Hall of Fame Established
From the Winter 1976 UNO Alumni News
The
first UNO Athletic Hall of Fame banquet held on November 14 appeared to exceed
all expectations. Nearly 600 people turned out to witness the induction of the
first four members as outstanding UNO athletes.
Sponsored by the UNO Alumni Association and the UNO
Athletic Department, the Hall of Fame event honored sports greats Bill
Engelhardt, Marlin Briscoe, Leo Pearey and Roger Sayers. Joe Robbie, owner of
the National Football League's Miami Dolphins participated as guest speaker and
Sportscaster Jack Payne served as master of ceremonies.
The program ran high with emotion at times, particularly
as each of the four inductees received their commemoration plaques from people
close to them. At one point, Gale Sayers, younger brother of Roger Sayers,
struggled for words with which to salute his brother. Finally, he said that
throughout his life he had tried to emulate this older brother, and it was in
that way he could most appropriately honor him.
Benson High School principal Dr. Howard Sorensen, who was
an athlete with the former Leo Pearey, presented the award to Pearey's
daughter, Mrs. Pat Durbin. Omaha newspaperman Charles Washington was also part
of the program, making the presentation to his long-time friend, Marlin
Briscoe. And finally, Lloyd Cardwell did the honors for his bread-and-butter
quarterback back in the 1950s, Bill Engelhardt.
Also receiving honors was Bob Kruger, vice president of
the UNO Maverick Club. He was presented the "Maverick Man of the Year"
award by Athletic Director Don Leahy. That award, in addition to further
inductions into the Hall of Fame will be featured the night before the final
home game annually.
Hall of Fame recipients were selected on the basis of
their athletic excellence, and contributions made towards the building of the
sports program at UNO over the years.
Leo E. Pearey was the first UNO football All-American back
in 1935. He earned 10 letters in three sports, from 1932 through 1935,
including four each in football and track, and two in basketball. As a senior,
Pearey earned Associated Press Little All-American honors after leading the
then-Omaha Cardinals to a 6-3 season, including the Nebraska Intercollegiate
Conference title. Pearey scored 11 touchdowns that year, a record held until
the 1950s.
Bill Engelhardt, who played for UNO from 1953 through
1956, is the only two-time All-American in UNO football history. He led the
Indians to a 30-51-1 record in those years, including the Tangerine Bowl victory
in 1954. He excelled in just about all phases of football, including rushing,
passing, punting and even catching. At one point Engelhardt held or shared 21
individual school records, and he still holds the scoring record for UNO.
Roger Sayers, more often dubbed "The Rocket," was UNO's
spring star and football star during the early '60s. Outstanding in national
sprint circles, Sayers won 28 consecutive victories in 1961 as a freshman at
the university. The following year, he captured the national NAIA 100-yard dash
title, beating world record holder Bob Hayes twice. In 1963 he repeated that
triumph, and was later elected to the NAIA Track Hall of Fame. Sayers not only
holds the UNO record in the 100-yard dash and 220, but he still holds seven
school football records.
Marlin the "Magician" Briscoe, All-American quarterback
for UNO in the mid '60s, also holds his share of school records. He set 22
records in his years here, 14 of which still stand. As a senior in 1967,
Briscoe was among the nation's leaders in passing and total offense, earning
him All-American honors. He helped lead UNO to a 27-11 record in his four
years, including three conference championships.
Pictured, from left: Bill Engelhardt, Pat Durbin, Athletic
Director Don Leahy, Marlin Briscoe and Roger Sayers.
