ALPHA ATHLETES - The Sphinx Magazine

Recommendations

Info

OMEGA CHAPTER tice in Portsmouth in 1947 and became involved in the evolving civil rights movement. He filed his first lawsuit in 1950 to integrate the city parks after he had taken his daughter to see the ducks and he and his daughter were run off by a groundskeeper. He and three others sued to gain access to city golf courses, and won. In 1960, Brother Owens helped win a lawsuit to desegregate the city’s libraries. Around 1964, he joined a group of doctors and dentists to desegregate Portsmouth General Hospital. Brother Owens returned to Norfolk County in 1962, the year before the area merged with South Norfolk and formed Chesapeake. In 1970, he became one of the first two African Americans elected to the Chesapeake City Council. During his 10 years on the Council, he served eight as Vice Mayor. Brother Owens retired around 1990 and continued his civic work. In 1996, ODU named its African American Cultural Center in his honor. In 1997, the Hugo A. Owens Middle School opened in Chesapeake. His wife of 66 years, Helen, passed away in April 2008. Brother Robert Fabian Short, the oldest registered Brother to attend the 2006 and 2008 General Conventions, entered Omega Chapter on September 9, 2008. He was 96. Brother Short was initiated into the Fraternity on May 1, 1929 through Beta Alpha Chapter at then Morgan State College in Baltimore. He was last a member of Beta Lambda Chapter in Kansas City, Missouri. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Education from then Hampton Institute and received his M.S. degree in Guidance and Counseling from Central Missouri State University. Brother Short was born October 19, 1911 in Charles County, Maryland. He departed this life just months after attending the Fraternity’s 102nd Anniversary Convention in Kansas City, Missouri where he was the oldest registered Brother. Brother Short attended the Baltimore City Public Schools and after college, he pursued a teaching career in the Trades and Industries Department at Langston University, which was interrupted by World War II when he accepted civil service employment at the U.S. Naval Air Force Technical Training School in Chicago. Following service in the U.S. Naval Reserves as a Chief Petty Officer, Brother Short returned to Langston University until he moved to Kansas City in 1947 and began teaching in the Kansas City School District. He 108 worked there for 30 years, teaching at R.T. Coles Veteran Training School, Lincoln Senior High School, Lincoln Junior High School, Central Junior High School (as a Guidance Counselor) and Westport Senior High School. He retired in 1977. Brother Short served the Fraternity in numerous capacities during his long membership. He was instrumental in Fraternity affairs and active on several committees. Brother Short was preceded into the next life by his wife of 53 years, Floretta H. Short. He is survived by his son, Brother Dr. Kenneth L. Short. Brother Charles Errington Simmons, Jr. was born March 17, 1918 in Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated salutatorian of the class of 1935 at Old Stanton High School and was an Eagle Scout, Troop No. 147 at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Jacksonville. He later served as Scout Master of the troop. In 1939, he received a B.A. degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in mathematics and chemistry. In 1941, he earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration in Actuarial Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was employed as the first actuary-Vice President at the Home Office of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company in Jacksonville; he also served as treasurer and secretary of the company. In addition, Brother Simmons was the first insurance specialist for Duval County Public Schools. He served for 12 years as the Duval County School Board insurance specialist. He was active in the Jacksonville community and was the first African American to serve on the Jacksonville Civil Service Board where he was appointed by Mayor Louis Ritter in 1966— becoming the first African American city official in Jacksonville since Reconstruction. One month after his appointment ended in May 1967, he ran for office in the Core City; and then in the Consolidated City in December of 1967 and was elected each time to the Civil Service Board. During the Consolidated Government, Brother Simmons served as Chairman of the Civil Service Board. As Actuary and Vice President of the Afro- American Life Insurance Company, he represented business on the Civil Service Board. He was a member of the Fraternity’s Upsilon Lambda Chapter. On December 2, 2006, the Chapter presented Brother Simmons with the Lifetime Service Award in recognition of 70 years of membership in the Fraternity. He is survived by his wife, Jolita Watson Simmons. Fall • Winter 2008 The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Brother Eugene “Gene” T. Upshaw, Jr., Hall of Fame National Football League guard and head of the NFL Players Union for a quarter century, entered Omega Chapter on August 20, 2008. He was 63. Brother Upshaw was initiated into the Fraternity through Gamma Xi Lambda Chapter in 1981. He received his B.S. degree from Texas A&M Kingsville in 1968. Brother Upshaw’s outstanding 15-season playing career was entirely with the Oakland Raiders and included two Super Bowl wins, seven Pro Bowl appearances and selection as an 11-time All-Pro offensive lineman. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility. He was the only player in NFL history to play in three Super Bowls in three different decades—in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was the longest-tenured labor leader in sports. In 1983, he became Executive Director of the players’ association and guided the union through the 1987 strike that led to replacement football. By 1989, the players had a limited form of freedom, called Plan B; and in 1993, free agency and a salary cap were instituted. Since then, the players have prospered so much that NFL owners recently opted out of the latest labor contract, which was negotiated two years ago by Upshaw and then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Brother Upshaw is survived by his wife, Terri; and three sons. B rother Nick Levoter Weatherspoon, a former National Basketball Association player and the 10th-leading scorer in University of Illinois basketball history, entered Omega Chapter on October 17, 2008. He was 58. Born July 20, 1950 in Greenwood, Mississippi, he attended McKinley high school before enrolling at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where he was initiated into the Fraternity through Tau Chapter in 1971. Brother Weatherspoon, a 6-foot-7-inch, 195 pound forward, was one of the first 30 former University of Illinois players to have their jerseys hung from the rafters of the school’s Assembly Hall. In three seasons, he scored 1,481 points and left Illinois as the school’s all-time leading scorer, which has since been surpassed. His career average of 20.9 points per game remains an Illinois record, and he contributed 11.4 rebounds per game. In 1973, his senior year, he averaged 25.0 points per game, third highest in Illinois history. A two-time Illinois MVP, Brother Weatherspoon was a first-team All- American by the Helms Foundation and first-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior in 1973. He was named to the 20-player Illinois Basketball All-
Century Team in 2005. Brother Weatherspoon was a first-round pick of the Capital Bullets (now Washington Wizards) in 1973. In seven NBA sea- Brother Edward T. Addison Beta Kappa / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Luchan Govan Baker, Sr. Alpha Epsilon / Gamma Phi Lambda Brother Ralph F. Baker Theta / Gamma Phi Lambda Brother Ray W. Barlett Gamma Xi / Eta Pi Lambda Brother George Barzey Beta Rho / Zeta Zeta Lambda Brother Michael Curtis Betts Mu Kappa Brother William W. Black Beta Kappa / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Hamilton Boswell Alpha Sigma / Gamma Phi Lambda Brother Todd Burgh Zeta Zeta Lambda Brother David A. Catlett Gamma Phi Lambda Brother Floyd J. Cawthon, Jr. Pi / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Dr. Louis L. Davis Delta / Gamma Phi Lambda sons, he averaged 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds. He also played for the Seattle SuperSonics, San Diego Clippers and Chicago Bulls. When his OMEGA LISTINGS Brother James Dooley Xi Lambda / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Laquueth Fleming Phi / Eta Nu Lambda Brother Toy G. Grice Mu Beta Lambda Brother Ernest Hardin Kappa Chi Lambda Brother Namon Harris, Jr. Mu Xi / Alpha Epsilon Lambda Brother Joseph E. Jenkins Alpha Psi ‘55 Brother Glendi Johns Delta Lambda Brother Bruce Miller Zeta Iota Lambda Brother Cleophus W. Miller III Eta Tau Lambda / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Dr. Lawrence Reginald Neblett Alpha Chi / Gamma Phi Lambda Brother Percy H. Payne Kappa Chi Lambda Brother Huey Lawrence Pearson Alpha Chi Lambda / Theta Upsilon Lambda OMEGA CCHAPTER career ended, Brother Weatherspoon fought for insurance benefits and eventually lost an Ohio insurance business he started. Brother James Ford Poole Gamma Pi / Iota Omicron Lambda Brother Albert E. Richardson Beta / Zeta Sigma Lambda Brother Phillip Skerett Alpha Upsilon Lambda Brother Abel L. Smith II Tau / Rho Zeta Lambda Brother Charles W. Smith Beta Kappa / Beta Psi Lambda Brother Willie J. Stewart Alpha Phi / Kappa Chi Lambda Brother Walter G. West Beta Psi Lambda Brother Harold R. White Rho Lambda ’53 / Eta Psi Lambda Brother Jerry T. White Theta Upsilon Lambda Brother Frank Henry Whitman Beta Sigma / Gamma Phi Lambda Key: = Life Member CHAPTER REFERENCES: the first chapter that appears in the Omega Chapter listings represents the Brother’s Chapter of Initiation. If a second chapter is listed, it represents the last chapter with which the Brother was affiliated. The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Fall • Winter 2008 109
Page 1 and 2: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST BROTHER JESSE
Page 3 and 4: ALPHA ATHLETE: ALL AMERICAN PENN ST
Page 5 and 6: Above: Brother John Woodruff. Photo
Page 7 and 8: onships while attending Seton Hall
Page 9 and 10: citizens home, known as Brookline,
Page 11 and 12: gave remarks and presented certific
Page 13 and 14: Louis community. The mission of CTO
Page 15 and 16: NU MU LAMBDA Decatur, GA Mentoring
Page 17 and 18: the Dallas Morning News and feature
Page 19 and 20: FRATERNITY’S FIRST CAUCASIAN BROT
Page 21 and 22: Editor’s Note: Thirty-second Gene
Page 23 and 24: “ I am told that this group of me
Page 25 and 26: “ America knows we are here. Amer
Page 27 and 28: CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS 3 4 8 9 8 Bro
Page 29 and 30: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION NBC’
Page 31 and 32: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION G.P. D
Page 33 and 34: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION Brothe
Page 35 and 36: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION Army C
Page 37 and 38: GOING WHERE WE SHOULD BE Editor’s
Page 39 and 40: What scientists will also tell you
Page 41 and 42: Board, was applauded by the March o
Page 43 and 44: need for cash. The first test of fi
Page 45 and 46: Success by Instinct: What Animals A
Page 47: members to be supportive of other t
Page 50 and 51: OMEGA CHAPTER Brother Kermit H. Bos
Page 54 and 55: CORPORATE DIRECTORY 110 The Seven J
Page 56 and 57: LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY ALPHA PHI ALPH
Page 58: NEW ORLEANS COME BACK TO THE BIG EA

ALPHA ATHLETES - The Sphinx Magazine

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?