THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 7, 1995 TAG: 9502070419
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Anne Donovan swears she's not in the habit of keeping secrets from her mother, but . . .
``I didn't tell her that (Monday) was the day the Hall of Fame selections would be announced,'' the former three-time All-American at Old Dominion University confessed. ``I didn't want her worrying about it; you know, going to bed with her last thoughts being whether or not I'd make it.''
Turns out they had nothing to worry about and plenty to celebrate.
Donovan, the first women's basketball player to receive the Naismith Trophy as college player of the year, was one of seven elected to the basketball hall on Monday. Headlining the group was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Also honored were former players Cheryl Miller and Vern Mikkelsen, former coaches John Kundla and Aleksandr Gomelsky, and former NBA official Earl Strom.
Donovan, a 6-foot-8 center who scored 2,719 points, grabbed 1,976 rebounds and blocked an NCAA-record 801 shots in her four-year career at ODU, received the news from Hall of Fame director Joe O'Brien at 10 Monday morning. She immediately called her mother in Ridgewood, N.J., who sensed something unusual had happened.
``It's rare for me to call her on a work day, and when she got on the phone she said, `Gee, this is a nice surprise. What's up?' And I said, `Well, I just found out I'm going into the Hall of Fame.'
``She was so happy she squealed. It was great. Just the kind of reaction I hoped she'd have.''
Donovan spent much of the day on the phone with her seven brothers and sisters.
``Mr. O'Brien called back later in the day to ask if I'd made my plane arrangements yet,'' Donovan said. ``I told him, `Are you kidding? I've still got three brothers left to call.' ''
Donovan is to fly to New York this morning to be introduced at a news conference along with the other selectees. Induction at the Hall of Fame in Springfield., Mass., will take place this spring. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Anne Donovan and Cheryl Miller will go into the Hall together: ``It
shows that people are standing up and taking notice of women who
participate.''
by CNB