Russell Maryland Named To Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame
April 20, 2001
DALLAS, Texas – Former Hurricane defensive tackle Russell Maryland and six other individuals who helped enrich the tradition of the Cotton Bowl and college football history will be inducted into the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame in May, Southwestern Bell and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association recently announced.
The inductees include former UM All-American and Outland Award winner Russell Maryland, Texas tackle Scott Appleton, Syracuse halfback Ernie Davis, Clemson and Rice coach Jess Neely, Arkansas defensive tackle Loyd Phillips, Texas split end Charles “Cotton” Speyrer, and Houston coach Bill Yeoman.
Maryland led a dominating performance by the Miami defense in a 46-3 blitz of the Texas Longhorns in the 1991 Cotton Bowl Classic. He garnered nine tackles and three quarterback sacks on the way to being named Outstanding Defensive Player of the game.
The 2001 Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 15, at Cotton Bowl Plaza in Fair Park. The ceremony will be free and open to the public. Russell Maryland, Loyd Phillips, Cotton Speyrer and Bill Yeoman plan to attend the event. Scott Appleton, Ernie Davis and Jess Neely will be inducted posthumously.
Former SMU tailback, Cotton Bowl Classic participant and current CBS sportscaster Craig James will serve as the event’s master of ceremonies.
“The Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame honors the many extraordinary individuals who have played a role in developing the tradition, pageantry and prestige of one of college football’s most historic post-season bowl games,” said Fred McClure, chairman, Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. “We believe that the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fameprovides future generations with a greater appreciation for the rich tradition of college football on New Year’s Day here in Texas.”
A 35-member judging committee comprised of media representatives and athletic administrators voted from a list of 52 original nominees that included players, coaches, bowl administrators and others who have made special contributions to the Classic.
Selection criteria for the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame include the following:
* Voting is based solely upon an individual’s performance in, or contribution to, the Classic rather than on the person’s college orprofessional career.
* An individual is eligible five years after his final Classic appearance.
“The Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame provides the perfect opportunity to properly and permanently recognize these heroes and unique personalities who helped establish the Classic as one of college football’s premier events,” said Stan Sigman, president and CEO of Southwestern Bell. “Over just the past few years, the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall ofFame has become home to a virtual who’s who of college football legends.”
The Class of 2001 is the fourth to be inducted into the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. The inaugural Class of 1998 included Syracuse halfback Jim Brown, Texas quarterback Bobby Layne, Rice halfback Dicky Maegle, Texas coach Darrell Royal, Cotton Bowl Founder J. Curtis Sanford, “Mr. Cotton Bowl” Field Scovell and SMU halfback Doak Walker.
The Class of 1999 featured TCU quarterback Sammy Baugh, Arkansas coach Frank Broyles, Kilgore Rangerettes founder Gussie Nell Davis, Houston linebacker David Hodge, Cotton Bowl team selection chairman Felix McKnight, and Texas quarterback James Street.
A year ago, the Class of 2000 honored Alabama and Kentucky coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, Texas quarterback Duke Carlisle, Texas A&M linebacker Johnny Holland, Texas A&M fullback John Kimbrough, longtime network announcer Lindsey Nelson, Navy quarterback Roger Staubach and TCU halfback Jim Swink.
The Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame is one of several events developed by Southwestern Bell and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association to extend the Classic to the community and to future generations. These activities include the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Football Fest during the State Fair of Texas, the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Art Contest involving 6,500 elementary children from Dallas and Richardson, and the Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade and pep rallies in Fair Park.
