MOBILE, AL – One inductee in the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 has multiple NBA championship rings, another is forever etched in Iron Bowl lore for “reversing” the emotions of an entire fan base, and still another is considered among the best to ever play his position.

Yet one more is a five-time Alabama high school “Coach of the Year,” another has coached track and field in 50 different countries, and still another not only improved the quality of life in his community, but made sure young athletes had somewhere to show off their skills at a time in America’s history when they were limited in places to play.

And, as if that’s not enough, the lone baseball player in this year’s class might’ve even changed World Series history if only the Boston Red Sox’s manager had put him in the game.

To say that (in alphabetical order) Jason Caffey, John Finley, Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich, Ann Schilling, Dave Stapleton, Lawyer Tillman and Jerrel Wilson comprise an all-star class of 2017 inductees is a huge understatement.

“It’s another tremendous class, representing the very best from five sports,” said MSHOF President Peter Albrecht.

Three of the inductees: Rosandich, Schilling, and Stapleton have ties to Baldwin County.

“I think that just reflects the expanding nature of the Mobile metro area,” explained Albrecht. “The Eastern Shore and Baldwin County now are intricately connected with the Mobile area in many facets of life and certainly includes athletics.”

Finley will be recognized as a special contributor.

“There are many ways that people have contributed to the Mobile sports scene over the years, without being a player or coach,” said Albrecht. “Mr. Finley was certainly a pillar of the community who advanced the athletics opportunities and careers of many young people.”

Inductees will be honored during the 2017 MSHOF Induction Banquet at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 6, at the Battle House Hotel.

A social hour will precede the banquet at 6 p.m.

Tickets can be ordered on-line through our website: mobilesportshalloffame.com, or by calling (251)709-0310.

Jason Caffey

• Averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds a game as a senior at Davidson High School
• Named Alabama’s “Mr. Basketball” and a McDonald’s All-American in 1991
• A three-year starter at Alabama and led the Tide to three NCAA Tournaments
• Only Tide player to start all 29 games in 1992-93. Averaged 14.5 points 8.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Named Second Team All-SEC
• Averaged 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a junior, 93-94, despite foot injury. Named Second Team All-SEC
• 1 points and 8.0 rebound per game as a senior, 94-95. Second Team All-SEC
• Ranks Currently 32nd All-Time in Alabama points scored, and is 17th in rebounds
• Drafted in first round of 1995 NBA Draft (20th overall) by Chicago Bulls
• Won NBA Championship first two years in the league playing with Michael Jordan
• Averaged 7.3 points and 4.0 rebounds a game in 1996-97 season
• Started five games in the 1997 playoffs as the Bulls won the Championship
• Traded to Golden State midway through the 1997-98 season and started in 1998-99
• Enjoyed best NBA season in 1999-2000, starting 56 of the 71 games he appeared in, averaging 30 minutes, 12 points, and 6.8 rebounds a game
• Traded to Milwaukee before the 2000-01 season, where he spent three years and appeared in 144 games, starting 49
• Over nine year NBA career, scored 3,368 points and pulled down 2,022 rebounds
• Averaged 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 19.6 minutes per game over career

Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich

• Founding President of the United States Sports Academy (1972) at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, before relocating it to the campus of the University of South Alabama (1976)
• Served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sports Academy for 43 years until 2015 when he became its President Emeritus
• The Academy led the development of the installation of South Alabama’s first 400-meter all-weather track, a sports medicine center, a human performance lab and a fully equipped strength and conditioning center, as well as founding “Operation Bounce-Back,” a cardiac rehabilitation program helping Mobilians who suffer from cardiovascular illness
• Moved Academy to Daphne in 1986, when it is also home to the American Sport Art Museum and Archives … one of the world’s largest sport art museums
• Awarded the highest International Olympic Committee honor, “The Olympic Order” (1997)
• Coached in 50 countries, preparing national teams for international games as part of the U.S. State Department’s “U.S. Ambassadors of Sport” program
• Appointed National Track and Field Coach for Indonesia
• Founded Olympia Sport Village in Upson, WI, at the time was the only dedicated all-season sports camp in the nation
• Founded the Paavo Nurmi Marathon (1969), Wisconsin’s oldest running marathon
• Founded the All-American Prep Championships and the International Prep Meet
• Inducted into the Helms Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the sport of Track and Field
• Athletic Director of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside 1967-1972
• Athletic Director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1972-1976

Ann Schilling

• Bayside Academy Women’s Varsity Volleyball Coach since 1987 with career record of 1388-371
• Ranks in the top 5 nationally with 21 Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA)Volleyball State Championships
• 15 consecutive AHSAA Volleyball State Championships, an Alabama Record and second national rank
• Mobile Press Register Super 12 “Coach of the Year” (1998,2000,2002,2007,2010,2012)
• John L. Finley Award winner for Superb Achievement as a Coach (2004, 2012)
• 2004 Bayside Academy Sports Hall of Fame
• Birmingham News State Coach of the Year (1992,2000,2007,2011,2012)
• AHSAA All Star Coach (1993,1995,1996,1998,2003,2008,2016)
• com Co-National Coach of the Year (2009)
• National Federation of High Schools National Coach of the Year (2010)
• Has sent over 50 athletes to the collegiate level
• Founder and Director of Eastern Shore Volleyball Club (2000-present)
• Earned B.S. Education from Auburn University (1982-1987)
• McGill-Toolen Catholic High School Volleyball team (1978-1982), winning State Championship 1978, 1979, 1981 and the Women’s Basketball Team, winning State Championships 1978, 1980

Dave Stapleton

• Born Fairhope and played at Faulkner State Junior College
• Led South Alabama to a 30-8 record in 1974 and a school-best 52-14 mark in 1975
• Hit .361 over two years
• Set USA single season records in doubles, RBI, at-bats and hits
• Set career doubles mark with 39
• Earned All-South independent honors in 1975
• Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 10th Round of 1975 Draft
• Reached the majors midway through the 1980 season
• Hit .321 with 7 HRs and 45 RBI in 106 games and 449 at bats in 1980 as Sox starting 2B
• Second in American League Rookie of the Year balloting
• Remained Red Sox starter through the 1983 season at first base before assuming a reserve role in 1984-86
• In 1986, frequently served as late-inning defensive replacement for starter Bill Buckner, who let the infamous Mookie Wilson ground ball through his legs to give the Mets a come-from-behind win in the 10th inning of Game 6. The Mets went on to win the Series in Game 7
• Went to spring training with the Seattle Mariners in 1987
• Owner of a .271 career batting average with 41 home runs and 224 RBI in 2,028 career at bats

Lawyer Tillman

• Played at LeFlore High School where he was also an outstanding basketball player
• Wide receiver at Auburn 1985-1988
• Played in 48 games for the Tigers, catching 93 passes for 1808 and 14 touchdowns
• Averaged 19.4 yards/reception for Auburn career, tied for 11th in receptions and ranks eighth in receiving yards
• Ranks seventh in receiving touchdowns
• Averaged 20.8 yards per catch in 1986, the fifth-best single-season average in school history
• Finished second in the SEC in receiving yards in 1986 (730) and third in 1987 (600)
• Best remembered for scoring on an 8-yard reverse with just 32 seconds to play in the 1986 Iron Bowl that gave Auburn a 21-17 victory over Alabama
• Was first pick in the second round (31st overall), by the Cleveland Browns in the 1989 NFL Draft
• Played tight end and wide receiver for the Browns, appearing in 32 games and starting 10
• Caught a pass in 1989 NFL playoffs and for his Cleveland career caught 36 passes, including three for touchdowns, during an injury-plagued career
• Played for the Carolina Panthers in 1995, appearing in five games and catching two passes

Jerrel Wilson (10/4/1941 – 4/9/2005)

• Born in New Orleans, but played at Murphy
• Considered one of the best punters in professional football history
• Played two years at Pearl River Community College
• Punted two seasons at Southern Miss as a placekicker and linebacker, but was an All-American punter
• 1n 1963, during a time when both the fledgling American Football League and more established National Football League were vying for the same players, he was taken in the 11th Round by the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, while also being selected in the 17th Round of the NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams
• Played first seven years with the Chiefs in the AFL, once leading the league in punting yards and twice in punting-yards average
• Named to the All-Time All-AFL Team
• Played eight more seasons with the Chiefs after the two leagues merged into one, leading the league in punting average three straight years (1971-73) and in total punting yards in 1973
• Played 16th and final year of career with New England in 1978
• Played in two Super Bowls
• Member of the 1969-70 Super Bowl Champion Chiefs
• Finished career with more than 46,000 punting yards
• Averaged 43.0 yards/punt for career
• Named All-Pro seven seasons
• Three-time Pro Bowler
• Holds record for most seasons leading league in punting average
• Won more punting titles, had a superior best single season average, and a better career average than Ray Guy – the only punter in the NFL Hall of Fame
• Played most games in Chiefs history
• He died 2005 at the age of 63

John L. “Doc” Finley, Special Contributor (11/13/1920 – 11/16/2002)

• A graduate of Dunbar High School and World War II Army Veteran, who served in the South Pacific and received The Bronze Star for meritorious service
• Earned his B.S. degree from Xavier (La.) University’s School of Pharmacy and later opened Finley’s Pharmacy in 1950 on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Boulevard (formerly Davis Avenue), less than a half-mile from where he grew up
• Provided medicine at no cost and made monetary loans to less fortunate citizens of his community
• Provided no-cost services to injured high school players in the African-American community, and to the Nuns and Priest from his parish, Most Pure Heart of Mary
• Sponsored basketball, baseball and bowling teams that won multiple Gulf Coast championship tournaments
• He demanded a commitment to educational excellence from players on those teams and many went on to become coaches, teachers and principals in the Mobile County School System
• An active supporter of sports programs with the YMCA, Boys Club
• In the 1960’s, was a member of the core group that initiated the “Knights of Peter Claver Classic” football game between two Historically Black Colleges and Universities at then Ernest F. Ladd Memorial Stadium
• During the Civil Rights era in 1964, and with a noticeable lack of local coverage of African American sports, athletes and their achievements, he started the “John L. Finley Award” to recognize those notable people
• He continued the award after school desegregation, recognizing outstanding achievers of all races who had made an impact in high school sports in Mobile and Baldwin County

Served on the Board of Directors for the Via Health and Enrichment Center (formerly Mary Berg Senior Center), Goodwill Industries, Dearborn YMCA, United Way of Southwest Alabama and Mid-Town Sertoma Club