”Mickey, do you feel old? We graduated the same year. Do you realize we graduated from school 15 years ago?” taunted former Bears placekicker Bob Thomas during his keynote speech at Aurora University`s Spartan Club Hall of Fame Banquet last weekend.
Thomas` remarks were addressed to Wallace ”Mickey” Johnson, former professional basketball player and one of 10 charter inductees into the school`s Hall of Fame.
Minutes later, when Thomas opened the floor to questions from the audience, Johnson was ready. He shot back, ”First of all, I thought you looked older than me.” The crowd of about 100 alumni, athletes and sports fans roared.
The community`s response to the idea of a sports Hall of Fame for the school was equally enthusiastic, said faculty adviser Jon Cooper. ”We were looking for some things to do to promote interest in our club. We got a tremendous response from the old graduates. The big thing we wanted to do was span all eras.”
Athletes from the class of 1929 to the class of 1980 were honored as charter members. Among those was Chuck Anderson, a football player who graduated in 1931. ”In the modern age, they never heard of these people that went before,” Anderson said, ”and I think we need something to remind people.”
When asked how he felt about being inducted, Anderson replied, ”How would anybody feel? I feel I don`t deserve it, but I`ll take it.”
