Defensvie back Dre’ Bly of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
NORFOLK, Va. — Two outstanding defensive backs who won Super Bowls will be among the 2017 induction class for the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame. That class, announced in July, was honored at the induction banquet Monday at Norfolk Scope arena.
The induction class for the Hall of Fame consists of football star Dre Bly of Chesapeake, who won a Super Bowl with the St. Lous Rams; the late Abe Goldblatt, influential sportswriter at the Virginian-Pilot; field hockey standout Yogi Hightower Boothe, from Virgnia Beach and Old Dominion University; Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who starred with the Tides and later managed the team; Chesapeake’s Charlie Stukes, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Colts; and Debbie White, longtime athletic administrator at ODU.
Dre Bly (Chesapeake) – Western Branch graduate had long career as an NFL cornerback. Played two years for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was All-American both years. Led the nation in interceptions as freshman and broke the ACC record for career interceptions. Played 11 years in the NFL with the Rams, Lions, Broncos and 49ers. Won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams and played in two Pro Bowls. Finished his NFL career with 43 interceptions.
The late Abe Goldblatt (Virginian-Pilot) — Longtime sportswriter at the Virginian-Pilot. A Portsmouth native, he began writing for the Virginian-Pilot as a teen in 1931 and covered sports in Hampton Roads until his death in 1994. Credited with giving Pernell Whitaker the nickname “Sweetpea.” He was a member of the Norfolk and Portsmouth sports clubs. Goldblatt will be inducted posthumously.
Yogi Hightower Boothe (Kempsville High School, ODU) – Field hockey star. In 1982, she helped lead Old Dominion to its first national title in that sport. Two-time All-American. Won the Honda Award as the nation’s top collegiate field hockey player as a senior. She played for the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, after serving as an alternate in 1984. Has also coached locally.
Manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Clint Hurdle (Tidewater/Norfolk Tides) – Outstanding player for the Tides for three seasons, including 105 RBI in 139 games in 1983. Managed the Tides in 1992-93 and was the team’s first manager in Harbor Park. Has since gone on to a successful major-league managerial career, including an NL pennant with the Rockets in 2007. Currently manages the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Charlie Stukes (Chesapeake) — Crestwood High School football star went on to play at Maryland State (now University of Maryland-Eastern Shore) and then in the NFL. Started at cornerback in Super Bowl V for the Baltimore Colts. Played in the NFL from 1967-74 for the Colts and the Rams. Had 32 career interceptions in the NFL. Later coached at Oscar Smith High School and worked as an administrator there.
Debbie White (ODU) – Longtime athletic administrator at Old Dominon. Started in sports information (1979), and then became assistant athletic director in mid-1980s; was promoted to associate director (1995) and senior associate (2003). Before that, was the first fulltime female sportswriter in the state (Daily Press, 1974-77). Has done national marketing work for the NCAA and served as a U.S. media coordinator at the 1984 Olympic Games. Inducted into the College Sports Information Directors Hall of Fame.
