The Class of 1994: ATHLETES

MARY WATKINS CRONIN (1964-1968)

Mary Watkins Cronin starred in volleyball, basketball and tennis during her four years at Willamette. In tennis, she was the Bearcats’ No. 1 player in singles and doubles for four years. As a fitting recognition of her all-around athletic ability, she was named outstanding female athlete in her class. She went on to teach and coach in California at Mayfield High School (Pasadena) and Bell Gardens High School.

MARVIN GOODMAN (1941-1947)

Marv Goodman was a first-team Associated Press Little All-American in football as an end in 1946. He also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field. Following his senior year in 1947, he was awarded the Jack Dempsey Adam Hat Trophy for the most outstanding athlete at Willamette. Football was his best sport, however, and he became a starter in the gridiorn as a freshman in 1941- the Bearcat team that played the University of Hawaii the day before Pearl Harbor was bombed. After graduation, the Brooklyn Dodgers in football gave him a tryout.

TED LODER (1948-1952)

Ted Loder was a four-year starter in basketball and made the all-Northwest Conference team four times- the latter three seasons being named to the first team. Willamette won two conference championships (1950, 1952) and shared two other NWC crowns (1949, 1951) during his four years. He was selected honorable mention Little All-American in 1952 before being offered a tryout with the New York Knicks that same year. As of his induction, he remained ranked No. 8 in career scoring at Willamette with 1,392 points. Loder was inducted into the NAIA District 2 Hall of Fame in 1967.

ARCHIBALD "BUD" MULL (1953-1957)

While playing for legendary tennis coach Lee Sparks, Archibald “Bud” Mull led Willamette to four straight Northwest Conference tennis championships by never losing a match in Conference play. He was a four-time Conference champion at No. 1 singles and a two-time champion at No. 1 doubles. He was nationally ranked in both NAIA and NCAA as a senior in 1957. Mull lost only two collegiate matches his entire career.

KENT MYERS (1950-1954)

Kent Myers made the all –Conference team in golf all four years and helped lead the Bearcats to conference titles his final three seasons (1952-1954). He may be the most successful amateur golfer the state of Oregon has ever had: A four time Oregon Amateur Champion (1965, 1972, 1981 and 1983), Myers has been selected to the Northwest amateur top 10 a record 19 years. As of his induction, he still held the course record of 65 at Illahe Hills Country Club in Salem. He has written much about the game, too, including a book called Golf in Oregon, which was first printed in 1977.

The Class of 1994: TEAM

1938-1939 Men’s Basketball Team

The 1938-1939 Bearcats went 29-6 and won the Northwest Conference title with a record of 15-1. That squad, coached by Howard Maple, won 15 straight games during the season. Willamette landed four starters on the all-Conference team, Bill Anton, Otto Skopil, the late Bob White and the late Howard Eberly.

The Class of 1994: COACH

FRAN HOWARD (1969-1985)

Fran Howard coached field hockey, basketball, soccer, volleyball, track and field and softball during her 16-year career at Willamette. Her teams won 23 Conference or regional championships. From 1973-77, Willamette won the Women’s Conference of Independent Colleges all-sport trophy each year. She was a finalist for Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women small college basketball coach of the year in 1980. Howard also served as women’s athletic director at Willamette for eight years. She was inducted into the NAIA Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986.

The Class of 1994: MERITORIOUS SERVICE

AL LIGHTNER (1940-1994)

Al Lightner has been a longtime sports figure in the Salem area as a player, coach, official and journalist. His Salem career began in 1940 as a member of the Salem Senators baseball team. He officiated high school and college games for 30 years and was ranked the No. 1 major college basketball official on the West Coast for 20 years. Lightner also was sports editor of the Oregon Statesman for 34 years. He has already been inducted into three halls of fame: the NAIA District 2 Hall of Fame (1976); the Stockton (Cali) Athletic Hall of Fame (1982); and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame (1987).

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