One of the neatest things about my job is getting to vote on stuff.
People always ask me to vote on things and I’m a big voting guy. I want my opinion known, right or wrong. I spend hours inside the voting booth on election day, simply savoring the process. When someone asks me for their vote, I grill them for hours to make sure
I believe it's time for former Kansas State All-American Willie Murrell to be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
they’re worthy.
Voting is the foundation on which our country was built.
Today, I filled out my ballot for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Voting and Halls of Fame are two of my favorite things in the world, and they go together so well.
Ted Hayes, the executive director of the KSHOF, is kind enough to include me among the voters. It’s not a responsibility I take lightly.
This year, there are 10 names on the ballot. Those of us who vote were asked to list our preferences, one through 10.
It’s a strong group of 10 from whom to pick. Here is the group, in alphabetical order and with a brief bio:
Michael Bishop, Kansas State quarterback, 1997-98 — Heisman Trophy winner in 1998 and winner of Davey O’Brien Award as nation’s top quarterback. Led Wildcats to 22-3 record and 15-1 mark in the Big 12.
Larry Brown, Kansas basketball coach, 1984-88 — Led KU to two Final Fours and the 1988 national championship. Finished with a 135-44 record at KU.
Kurt Budke, Salina native — Two-time national junior college coach of the year who won four national championships at Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College. Had a career junior college winning percentage of .898. Later coached Louisiana Tech to three straight NCAA tournaments and coached at Oklahoma State for seven years. He was killed in an airplane crash late in 2011 while recruiting.
Brenda Shaffer-Dahl, Washburn — A former first-team NAIA All-American, Shaffer-Dahl is Washburn’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder with 2,613 poitns and 1,106 rebounds. A Topeka native, she played high school basketball at Shawnee Heights.
David Jaynes, Kansas football — The Bonner Springs native finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1979, when he led the Jayhawks to a second-place finish in the Big Eight and a spot in the Liberty Bowl. He graduated as KU’s career leader in passing yards (5,132) and touchdown passes (35).
Harold Manning, WSU track and field — Wichita’s first national champion, Manning won the 1930 NCAA 2-mile run while setting the NCAA record with a time of 9:18.1. He is a native of Sedgwick and had a great track and field career after graduating from WSU.
Willie Murrell, Kansas State basketball — Murrell played just two seasons at K-State, but helped the Wildcats to Big Eight championships both season. Murrell averaged 22.3 points and 11.1 rebounds for Kansas State’s Final Four team in 1964 and averaged 20.6 points and 10.7 rebounds for his career.
Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State women’s basketball — Ohlde, from Clay Center, was a two-time Big 12 player of the year in 2003 and 2004 and a first-team All-American in 2004. She finished her Kansas State career as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder with 2,241 points and 995 rebounds.
Wayne Simien, Kansas basketball — Simien, from Leavenworth, was a first-team All-American for the Jayhawks in 2005 and scored more than 1,500 points to go with 884 rebounds during his KU career. The Jayhawks were 110-28 during Simien’s four-year career.
David Snyder, tennis coach — Snyder, a native of Winfield, retired as one of the most successful tennis coaches in NCAA history in 2000. He led Texas and Arizona to 697 wins during a coaching career that lasted from 1959-2000. He was also a member of the state doubles team at Winfield in 1950 and won state singles championships in 1951 and 1952.
Bud Stallworth, Kansas basketball — Stallworth was the 1972 Big 8 player of the year. He averaged 25.3 points per game during his senior season, still the fifth-highest mark in KU history. Stallworth scored 50 points against Missouri in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Brenda Stolle, Emporia State softball — Stollen was the national softball player of the year in 1981 and a two-time All-American pitcher. She led Emporia State to an AIAW national championship in 1980 and was 66-15 during her career with a 0.33 ERA.
Good list, isn’t it?
Here is my top 10:
1. Willie Murrell
2. Michael Bishop
3. Wayne Simien
4. Harold Manning
5. Larry Brown
6. Nicole Ohlde
7. David Jaynes
8. Bud Stallworth
9. Brenda Shaffer-Dahl
10. Brenda Stolle
What do you think? Where am I wrong? I’m curious as to your thoughts.
Thanks for reading.