Chuck Bowman
Induction Sponsored by Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes & University of Oklahoma
Chuck Bowman grew up in Ponca City, Oklahoma where he was a standout athlete. Following high school, Chuck played football at the University of Oklahoma for Bud Wilkinson from 1954 to 1957. In 1956, Bowman attend the first FCA Summer Camp held in Estes Park, Colorado. This introduction to FCA, would influence Chuck to dedicate his life to working for Christ through the ministry of FCA.
After college he began a coaching career that took him to Shawnee, Tulsa Central, and Tulsa McLain. He became the head football coach and athletic director at Northeastern A&M Junior College (NEO) in 1967. In his first year at NEO his team went 9-1 and won the NJCAA National Championship. Under Bowman’s direction the Golden Norse won another NJCAA National Championship in 1969. Bowman was twice named NJCAA Coach of the Year in 1967 and again in 1969. He coached 9 all-Americans and won three bowl game victories in five years. Bowman’s overall record at NEO was 41 and 8. Bowman also served as president of the National Football Coaches Association.
Chuck became Oklahoma’s first Fellowship of Christian Athletes, (FCA) State Director in 1973. He created FCA’s endowment and began to grow the organization. Chuck and his wife Betty, who served as his assistant throughout their 31-year career with FCA, created many FCA events in Oklahoma that have continued today. These include Game Day events, Chapel services for college and high school teams, All-State Banquets, Auctions, College Retreats, and FCA Summer Camps. Other states have followed their example throughout the country. Oklahoma FCA would not be the most successful state program in the nation without Chuck’s decades of devoted leadership.
Lane Frost
Induction Sponsored by Jay & Jonelle Johnson, Continental Drive Away
Lane Frost grew up ridding dairy calves on his parents’ dairy farm in Randlett, Utah. Lane competed in the “Little Britches Rodeos” and any other rodeo he could enter. He won his first rodeo awards by the age of 10. He competed on calves and steers until age 15 when he began to ride bulls on a regular basis. His parents moved the family to Lane, Oklahoma in 1978 and he was the Bull Riding Champion at the Small Fry Rodeo Association. Following this move to Oklahoma, Lane began to work with legendary bull rider Freckles Brown. Lane was the Bull Riding Champion of the Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association and runner -up of the National High School Rodeo Association in 1980. One year later Lane won the Bull Riding Championship in the National High School Final Rodeo and retained his title as the Bull Riding Championship of the Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association. He retained the Bull Riding Championship for a third year as a Senior at Atoka High School. Lane was also the Bull Riding Champion of the American Junior Rodeo Association and the First Annual Youth Nationals Finals.
Lane Frost received full membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1983 at the age of 19. He finished 1983 as the PRCA Prairie Circuit Bull Riding Champion. 1984 was the first year Lane qualified for the National Finals Rodeo, an event he would qualify for every year until his death in 1989. Lane earned the Championship at the “Super Bull” event in 1985. Later that year Lane was honored to be one of the 136 top rodeo competitors chosen for the newly formed Winston Tour Rodeo. Lane finished1985 third in the world standings and second in NFR earnings. He rode 9 out of 10 bulls at the 1986 National Finals Rodeo and placed 3rd in the world standings. Lane continued his winning ways in 1987. He won the bull-riding at the “Pendleton Round Up” and was the Texas Circuit Bull Riding Champion. Lane Frost then became the “World Champion Bull Rider” at the 1987 National Finals Rodeo where he rode 8 of 10 bulls and placed second in NFR earnings.
Lane kept a busy schedule in 1988, competing with the U.S. Rodeo Team and at regular rodeos. He rode 7 out of 10 bulls at the 1988 National Finals and finished fifth in NFR earnings and sixth in the world standings. Lane vowed to regain his focus in 1989. In July he went to Cheyenne Wyoming to compete in the “Cheyenne Frontier Days” Rodeo. On July 30, 1989, he drew the bull “Takin’ Care of Business”. After successfully completing his ride, Lane dismounted and was hit by the bull breaking his ribs and severing a main artery. He died within minutes. It was estimated that 3500 people attended Lane’s funeral on August 2, 1989, at the First Baptist Church in Atoka, Oklahoma.
R.W. McQuarters
Induction Sponsored by Bill Altstatt, Barry Sanders Nissan of Ardmore & Oklahoma State University
R.W. McQuarters was a standout multi-sport athlete at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he was a USA Today High School All-American. Following high school, McQuarters attended Oklahoma State University (OSU). He choose Oklahoma State in part because he also wanted to play basketball for coach Eddie Sutton. McQuarters played three years of basketball and became known as one of the most versatile players in college football. He contributed to all three phases of the game. Playing defensive back, wide receiver, and kick returner. Though his primary position was at corner back on the defensive side of the ball, McQuarters started nine games at wide receiver as a junior and finished his college career with eight receptions for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 69 yards on two carries with one rushing touchdown. He had 521 punt return yards with one touchdown and 195 yards on eight kickoff returns for an average of 24.4 yards per return. McQuarters finished his college career as First -Team All-Big 12 in 1997.
Following college McQuarters was taken in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played for two seasons in San Francisco. He averaged 8.6 yards per punt return with one touchdown and 19.9 yards per kick-off return as a rookie: while also playing defensive back. McQuarters averaged 21.8 yards per kickoff return in his second season with the 49ers. He then played five seasons for the Chicago Bears as a defensive back and return man on special teams. He spent one year in Detroit before joining the New York Giants in 2006. He had a key interception in the 2007 NFC divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys that sealed the victory for New York. McQuarters won a Super Bowl with the 2007 Giants in Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots. McQuarters finished his NFL career with 371 tackles and 14 interceptions along with 2,020 punt return yards, 1,369 kickoff return yards and 3 punt return touchdowns.
Wilcy Moore
Induction Sponsored by Great Plains National Bank & Liberty National Bank
Wilcy Moore was born in Bonita, Texas on May 20, 1897. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Hollis, Oklahoma where his father, a cotton farmer, filed a homestead claim on 160 acres. Wilcy grew up on the family cotton farm. He pitched for local semipro teams while working on the farm. He began his professional baseball career in the Class D Texas-Oklahoma League in 1922. Moore won all five of his starts and was promoted to Fort Worth of the Class A Texas League where he finished 5-4 with a 2.55 Earned Run Average (ERA). Moore spent the next several years bouncing around the minor leagues. While pitching in the Class B South Atlantic League for Greenville in 1925, Moore’s pitching arm was fractured by a batted ball. After his arm healed, he found it hurt less to throw sidearm. This sidearm motion allowed Moore to develop a sinker. He finished the 1926 season 30-4 with a 2.86 ERA. The New York Yankees signed Moore to a contract on February 21, 1927, for $2,500. Wilcy Moore, now 30 years old, saw this as his last chance to play in the majors.
After a good spring training, Moore made the 1927 N.Y. Yankees roster and made his first appearance on April 14, 1927. As the season progressed Moore became a valuable reliever and a spot starter. The Yankees won the pennant. Wilcy Moore pitched 213 innings in 50 games as a relief pitcher and went 19-7 as an occasional starter. Moore went 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA, one complete game and one save in 10.2 innings pitched in the 1927 World Series as the Yankees swept the Pittsburgh Pirates. Moore struggled with arm soreness in 1928, going 4-4 with three saves in 35 games. He went 6-4 with a 4.13 ERA and nine saves in 1929 but still struggled with arm sorness. The Yankees traded Wilcy Moore to St. Paul in 1929. After a good season in St. Paul, Moore was drafted by the Boston Red Sox for the 1931 season.
Moore went 11-13 with a 3.88 ERA and eight saves for the Red Sox in 1931. The Red Sox traded Moore back to the Yankees during the 1932 season. With the Yankees he went 2-0 with a 2.52 ERA, four saves and was the winning pitcher in game four of the 1932 World Series. He struggled again in 1933 and was demoted to the minor leagues. He played four seasons with Kansas City of the AAAmerican Association before retiring from professional baseball in 1940. Wilcy Moore returned to cotton farming in Hollis, Oklahoma after he retired. He died on March 29, 1963, at the age of 65, in Hollis, Oklahoma.
Charles Wayne “Tinker” Owens
Induction Sponsored by Steve and Barbara Owens & Family & University of Oklahoma
Charles Wayne “Tinker” Owens was a multi-sport athlete at Miami High School in Miami, Oklahoma. He was an All-State and All-American in football who helped lead Miami to the 3A State Championship in 1972. Owens was also a three-time All-State selection in track, in the 100m low hurdles, 120m high hurdles, and the long jump. Following high school, Owens attended the University of Oklahoma where he played wide receiver for the football team. As a freshman he was named MVP of the 1972 Sugar Bowl with 132 yards receiving. Named a two time All-American, Tinker was an integral part of the 1974 and 1975 Oklahoma National Championship teams. He finished his college career with10 touchdowns, 62 receptions for 1,424 yards, placing him fourth on the all-time yardage list among Sooner wide receivers.
Following college, Owens was drafted in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He played four seasons with the Saints from 1976-1980. Tinker Owens finished his pro football career with 60 receptions for 785 yards and four touchdowns. Following his NFL career, Tinker founded his own insurance and marketing service company where he serves as president.
Lee Roy Smith III
Induction Sponsored by Shaw’s Gulf & Oklahoma State University
When Lee Roy Smith III stepped on the wrestling mat for the first time in the fourth grade, he started what would grow into a family sports dynasty in the state of Oklahoma. He attended Del City High school in Del City, Oklahoma where he won two Oklahoma state wrestling championships compiling an overall record of 71-3. He was the first Oklahoma wrestler to win two National Junior Freestyle Championships and drew the attention of college coaches across the country.
Following high school Smith attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) to wrestle for Coach Tommy Chesbro. He won four Big Eight Conference championships, was a three-time All-American and capped his career with the 1980 NCAA championship at 142 pounds. He was the first wrestler in OSU’s storied history to reach 100 wins and was the Cowboys’ 1980 Athlete of the Year. After college, Smith turned his attention to both coaching and competing internationally. He won three national freestyle wrestling titles and qualified for two U.S. teams for the World championships. He won a silver medal at the 1983 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling in Kiev, USSR and was the silver medalist in World Cup competition in 1983 and 1984.
Lee Roy began his coaching career in 1982 and served as an assistant coach at OSU from 1982 to 1987. He helped recruit his younger brother John to OSU and coached him to two All-America seasons and the first of his two NCAA championships, in 1987. He then went on to coach with the Swiss National Team from 1987-1989 and served as USA Wrestling’s freestyle coach from 1989 to 1992. In four years as national coach, he led four individuals to a total of six world titles including his younger brother John and fellow Oklahoman Kenny Monday. Smith guided the USA to its best Olympic wrestling performance at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The U.S. team won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal, placed all 10 weight classes in the top seven and set a record for team points. Smith also coached the USA Wrestling team at the 1997 World Championships in Serbia.
Smith was named the head wrestling coach at Arizona State University in 1992. He led the ASU wrestling program until 2001 and complied a 91-58-1 record at ASU. The Sun Devils made nine NCAA tournament appearances and won five Pac-10 titles under Smith’s guidance. He coached 28 All-Americans, 27 Pac-10 Conference Champions and three NCAA Champions. He was honored four times as Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year and was named the national Rookie Coach of the Year for 1993. More importantly, his teams achieved the highest graduation rate of any sport on campus.
Smith left coaching in 2001 and began a career in nonprofit management and fundraising. He was named the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museumin Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2004. He steered the organization to financial solvency, including acquiring an additional museum, The Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. Within the last decade, he has spearheaded capital campaigns that resulted in a $3.8 million state-of-the-art renovation in Stillwater and $1.5 million of improvements in Waterloo. Under Smith’s leadership the NWHOF has become one of the premier sports museums in the country.
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame 