Six Enter Tulane Athletics Hall Of Fame
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Oct. 13, 2000
NEW ORLEANS -- Five former student-athletes and benefactor Robert Cudd III were inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame by the T-Club, Tulane's former letterwinners organization Friday night at a reception at the James W. Wilson Intercollegiate Athletics Center.
Cudd, football players Steve Barrios, Neal Jones and Don Maggs, and baseball student-athletes John Foto and Mike Romano will also be honored prior to the Tulane-Southern Miss football game Saturday. Complete bios and photos on the honorees follow.
Also honored Friday night were the 1999-2000 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, selected by the T-Club. Football receiver JaJuan Dawson was honored as the Male Athlete of the Year after rewriting the TU receiving record books in a stellar 1999 season. Dawson was then drafted in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and won a starting job with the club before a broken collarbone sidelined him.
Daley became Tulane's leading basketball scorer ever and led TU to a 27-5 record and the NCAA Tournament. She played for the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx last season before being traded to the New York Liberty in August.
The T-Club has inducted student-athletes and supporters of Tulane Athletics into the Hall of Fame since 1977.
2000 TULANE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Bob Cudd, III, Benefactor (1958-present)
Robert C. Cudd, III (A&S '58, L '60) is one of Tulane Athletics' most generous supporters. He has maintained a strong affinity for Green Wave sports since courting his wife Carol Downes Cudd (N '59) at Tulane football games. A life-long member of the Green Wave Club (now Green Wave Athletic Association), Cudd was a member of the Steering Committee and Capital Subcommittee of the 1986 Campaign for Tulane Athletics, which raised $25M to build a nationally competitive athletics program. As part of this effort, he contributed to the Wilson Center Building Fund, as well as scholarship support through the Ben Weiner Foundation. Among his many activities on behalf of athletics, Bob has chaired the Development Committee of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee of the Tulane Board and was a member of the athletic director search committee. Cudd has continued his strong commitment to Athletics by providing substantial financial support to the Athletics Stabilization Fund and the Bridge Fund.
Don Maggs, Football (1981-1983)
As a three-year letterwinner for the Green Wave, Maggs brought more than just solid blocking and a strong left side to the team. A top-notch offensive tackle, Maggs quickly became a media favorite and started three years for the Wave. After coming to Tulane from Youngstown, Ohio, Maggs almost chose to return home following his freshman season. When he was slated to start his sophomore season, he came back with a desire to win that led him to sophomore All-America honors in 1981. His strength and stability on the left side helped Tulane to beat then nationally ranked LSU in the 1982 season finale. He was selected to represent Tulane at the Senior Bowl following his senior season. Maggs played in the USFL for two seasons, then embarked on a nine-year NFL career (1986-1994) spending seven years with the Houston Oilers and two years with Denver.
John Foto, Baseball (1974-1977)
A four-year letterman for the Green Wave, Foto brought strength in the outfield to the Wave. In 1974, as a freshman, Foto's impressive play led Tulane to a winning season and made Foto the Most Valuable Player. In 1977 Foto added to his award list by earning all-Metro Conference Tournament honors. In Foto's four years, Tulane posted a 101-47-2 (.680) record. Foto led the Wave in batting in three of his four seasons, including a career best .384 as a junior.
Mike Romano, Baseball (1991-1993)
One of the finest pitchers in Tulane baseball history, Romano earned All-America honors in 1992 after an excellent sophomore season. A member of Tulane's 1992 NCAA Regional team, Romano earned all-tournament honors after the Wave's game one win over South Alabama. His impressive showing also earned him Most Valuable Player honors of the 1992 Metro Conference Tournament after leading Tulane to the tournament championship. Romano's name still figures prominently in the Tulane record books. He holds the single season record for complete games (15), is second in starts (21) and innings pitched (165.1), and ranks third in the number of single season victories (17). At one point in his Tulane career Romano posted 11 consecutive game victories. Even though Romano was drafted after the completion of his junior season, he still holds career records in complete games (29), innings pitched (388.0) and strikeouts (389).
Steve Barrios, Football (1969-1971)
One of the finest wide receivers in Tulane history, Steve Barrios continues to contribute to Green Wave football 30 years after his collegiate career ended. Barrios earned three letters for Tulane and finished his career with 60 receptions for 1,197 yards and eight touchdowns. He had two 100-yard receiving games in his career and was just the sixth player in school history to record a 100-yard receiving game. Barrios finished his career as the holder of four school records, including most career receiving yards (1,197) and highest career average in yards per catch (19.95). That record still stands today, while he ranks in the top 15 in career receptions and yardage. He was a member of the 1970 Liberty Bowl team and served as a team captain in the 1971 season. Barrios was a three-time All-South Independent selection and spent two seasons playing professionally with the Jacksonville franchise in the World Football League. He has served as the color commentator for Green Wave football broadcasts for the past 20 seasons.
Neal Jones, Football (1957-59), Administration (1990-2000)
A true Tulane hero, Jones was a three-year letterman on the football team from 1957-59. Before he became eligible for the varsity, Jones was a starter for the Wave and was the school's last "60 minute" man. Jones, a three-year varsity starter at both linebacker and center, played nearly every single play during his sophomore year. That was highlighted by the November 7, 1957 game against Alabama in which Jones battled 98-degree heat and played 60 minutes. Following graduation in 1960, Jones spent the next 21 years in the Air Force, during which he spent more than six and a half years as a POW in North Vietnam. He was in private business in the Washington, D.C. area for eight years before returning to Tulane in 1990 as the executive director of the T Club and Director of Athletic Development.
