Hall of Fame class possesses strong ties to football
Air Force football took center stage Friday night as the academy's athletic department inducted its second class into its Hall of Fame at the Colorado Springs Marriott.
The inductees included the program's all-time leading receiver (Ernie Jennings), arguably its best option quarterback (Dee Dowis), one of its better all-around players (Terry Isaacson), the coach who brought the Falcons to national prominence (Ben Martin) and a former coach and athletic administrator who helped recruit many of Air Force's players (Jim Bowman).
Even the lone female inductee - 11-time NCAA Division II track and cross country All-American Callie (Calhoun) Molloy - has a tie to the football program as the younger sister of current Falcons coach Troy Calhoun.
"Any time is a good time to be inducted into a Hall of Fame," said Jennings, a 1971 graduate. "But this year, with this football theme, this is more than a special night for me."
Dowis, whose sixth-place finish in the 1989 Heisman Trophy voting is the best by an academy graduate for college football's top individual honor, accepted his plaque "for my teammates and coaches."
Isaacson, the academy's lone three-time wrestling All-American (1962-64) in addition to playing offense, defense and special teams for the football team, talked about the lessons he learned in athletics and advised to "do the best you can every single day."
The late Martin's son, Dr. Ben Martin, accepted his father's award and honored a man who he said "commanded the respect of everyone who met him, just by being himself."
And the night's biggest ovation belonged to popular and affable Bowman, who spent 49 years at the academy and helped earn appointments for more than 14,000 cadets.
Molloy, a 1991 graduate who won six NCAA Division II titles in track and cross country, talked about growing up admiring and emulating her brother. Two years after Calhoun chose to attend the academy, Molloy said she decided to go to "follow in my brother's footsteps."
"And now," she joked, referring to her induction, "maybe someday you'll follow in my footsteps."
-
Contact the writer at 636-0365. Check out our Air Force blog at gazetteafasports.freedomblogging.com
