Seven outstanding contributors to Mountaineer athletics make up the 20th class of honorees in the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame, announced today (May 23) by Director of Athletics Ed Pastilong.
The 2010 class includes Eddie Barrett, Marc Bulger, Bobby Carroll, Bill Karr, Ann-Marie (Pfiffner) Johnson, John Radosevich and Ronnie Retton.
Induction ceremonies will take place this fall at a date to be announced. This class brings the total number of inductees to 128.
Eddie Barrett
A native of Fairmont, W.Va., Eddie Barrett was WVU’s athletics publicity director from 1951-67, except for a two-year period when he served in the United States Air Force.
He was hired at age 20 by then-athletic director Roy “Legs” Hawley. Barrett helped publicize some of the greatest basketball players in WVU history – Hot Rod Hundley, Rod Thorn, Jerry West, Ron “Fritz” Williams, Mark Workman and Lloyd Sharrar. He also publicized football first team All-Americans Sam Huff and Bruce Bosley. He served on the NCAA Public Relations Committee from 1963-67.
Barrett helped bring WVU into the modern age of sports information by laying the foundation for statistics, records and brochures. A $160,000 three-level press box was built during his tenure in 1963 that featured removable windows atop of Old Mountaineer Field. His 1961 WVU basketball brochure was recognized nationally by the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Following his stint at WVU, Barrett became the youngest major college athletic director at Marshall at age 36 in 1967. He then worked with Pepsi-Cola before getting into the insurance business with Connecticut Mutual, Washington National, Northwestern National, Northern Life and ING ReliaStar. He received first-place awards nationally for insurance sales and tax shelter annuity plans (403b plans). Barrett currently serves as president of Tax Sheltered Benefits, Inc.
Barrett, born March 16, 1931, resides in Huntington with his wife, Betty. They have five children – Kevin, Richard, Ed, John and Ann – and 11 grandchildren.
Barrett and his wife were honored in 2009 as the Most Loyal West Virginians from WVU, and the WVU Foundation honored the Barretts with the 2007 Outstanding Philanthropy award. He received the WVU Alumni Association’s award for promoting the spirit and tradition of West Virginia.
Barrett is a member of Mountain Honorary, Beta Theta Pi fraternity and Jerry West Society, and he served as president of the 2005 WVU Alumni Association Emeritus Club.
Marc Bulger
One of the greatest quarterbacks in Mountaineer football history, Marc Bulger was a three-year starter from 1996-99, appearing in 38 games with 32 career starts.
A native of Pittsburgh, Bulger tallied 8,153 career passing yards, 59 passing touchdowns and 61 total touchdowns. When he finished his WVU career, he held 25 school passing and total offense records, including career total offense (7,827), completions (630), attempts (1,023), touchdown passes (59), completion percentage (61.6 percent), single-season total offense (3,515 in 1998), passing yards (3,607 in 1998), completions (274 in 1998), attempts (419 in 1998), touchdown passes (31 in 1998), single-game total offense (424 vs. Missouri in 1998), most completions (34 vs. Missouri in 1998) and pass attempts (50 vs. Missouri in 1998). All of the single-game records vs. Missouri are also WVU’s single-game bowl records. Bulger also set school records with six touchdown passes against Pitt in 1998 and consecutive completions (13) against East Carolina in 1999. He holds five of the top 10 passing game marks in WVU history.
A two-time all-BIG EAST second-team selection in 1998 and 1999, Bulger led WVU to a 27-20 record during his career with appearances in the 1996 Gator Bowl, 1997 Carquest Bowl and 1998 Insight.com Bowl. He was the 1998 Insight.com Bowl Offensive MVP and played in the 1999 Hula Bowl.
A sixth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2000, Bulger signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2001 and spent nine seasons with the Rams. He surpassed 20,000 career passing yards in 81 games, becoming the fifth-fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 20,000 passing yards behind Dan Marino, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning and Daunte Culpepper. He was the second-fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 15,000 passing yards (56 games). On Sept. 10, 2006, he became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to complete 1,000 passes (45 games).
He was a two-time NFL Pro Bowl selection (2003 and 2007) and was named Pro Bowl MVP in 2003, throwing a Pro Bowl record four touchdown passes.
Bulger’s 22,814 career passing yards rank second all-time in Rams history. He ranks first in franchise history in completions (1,969) and third in attempts (3,171). His 122 touchdown passes rank third in team history and his 84.4 career passer rating is second in franchise history. Bulger led the Rams to 10 come-from-behind victories, and he produced 29 career games of at least 300 yards passing. In his pro career, Bulger started 95-of-96 games played.
Bulger resides in St. Louis with his wife, Mavis, and daughter, Elsa. He has started the Marc Bulger Foundation, which finds innovative ways to provide funding to a diverse range of programs designed to benefit men and women in uniform, who risk their well-being daily in order to provide Americans with a better quality of life.
Bobby Carroll
A native of Wheeling, Bobby Carroll was a four-year letterman in basketball from 1945-48, serving as captain of the 1946 squad.
Carroll led the Mountaineers in scoring during his freshman season, averaging 12.2 points per game. He scored a career-high 22 points against Ashford General Army Hospital in 1945.
Carroll tallied 698 points during his career, averaging 8.4 points per contest. He played in 83 contests, starting 50 of those games. He led the Mountaineers to three consecutive NIT appearances from 1945-47.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from WVU in 1948 and his master’s degree in physical education from WVU in 1952.
After graduating from WVU, he became a teacher in Wheeling. He taught at Madison Junior High and was a volunteer assistant for the Wheeling High basketball team under coach Everett Brinkman. Following his stint there, he moved on to teach at Bridgeport (Ohio) High (1955-62) and was the basketball coach from 1957-62, where he coached Hall of Famer John Havlicek. Carroll then became the head coach of Strongsville (Ohio) High, and then took the position of athletic director and head basketball coach at Twinsburg (Ohio) High. In 1968, he was named Chagrin Valley Coach of the Year, and two years later, he was named the 1970 Ohio High School Athletic Association Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year. Carroll also was inducted into the association’s hall of fame.
He is married to Emily Barth Carroll, who also received her master’s degree from WVU. The couple has two children, Bob Jr., and Beth, and three grandchildren. The couple resides in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bill Karr
Bill Karr, a native of Ripley, was a three-sport standout in football, baseball and boxing from 1930-32.
Karr was a three-year letterman at end, playing for Ira Errett Rodgers and Earle “Greasy” Neale. He is a member of the 1930-39 all-decade team at WVU, and earned one varsity letter in baseball and boxing.
Following his time at WVU, Karr played six seasons (1933-38) with the NFL’s Chicago Bears for coach George “Papa Bear” Halas. He caught 48 passes for 1,032 yards and had 18 touchdowns. Karr was selected to the all-NFL squad and earned all-pro recognition in 1935, when six of his nine receptions went for touchdowns. He scored the winning touchdown in the 1933 NFL title game.
He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 1933 (3) and in 1935 (6). In a 1968 edition of Football News, Halas hailed Karr as one of the greatest ends he had ever coached.
Following his football career, Karr worked for the West Virginia State Police and owned a business in Clendenin.
Karr and his wife, Elizabeth, had four children, Bill III, David, Jane and Debra. Karr passed away on Oct. 29, 1979. His nephew, Dick Rader, played football for the Mountaineers from 1963-65.
Ann-Marie (Pfiffner) Johnson
Ann-Marie (Pfiffner) Johnson, a four-time All-American and two-time air rifle national champion in 1991-92, led the Mountaineers to four consecutive NCAA rifle championships, including eight total air rifle and smallbore titles, from 1989-92 and a perfect 37-0 record.
The native of Dubuque, Iowa, holds the air rifle 40 shots record of 397, set against Army in 1989. She was the WVU rifle team’s most valuable shooter in 1992 and recipient of the Fred Schaus Captain’s Award.
A former member of the U.S. National Team, she was one of only 10 women in the country to qualify for the Olympic trials in 1992. She finished 12th with a personal best of 578 (women’s 3-position) at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She also competed at the 1996 Olympic trials.
She was the first United States shooter to fire a perfect 400 in women’s air rifle 40 shots (standing) during the 1993 U.S. team selection; this was the first known 400 to be shot in the world. She has earned numerous medals during her career: a silver medal in air rifle at the 1991 Olympic Sports Festival, 1991 women’s air rifle bronze medal at the World Cup USA, 1992 smallbore women’s 3-position bronze medal at World Cup USA, 1992 smallbore women’s 3-position silver medal at World Cup Suhl, women’s air rifle gold and women’s 3-position bronze at 1993 USA World Cup, air rifle silver at 1993 World Cup Milan, air rifle silver at 1993 UIT World Cup final Munich, air rifle gold medal at 1994 USA World Cup, women’s smallbore 3-position bronze World Cup Milan, team gold women’s air rifle at 1994 Beijing World Cup, women’s air rifle gold medal at 1994 UIT World Cup final Munich, women’s air rifle gold at 1991-1995 USA International Shooting National Championships, smallbore women’s 3-position gold at 1994 USA International Shooting National Championship, silver women’s air rifle at 1995 Olympic Sports Festival, silver women’s smallbore 3-position at 1995 Olympic Sports Festival and numerous women’s air rifle gold, silver and bronze at the Munich Invitational Air Rifle Championships 1993-1996. She also was the 1994 USOC Female Shooting Athlete of the Year and 1993 and 1994 USST Female Rifle Athlete of the Year.
She is married to WVU alum David Johnson, the USA National and Olympic rifle coach. They reside in Colorado Springs, Colo., with their son, Zachary “Zack” (4).
John Radosevich
John Radosevich, a three-year letterwinner in baseball from 1963-65, helped the Mountaineers to a 73-17 record during his career.
One of the most dominant pitchers in Mountaineer history, he is the only WVU player to record more than 300 strikeouts (339) during his career. Radosevich recorded back-to-back seasons with 120 or more strikeouts and holds the school record for strikeouts in a season with 123 in 1964 and 120 in 1965. He set the single-game record that still stands with 22 strikeouts against Waynesburg in 1964. Radosevich had six career games of 15 strikeouts or more.
Captain of the 1965 team, Radosevich is fourth all-time on WVU’s wins list with 25 and is second in career winning percentage at .862 (25-4). One of the most durable pitchers in WVU history, he completed 21 starts to establish a school record.
A native of Ronco, Pa., he led West Virginia in victories in each of his three seasons and also led the team in earned run average in 1964 and 1965. Radosevich led the Mountaineers to the NCAA tournament in 1963 and 1964. He holds the school NCAA tournament record for pitching appearances and strikeouts.
Radosevich earned all-Southern Conference first-team honors in 1964 and 1965. He pitched a one-hitter against VMI in 1964. He was the first-ever Mountaineer selected in the Major League Baseball draft, picked by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round in 1965.
Radosevich played three seasons in the Dodgers minor league system, compiling a 24-5 record. He was forced to retire prematurely after tearing his rotator cuff, and went on to become a physical education and biological science teacher for 39 years at Broadway High in Harrisonburg, Va.
In his retirement, Radosevich has taken an interest in photography.
Radosevich married his wife, Diane, in 1967, and they continue to reside in Harrisonburg. They have one son, Brad, and four grandchildren.
Ronnie Retton
Ronnie Retton, a native of Fairview, was a two-sport standout in basketball and baseball.
A great defensive basketball player, Retton earned three varsity letters from 1957-59, serving as co-captain of the 1959 team that reached the national championship game. He played in 82 career games and scored 294 points. Retton had 105 rebounds and 104 assists during his career, averaged 14 minutes per game and shot 71.9 percent (100-of-139) from the free throw line. It was Retton’s steal and driving layup in the waning seconds that preserved the Mountaineers’ 95-92 win over St. Joseph’s in the second round of the 1959 NCAA Tournament in Charlotte.
On the diamond, Retton earned first team all-Southern Conference honors in 1957 and 1959 at shortstop. He earned three varsity letters in baseball before signing a free agent contract with the New York Yankees.
Following his collegiate career, Retton played six years in the Yankees minor league system, including stops in Auburn, N.Y., Greensboro, N.C., Augusta, Ga., and Columbus, Ga. He reached the Double-A level before retiring in 1964 to devote more time to his family.
Retton spent 23 years working for the B&W Cable Co. before retiring in 1986. He enjoys playing golf on a weekly basis and attending his grandchildren’s sporting events.
A 1959 graduate of WVU, Retton and his wife, Lois, reside in Fairmont. They have five children: Shari (WVU All-America gymnast and WVU Sports Hall of Fame member), Mary Lou (Olympic Gold medalist), Ronnie Jr. (former WVU baseball player), Donnie and Jerry.
Retton’s induction marks the first father-daughter combination in the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.
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CONTACT: Bryan Messerly; WVU Sports Communications
304-293-2821; Bryan.Messerly@mail.wvu.edu
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