THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Dave Richardson

Inducted: 2010
Sports: Baseball

At the end of his first two years at MTSU, David Richardson, a left-handed pitcher from Nashville, had a 3-6 record and a 7.77 ERA. However, he blossomed in his junior year of 1987, posting a 12-5 record and a 2.98 ERA. For his efforts, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year.

Richardson's senior season in 1988 was even better with a school record 13 wins against only five losses. The 13 wins eclipsed his school and OVC win record set the previous year. He struck out 116 while walking only 43. He was All-OVC, and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The biggest game of his career was the first game of the NCAA Regional when he threw a six-hitter in beating fifth-ranked Texas A&M; 3-1 at Starkville, MS.

Richardson ranks 1st in career wins (29) and complete games (23) and is 3rd in innings pitched and 4th in strikeouts. His single season records include wins (13 in 1988) innings pitched 127.1 (1988) and 12 of 13 wins in 1988 were complete games.

Class of 2012

Mike Caldwell
Football

Diane Cummings Turnham
Athletic Administration

Harry Gupton
Basketball, Baseball

Tawanya Mucker Wilson
Basketball

Jayhawk Owens
Baseball

History of the Hall of Fame

In the early spring of 1975, a pair of long-time supporters of Middle Tennessee State University's athletic program decided that the University should honor its greatest athletes. Homer Pittard, alumni director, and Gene Sloan, public relations director, came up with the idea and asked sports information director Jim Freeman to join them in setting up an athletic hall of fame.

After getting approval for the Hall of Fame from President M. G. Scarlett, the trio began laying the groundwork to select the first inductees. Others, including Bob Womack and Joe Nunley, were also involved.

"We decided not to have categories but to put all candidates in one group," said Freeman. "We also decided against inducting a large group to start with and felt that three per year was the ideal number. That way, everyone got a good share of the spotlight."

The nominating and voting for the first several years was done by members of the old "T" Club, now reorganized and called the Varsity Club. Nominations were solicited, and the the list of candidates was mailed to the voters. They selected Horace Jones, Charles "Bubber" Murphy and Teddy Morris as the initial inductees in 1976.

The Blue Raider Hall of Fame was originally housed in the old Blue Raider Room under the west side of the football stadium. It had to be torn down when then stadium was expanded in 1998. After several years without a home, the Hall of Fame moved into the new Rose and Emmett Kennon Sports Hall of Fame building in 2004.