Preserving The Past

SMU Fans and Former Athletes Raise Funds for Heritage Hall

With most folks looking forward to football, some SMU fans and former athletes paused Saturday to look back.

The occasion was a "garage sale" of SMU sports collectibles and memorabilia held in Moody Coliseum to raise funds for enhancements to Heritage Hall, the campus repository of the Mustangs' rich athletic history.

Vintage programs, photos and plaques, as well as DVDs and audio tapes of famous games were sold to eager fans looking to snag a memory.

Gerry York ('58), curator of the Hall, said the event raised over $4,500.

Many items had been collecting dust in the bowels of Moody for years. York and others recently inventoried the collection and decided on the fundraiser, as most items were duplicates.

From left, clockwise: Lance McIlhenny, Don McIlhenny, David Hawk, Gerry York, Duane Nutt, Rick Herrscher and faculty rep Dr. Paul Rogers watch Mustang highlights.

One-of-a-kind treasures - like a pair of Eric Dickerson's game goggles found buried in a filing cabinet – were not sold.

York has been involved with the Hall project since its inception in 2000. It's a labor of love for York, an avid Pony fan since the Doak Walker days.

"SMU sports is so unique in that it's a small school, a private school, but we've had such famous athletes in every sport that SMU offers," York said.

People Care

Signing autographs Saturday were 80s star quarterback Lance McIlhenny, 50s basketball great Rick Herrscher and '68 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl veteran and Lettermen's Association president Jim Johnston.

McIlhenny said he was there "to help Gerry and see some old SMU fans."

"It just shows you that there's history at SMU and a lot of people care," McIlhenny said of the nostalgic displays.

McIlhenny's brother, Lott, was also a four-year letterman at SMU. Their father, Don, present Saturday, was the Mustang's leading rusher and scorer in '55.

Said McIlhenny, "I grew up going to SMU football games when I was a little kid. It's been a lot fun and obviously we had a good run in the early eighties. We'd like to see that back."

McIlhenny recalled his first collegiate start as a sophomore in 1980 – a 20-6 win over No. 2 Texas in Austin.

"It was probably my best memory of college football," he said, "just being put into that position. The talent we had a SMU at the time was as good as you get anywhere in the country."

McIlhenny recalled the cool, sunny afternoon and a packed Memorial Stadium. "We just went out there and executed," he said. "Our defense won so many games for us, and that was probably one of them."

Today McIlhenny works in commercial real estate and lives in University Park. He stays in touch with teammates "sporadically," he said. "We're scattered everywhere."

A 25th reunion of the ‘82 team may be in the works, he said.

From left, Jim Johnston and Rick Herrscher.

Johnston, a banker who also lives in University Park, said remembering SMU's past is important. "There's a great legacy in SMU athletics and we've got to celebrate it," he said. "You've got to celebrate your past to really build for the future."

One thing stands out for Johnston about SMU's thrilling Astro-Bluebonnet win over OU.

"The thing that I always remember," he said, "is, before the ballgame … Coach [Hayden] Fry told the team, ‘Men, we're gonna win the ball game.' He says, ‘I promise you if we come in at halftime less than two touchdowns behind, we'll win because we can adjust better than they can adjust.'"

Down, 7-0, at the half, Johnston said Fry told them, "We've got ‘em right where we want ‘em."

The Mustangs scored 22 fourth-quarter points to win, 28-27. Johnston said quarterback Chuck Hixson, running back Mike Richardson and receiver Jerry LeVias were "unbelievable."

Without SMU?

Herrscher, a member of SMU's 1956 Final Four basketball team, said helping York and SMU was a no-brainer.

"Gerry's a good friend of mine and he's worked so hard in getting the Heritage Hall going," he said. "I just always want to give support to SMU. It's been the most meaningful thing in my life. Where would I be without SMU?"

Herrscher remembered teammates Jim Krebs, Bobby Mills, Larry Showalter and others fondly. "We had just a great bunch of guys," he said. "We really liked each other."

Today, Herrscher lives in Dallas and practices orthodontics in Athens, Texas.

"SMU is just an exciting place," he said. "The campus is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, maybe in the world."

John Hamberger, 82, opened holes for Heisman trophy winner Walker in ‘48.

"We knew basically one thing," he said Saturday. "When the ball went to Walker, something was going to happen."

Hamberger still follows the Mustangs and said he's been to every game in Ford Stadium.

Candy Shop

Surrounded by SMU mementos Saturday, longtime fan Robert Hurst was like a kid in a candy shop. "I wish I could take it all home with me," he said. "I'd open up an SMU museum in my house."

"I was raised on SMU football and basketball," said Hurst, 49, whose father was a yell leader for SMU in '47. "I went to almost every SMU home football game in the Cotton Bowl from the time I was in first grade up until I graduated from high school in 1975," he said.

John Hamberger, 82, blocked for Doak Walker.

Hurst said he's SMU's greatest fan who never went to school there.

"[SMU is] Dallas' only Division IA school and there's so much heritage," he said.

"I think the future of SMU football is up to the fans," he said. "It's up the alumni and it's up to the citizens of Dallas to support this school and support this team."

Ronnie Perry ('69) one of the biggest collectors of SMU memorabilia in the country, loaded up on football programs and photos. He also brought along his meticulously-maintained scrapbook from the '82 football season.

Every Dallas Morning News, Dallas Times-Herald and Sports Illustrated story on the '82 Mustangs is there, along with ticket stubs, roster photos and programs. And it ain't for sale!

"Going into the '82 season, I knew it was going to be special," Perry said, "because we were coming off a great year in '81. And '82 was the senior year for Dickerson and James."

New Audio/Video

York said funds raised Saturday will go toward the Hall's new audio/video center, which will include centrally-mounted flat screen monitors. Plans also call for a large glass entryway featuring etched likenesses of Walker and PGA champion Payne Stewart. Upgraded lighting and a red/blue tile floor are on the drawing board too.

"We still have some major things to do," York said. "But the school has … encouraged us to go ahead and get some plans … for those, so we can kind of get in the athletic department chain to have them help us to raise the money to complete Heritage Hall."

"Space-wise, it's not quite a big as a lot of others," York said of the 4,500 square-foot facility, "but we have such wonderful memorabilia, especially with the Laughead pictures and the [Bill] McClanahan cartoons, that I think it will rank right up there with anybody."

"And," he said, "it doesn't hurt when you've got a Heisman trophy to anchor your athletic museum with."

Did you know?

• An online sale of remaining items is set for Saturday, September 1. See www.smumustangs.com for details.
• Heritage Hall is located in the northwest corner of Gerald Ford Stadium. It's open during the week and on home game days.
• Others at Saturday's sale were Boyd Waggoner, who caught a touchdown pass in the ‘56 win over Notre Dame; Duane Nutt, ‘54 quarterback and team captain; and David Hawk, ‘55 guard and team captain.
• Don McIlhenny played six seasons in the NFL.
• Rick Herrscher, drafted by the NBA's St. Louis Hawks in '58, later played a season with the '62 New York Mets, "the worst team in the history of the game," he said.
• Lance, Lott and Don McIlhenny, and legendary broadcaster Pat Summerall will speak at SMU's annual football Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday, August 21. See smumustangs.cstv.com for details.