Alumni Activities

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Mark Meitz ’95, Director of Alumni Relations

Hundreds of alumni returned to The Hill for an exciting weekend of reunions, activities, athletics, and tailgating on October 15 & 16 for Homecoming 2010.

The fun began early on Friday with the annual Colonel Franke Memorial Golf Tournament at The Manor Resort. Ninety-four alumni played in the tournament, which included cocktails and an hors d’oeuvre buffet afterwards.

Friday afternoon, the 32nd annual Graves Thompson Tennis Challenge took place on campus. Alumni and friends joined the undefeated 2010 regular-season championship team for the round-robin event.

That evening hundreds of alumni and guests gathered in Kirk Athletic Center’s Snyder Hall for a reunion dinner and remarks by President Christopher Howard. After dinner, alumni could visit Fraternity Circle, the Tiger Inn, and the Homecoming Concert featuring the funk-jazz band Medeski Martin and Wood.

Saturday morning, October 16, the activities continued with the annual Lacrosse Alumni Game; stars past and present gathered on Hellmuth-Pritzlaff Field for bragging rights. As always, the event was enjoyed by everyone there, even those who have not played in many years.

The Alumni Luncheon, held on the lawn of Hampden House, was highlighted by the presentation of The Waters Cup and the Alumni Citation. The Waters Cup, named in honor of John H. Waters III ’58 and his wife Sally C. Waters in recognition of their love for and service to the College, was presented to the Richmond Alumni Club, represented by John Hopper ’84.

President Howard gives the Alumni Citation to Judge Ernest Gates ’45.

This year the Alumni Citation was presented to The Honorable Ernest P. Gates, Sr. ’45. As a student he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and the varsity football team in 1942. He enrolled in the V-12 Navy unit and interrupted his college career to spend three years at sea. When he returned to Hampden-Sydney after the war to complete his education. He was elected to Omicron Delta Kappa, the national honorary leadership fraternity, and given the Garland Award for school spirit. After attending law school at Washington & Lee and practicing law for several years, he began a forty-year career on the bench, retiring in 1987 as the Chief Judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Virginia. He served on the Board of Hampden-Sydney College from 1981 to 1985. The Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest honored him with the Patrick Henry Award in 2002. In service to the College, he has, among other contributions, sent four sons and five grandsons here, with another on the way, and his daughters all married Hampden-Sydney men.

To top off the beautiful day, the Tigers football team soundly beat the Wasps of Emory & Henry College 48-10 on the field at Death Valley.

If you could not return to campus this year, join those who did and make plans to attend in 2011.

Class of 1970: front row left to right, Mike Estes, Nathaniel Ewell, John Ellis, Jr., Lindsay Blanton, Heber Himmelwright, Ken Childress, Carter Elliott, Bob Rude, Charlie Stringfellow; second row, Michael Adelman, P.C. Spencer, Vince Ober, Jack Drescher, Jim White, Lloyd Goode, Don Wingfield, Art Houts, Eddie Carpenter, Boyd Scarborough; third row, Wayne Penick, Brandt Deal, Bob Kelly, Danny Pond, Bill Muse, Jim Peery, Frank Johns, Bill Pumphrey, Gary Lane, Jim Hillsman, Chick Robison.

Class of 1965: front row left to right, Rick Shreves, Tom Connelly, Madison Cummings, Dick Cralle, Dick Giles, and Scott Harwood; back row, Ken Washburn, Jim Robertson, Chuck Wheeler, Evans Harbour, Chip Hall, Tom George, and Jerry Robertson.