P. Whitlock Cobb '50 Cobb, one of Davidson's finest multi-sport athletes, was named Southern Conference Athlete of the Year in 1950 and is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He was a four-year starter in basketball and captain of the 1950 team. He was a four-year starter in tennis and teamed with Bo Roddey to win the Southern Conference doubles championship in 1950. Cobb also earned four letters in track, giving him a total of 12 varsity letters. |
| Fred B. Hetzel '65 The first consensus All-American in basketball at Davidson, Hetzel was the first Davidson player to score more than 2,000 points (2,032) in his career and set school records for most points (53) and rebounds (27) in a game. He led Davidson to national Top 10 rankings in 1964 and 1965. He was the key player on Davidson's first three 20-win seasons. Three times he was named Southern Conference Basketball Player and Athlete of the Year. Hetzel was a first round NBA draft pick of the San Francisco Warriors and played seven professional seasons. |
Johnny Mackorell '35 A star halfback on Davidson's football team, Mackorell was named in 1934 to the Associated Press Little All-American team, making him Davidson's first official All-American. He is the only Davidson football player named All-American and is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Mackorell was captain of the 1934 Davidson football team and led the 1933 baseball team to the Big Five championship. He played professional football for the New York Giants in 1935. |
Tommy L. Peters '45 Many consider Peters the greatest athlete to play at Davidson. He earned four letters (football, basketball, baseball, track) during the 1942-43 seasons. Basketball was his best sport and he averaged 17.5 points to lead the Southern Conference in scoring in 1943. In baseball he was considered a major league prospect. Sadly, Peters died in World War II after playing only one year at Davidson. Davidson's highest athletic award is presented in Peter's honor. The Tommy Peters Award is given each year to the Davidson male athlete who best exemplifies the Davidson spirit in intercollegiate athletic competition. |
Oliver F. Roddey '50 Roddey won more state tennis championships than any other male player in North Carolina. He was a junior champion at age 14 and later ranked No. 1 in the South for men. He played No. 1 at Davidson four years and won the Southern Conference singles and doubles championships in 1950. He's one of the original members of the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. Roddey was undefeated in North Carolina tournaments (1947-52) and the first North Carolinian named to the Junior Davis Cup Team in 1948. |
Tom Scott A 1930 graduate of Kansas State Teachers College, Scott was the first non-Davidson Hall of Fame inductee. Davidson College enjoyed many of its greatest athletic achievements with Dr. Tom Scott as Director of Athletics from 1954 until 1975. He was golf coach of five Southern Conference champions and hired Charles G. "Lefty" Driesell, who guided the Wildcats to national Top 10 rankings and three NCAA bids in nine seasons. Dr. Scott served as chairman of the prestigious NCAA Basketball Committee and helped bring many NCAA events to North Carolina, including the 1974 and 1984 Final Four. Scott died in 1993, and each year the Davidson Athletic Foundation holds a golf tournament in his name to honor one of great contributors to Davidson athletics. |
Richard J. Snyder '66
Snyder led Davidson to its first Southern Conference basketball championship and NCAA playoff bid in 1966. That same year he was first team All-American, Southern Conference Athlete of the Year and Basketball Player of the Year. Snyder also starred in baseball for the Wildcats. He was chosen high in the NBA draft and played 13 professional seasons. Snyder ranked 17th in NBA career scoring when he retired. |
A. Heath Whittle '30 Whittle starred at Davidson in track and once scored 25 points in a single meet. In 1928 he tied the World record in the 70-yard indoor hurdles in a meet at West Virginia. Whittle was track and cross country coach at Davidson from 1930 until 1972 and served the Wildcats as Assistant Director of Athletics. One of Whittle's inventions - the Freshman Cake Race - is still part of Davidson's tradition. Whittle also was selected as a member of the Helms Athletic Foundation Track and Field Hall of Fame. |
