Jan. 30, 2008
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the 2008 Hall of Fame Induction Class. The Class contains five outstanding Hawks who excelled in competition and represented the University well on and off the court. The list includes basketball standout Allen Davenport, the late football and baseball great Jerome "Charlie" Boston, baseball sluggers Larry Brogden and Ralph Deaton and former Director of Athletics Joel Mack.
Allen Davenport, known as "AD" to many is a familiar face and name to the UMES family. Davenport, who still works on campus and serves as an assistant coach to the UMES Softball Team, was a standout in basketball and even played two seasons of baseball. Davenport, came to UMES under then men's head coach Kirkland Hall and played all four years for Hall and the Hawks. He earned team MVP honors his freshmen year in 78-79. He sat out the 79-80 for personal reasons and returned for the 1980-1981 year. He played the next two seasons of 1981-82 and 1982-83 earning numerous honors. He was on the team that made the transition to Division I in 81-82 and was named honorable mention All-MEAC that season. The following year Davenport again earned honorable mention All-MEAC as well as being named the MEAC All-Tournament Team and even being selected as a Player of the Week.
Davenport was a member of the 1980-81 team that finished 17-15, one of two Hawk teams since 1980 to finish with a winning record. He finished his degree in 1987 with a major of Construction Management and currently is employed at the UMES Bookstore. He has continued to serve the Hawks volunteering his coaching services for baseball, women's basketball and softball over the years. He even played baseball for the Hawks in the 1982 and 1983 seasons. Currently, he lives in Salisbury, Md.
Jerome "Charlie" Boston played football and baseball for the Hawks form 1971 through 1973. The quarterback earned All-MEAC honors in the 1973 season in football and followed that up with All-MEAC honors in baseball the same season as a right-handed pitcher. He earned letters in each sport all three years. Boston was also the Most Valuable Player of the Florida A&M Orange Blossom Classic for his quarterback play.
Boston is being inducted posthumously since his passing in 2006. He graduated in 1975 with a degree in Physical Education and worked with children at schools in his community. He was a member of the Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Men's Choir. He was the Ebenezer Man of the Year in 2006.
Baseball standouts Larry Brogden and Ralph Deaton had stellar careers on the diamond for the Hawks. Brogden played from 1964-1968 while Deaton was a member of the team from 1955-58.
Brogden, a 1968 graduate with a degree in mathematics was a member of the teams that won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships in 1966 and 1967. The '66 team was undefeated for the entire season and Brogden had one year of .422 at the plate. He presently works at Annapolis High School.
Deaton was a part of several CIAA Championship teams in the late 50s. He was named an All-CIAA second-team player in the outfield in 1957 and was acknowledged by the Letterman's Club as the Outstanding Newcomer in Baseball. Deaton retired as a social worker in 1998 and is active in the James United Methodist Church, Chester River Hospital Auxiliary Unit #2, the Planning Commission for the Town of Chestertown and in the Habitat for Humanity Concerned Men of Kent County. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in history and government.
The final inductee in the class of five is Joel Mack. Mack was the Director of Athletics at UMES from 1981-82, just one year but was a strong supporter of the Hawks for his entire time at UMES. Mack also served as the UMES Faculty Athletic Representative, the Chair of Faculty Athletics Representatives, the President of the MEAC for three terms, and was a vital part in the transition of UMES from an NAIA and Division II school to its present DI status.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on February 22, 2008 in conjunction with the University's Homecoming. More information can be obtained, or tickets may be purchased by visiting www.umeshawks.com or by calling 410-651-6496 or 410-651-8419.
Tickets are $60.00 for the general public, $50.00 for current Hall of Fame members or a table of 10 for $500.00. Sponsorship packages, which include tickets to the Hall of Fame Reception and Banquet, tickets to the game and advertisement on the banquet program are also available at various levels.
Download the Hall of Fame Sponsorship & Ticket Form here. 
