On Sept. 13, six current and former athletes from Montgomery County were inducted into the new Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame at the Silver Spring Civic Center, according to Montgomery Community Media.
The Hall of Fame was made to honor a few of Montgomery County’s extraordinary sports talents; gymnast Dominique Dawes, swimmer Katie Ledecky, football player Bob Milloy, soccer player Bruce Murray, baseball player Walter Johnson and football player Shawn Springs were all inducted. These men and women were picked because they have brought recognition to the community in their own respective fields.
Currently, there is no permanent location for the Hall of Fame because the idea was only first discussed in 2018.
Dawes is the first African American female to win an Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics individually. She has numerous medals from both national and international. competitions. Not only is she a standout athlete, but she also volunteers at various nonprofits.
Ledecky went to Georgetown Prep. She won her first Olympic gold medal with them at the age of fifteen in the 2012 London Olympics, jump-starting her career. She now has 20 gold medals from both the Olympics. In 2016, Ledecky joined Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
Milloy won 405 football games during the 47 years he spent coaching in Montgomery County. Starting off as the assistant coach for DeMatha High School, he worked his way up to be the head coach at high schools such as Walt Whitman, Springbrook, Sherwood and Good Counsel. Milloy has resided in Montgomery County his whole life, and he is still among the most successful high school coaches in the U.S.
Murray has been winning national soccer titles from a young age. He won two titles with Churchill High School and the club team, the Washington United Ponies. At Clemson College, Murray led his teams to national championships in his freshman and senior years. In 1987, Murray won the Herman Trophy for being the top male collegiate soccer star. Murray also participated in the Olympics and the World Cup for the U.S. team.
While attending Springbrook High School, Springs was an All-State cornerback and running back. In college, he played as a defensive back for Ohio State University. Springs went on to be the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year and Consensus All American in 1996. In the NFL, he played for teams such as the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots. Now, he is the CEO of Windpact, which makes safe helmets for athletes, military personnel and people in the automotive industry.
“Shawn Springs being in the Hall of Fame means a lot to me. It is [a] motivation to me that someone from a small town like Silver Spring can go out and play professionally,” Springbrook High School senior Marie Desir said. “I want to see my name in the Hall of Fame.”
Walter Johnson was a Washington Senators Pitcher known as “The Big Train.” He had 417 wins, 110 shutouts and 531 complete games. In 1936 Johnson was put in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. After finishing his idealistic baseball career Johnson was elected to Montgomery County’s Commission in 1938. He was a Republican that later ran for the 6th District Congress. Though he lost in 1940, Johnson still left a legacy: Walter Johnson High School. The Big Train summer collegiate baseball team is also named after him.
The Hall of Fame now serves as a source of inspiration for young athletes in Montgomery County.
“I play volleyball, and no one inducted in the Hall of Fame played volleyball,” Springbrook junior Logan Lewis said. “So, it makes me feel like I can be the first if I work hard.”
Article by Ananda Gyaase of Springbrook High School
Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Department of State