayne Dorton, Calvin Harrell (twice), Dennis Meyer and Bill Phillips.
That spring, six players were drafted by teams in the National and Canadian Football Leagues, including Bill Phillips, Denver Broncos (third round); Calvin Harrell, Miami Dolphins (fifth round); Dennis Meyer, Pittsburgh Steelers (sixth round); Wayne Dorton, New Orleans Saints (sixth round); Steve Lockhart, New Orleans Saints (12th round); and James Hamilton, Cincinnati Bengals (13th round).
Arkansas State football players crowded the All-Southland Conference lists during their day, with 22 making the first team and honorable mention. Lockhart, Phillips, Harrell, Chet Douthit, Bobby Gentry, Dave Muckensturm, Gary Cleve and Meyer were first-teamers, while the honorable mention list included Hamilton, Johnny Carr, Tom Johnson, Steve Goddard, Dave Ruebsam, Dorton, Tom Flanagan, Rick Bone, Cleve Barfield, Chris Millwee, Walt Fisher, Donnie Beshears, Terry Whiting and Craig Johnson.
A-State fans voted for an all-time Arkansas State team with Harrell, Hamilton, Lockhart, Dorton, Phillips and Meyer easily making the cut. Meyer was twice named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Phillips, Meyer, Harrell and Dorton were chosen as members of the Southland Conference All-First Decade Team (1964-73). Players excelled in academics as well, as Meyer received the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 1971.
In November 2014, to help celebrate 100 years of A-State football, a special committee selected a centennial team of the top 100 players in school history. Eight on that list played on the 1970 team, including Dorton, Meyer, Hamilton, Phillips, Harrell, James Simmons, Doug Lowery and Whiting.
The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame was started in 1958 to establish a sports hall of fame to honor and preserve the history of individuals who, through outstanding achievement, accomplishments, and contributions in both amateur and professional sports, have brought honor, prestige and fame to the state of Arkansas. A secondary purpose of the ASHOF is to encourage and promote higher education through the funding of scholarships to deserving students, whose lives have been positively impacted by sports.
Criteria to select honorees are based on athletic accomplishment, character and leadership, national significance of honoree, conduct during years following active participation in athletics, prestige to the Hall of Fame, representation of women, balance between old-timers and present generation, national publicity, honor and credit brought to the home state and representation of all sports over the years.
