LIU to Establish Athletics Hall of Fame
Bee Heads List of First 11 to be Inducted February 19

The department of athletics at Long Island University recently announced its plans to establish an athletics Hall of Fame at the downtown Brooklyn Campus.

A committee comprised of current and former administrators selected 11 members for the inaugural induction, which is slated for halftime of the LIU men's basketball game against Fairleigh Dickinson on February 19 at Schwartz Athletic Center.

Clair F. Bee, who coached the Blackbirds' men's basketball team to its greatest successes in the 1930's and 1940's will be inducted along with three of his former players. In 18 years as head coach, Bee won a school-record 360 games, led the Blackbirds to a pair of undefeated seasons (1935-36 and 1938-39) and also to a pair of NIT championships (1938-39 and 1940-41). His daughter, Cindy Farley, will be on hand to receive the honor.

Men's basketball players Jules Bender and William 'Dolly' King, both deceased, and Ossie Schectman will be among those inducted.

Bender, noted by many as the greatest collegiate player of his era, became the first player in metropolitan college basketball history to score over 1,000 points. The team's leading scorer from 1934-37, Bender helped the Blackbirds to an astounding 103-6 record in his career.

King remains the greatest all-around athlete in LIU history. A member of the 1938-39 and 1940-41 NIT championship teams, it was not uncommon for him to play offensive end for the LIU football team during the day and then play 40 minutes of basketball for the Blackbirds that night.

Schectman, an All-American in 1941, led the Blackbirds to their second NIT championship. Drafted by the New York Knicks in the original NBA in 1946, he was named the Knicks' first team captain and was credited with scoring the first basket in NBA history.

Two former members of the LIU men's soccer team, Ray Klivecka and Dov Markus, will also be inducted.

Klivecka, a two-time All-American who finished his career as the Blackbirds' all-time leading goal scorer, led LIU to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1963. He would later go on to become head coach of the New York Cosmos of the NASL.

Markus, also a two-time All-American, shattered the NCAA's career goal-scoring record with 78 from 1965-67. The nation's first-ever recipient of the 'Hermann' Award as the nation's most outstanding player, he led the school to three consecutive NCAA appearances in his three years.

One of the greatest pitchers in school history, Sal Campisi, will also be inducted. In possession of nearly every campus pitching record, Campisi won a school-record 12 games as a senior in 1964 with a nation's leading 0.27 ERA.

Denise Eigner and Lorna Forde-Mitchell will be the first two female athletes inducted.

A member of the women's basketball team from 1976-80, Eigner finished her career as the Blackbirds' all-time leading scorer with 1,267 points. She helped LIU to a 19-4 mark in 1976-77, and in 1978-79 became the first player in LIU women's basketball history to amass over 300 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a season.

Forde-Mitchell, a former two-time indoor world record holder in the 500m and 440 yard dashes lifted the LIU track and field off the ground and became its first All-American in 1978. Recently inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame and the New York Armory Hall of Fame, she represented her native Barbados in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
The final two inductees, Roslyn Beck and William 'Buck' Lai, were administrators and coaches who both had long careers and demonstrated leadership, integrity and tenacity through difficult times.

Beck, who recently retired from full-time duties, helped to pioneer the women's athletics program at LIU by launching the women's tennis, gymnastics and track programs while also resurrecting the women's basketball program. Named the first assistant director of athletics for women at LIU, she guided the women's basketball team to winning records in each year from 1965-70 as head coach.

Lai, who served the campus from 1947-73, carried through the revitalization of the LIU men's basketball program through 'Operation Rebound' in 1957 following a six-year hiatus. A former basketball and baseball coach of the Blackbirds, he also served as Acting Provost and Chair of the physical education department. He spearheaded efforts to convert the Paramount Theatre to Schwartz Athletic Center in 1963.

"This institution has one of the longest and proudest traditions of excellence that is unparalleled by most universities in the country," said director of athletics John Suarez. "Narrowing the choices down to the 11 who we are inducting was most difficult, but we couldn't be happier with the quality and diversity of the athletes and administrators we selected."

At halftime of the Feb. 19th game, the inductees will receive a replica plaque of what will be displayed on the Wall of Fame which will be located in Founders Hall, adjacent to Schwartz Athletic Center.

Following the game, there will be a ceremony held in the Luntey Commons, also adjacent to Schwartz Center.