Custom Search Harold D. Martin, who coached Virginia Union University Football Team to the 1923 National Championship and who later became the first Commissioner of the CIAA, and Larry Doby, who became the second African-American to play Major League Baseball, will be inducted into the VUU Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 28.
Martin and Doby will be inducted along with Carl Wright, Reggie Jones, Andrew Hazley and Edwina Anderson.
Harold D. Martin
Football/Administration
Harold D. Martin was the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Virginia Union University from 1922-1924. During his tenure, VUU won its first National Championship in football (1923) and also formed the first men's basketball team. Martin went on to become the first Commissioner of the CIAA in 1939, and held that position until he enlisted in the United Air Corps in 1942 after the outbreak of World War II. Martin became the Director of the Ground School in Tuskegee, AL, home of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. He was killed when his plane crashed while traveling across the United States at age 44 on March 23, 1945.
Martin was the first African-American to graduate from Norwich University in New Hampshire, receiving a B.S. degree in Engineering. While at Norwich, he captained the football team while also earning letters in basketball, track and hockey.
He also served as a coach at Shaw University and Virginia State College (now Virginia State University).
After receiving his Master's Degree from New York University, he played pro football, but declined an appointment to United States Military Academy at West Point.
In addition to his athletic exploits, Martin also served eight years as a professor at Miner's Teachers College (now the University of the District of Columbia).
Larry Doby
Men's Basketball
Larry Doby played just one season for Virginia Union University (1942-43) before being called up to the United States Military to fight in World War II.
During his one season, however, Doby made himself known. He helped lead the Panthers to the 1943 CIAA Basketball Championship as well as averaging over 10 points per game. The 1943 basketball team finished with a 9-3 record.
It was after he was discharged from the military, however, when Doby really started making a name for himself. He was signed by the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League and immediately made the All-Star Team while batting .360.
He became the second African-American to play in the Major Leagues when the Cleveland Indians called him up on July 5, 1947, six weeks after Jackie Robinson. He led the majors in home runs twice (1952 and 1954) and led the majors in runs batted in 1954.
Doby became the second black Major League manager after Frank Robinson when he was named manager of the Chicago White Sox in 1978.
Doby was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, in 1998. His number 14 was retired by the Indians in 1994.
Carl Wright
Football
Carl Wright played football at Virginia Union University from 1989-1991, and is the all-time leading in passing yardage at VUU with 7,737 yards passing. Wright is also the all-time leader in Total Offense with 7,795 yards.
Wright's 2,905 yards passing in 1991 is still the single-season record at Virginia Union, and his 1990 total of 2,725 yards is number two among the all-time single-season leaders.
Wright passed for 26 touchdowns during his three seasons at VUU, second only to Lamar Little's 28 passing touchdowns, and Wright's 56.8 percent completion rate in 1989 is the single-season record at VUU.
In 1991, Wright averaged 264.1 yards passing per game for the Panthers, a single-season record. He is also second with an average of 234.1 passing yards per game in 1989.
Wright's total offensive yardage of 2,961 in 1991 is the school single-season record.
Reggie Jones
Men's Basketball
Reggie Jones played basketball for Virginia Union University from 1991-1994 and scored a total of 1,226 points and 840 rebounds in his four-year career.
Often over-shadowed by the likes of Derrick Johnson, Warren Peebles and Walter Hurd, Jones was still able to carve a niche for himself as an integral part of the 1992 Virginia Union University National Championship Team.
Jones was second on the 1991-92 team with 243 rebounds (an average of 7.4 boards per game) while also averaging 7.9 points per game as the Panthers recorded a 30-3 won/loss record.
As a freshman in 1991, Jones was second on the team in scoring with 450 points (an average of 14.1 points per game) and second on the team with 247 rebounds (an average of 7.7 rebounds per game).
As a senior in 1993-94, Jones was second on the team with 214 rebounds (an average of 7.4 per game).
Andrew Hazley
Men's Basketball
Andrew Hazley played men's basketball at Virginia Union University from 1970-1973 and became known as "Doctor." He scored 1,368 points in his four-year career.
Hazley averaged 14.0 points over his four years, including an average of 15.9 points per game in 1971-72.
Hazley set a VUU record by going 14-for-14 from the free-throw line against Howard University on December 19, 1969.
Edwina Anderson
Softball
Edwina Anderson played for the very first softball team at Virginia Union University. She led the team with 16 wins in 1988. Although statistics are scarce for the period, Anderson tied for the lead in the CIAA in wins.
The 1988 softball team won a school-record 19 games.