Oliver, Five Others Make Tech Hall of Fame

ATLANTA (July 26) — Former Georgia Tech all-Atlantic Coast Conference basketball player Brian Oliver headlines a class of six former Tech student-athletes who will be inducted into the Georgia Tech Athletics Hall of Fame Friday, Nov. 12 at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet at Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Oliver, a native of Smyrna, Ga., and a member of Tech’s famed “Lethal Weapon 3” team which earned the school’s only NCAA Final Four berth in 1990, will be inducted along with former Tech football standout Joe Harris; golf all-America Charlie Rymer; baseball all-America Scott Erwin; two-sport standout and track all-America Mark White; and Charles Flowers, a Southeastern Conference record-setting swimmer.

Oliver, the recipient of the ACC’s Everett Case Award as the MVP of the 1990 ACC Tournament, teamed with former all-Americas Dennis Scott and Kenny Anderson to form “Lethal Weapon 3,” which helped Tech to a school-best 28-7 record, the ACC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Final Four in 1990. Oliver averaged 21.3 points per game as a senior captain of a team which lost to eventual national champion UNLV in the national semifinals.

He still ranks fifth on Tech’s career scoring list with 1,848 points and became the first player in Tech history and only the third ever in the ACC to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a career. In 1990, he was an honorable mention all-America by The Sporting News and a two-time second-team all-ACC pick in 1989 and 1990. He lettered from 1987-90 and helped Tech to an NCAA Tournament berth in each of his four seasons. Oliver, who has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks since leaving Georgia Tech, will be playing professionally this fall in Italy.

Harris, a native of Fayetteville, N.C., is considered one of the hardest-hitting linebackers in Tech football history. He lettered three times (1972-73-74) and set a single-season Tech record for most tackles that still stands, making 188 hits in 1974. That year he was named to the Associated Press all-South Independent first team. Tech’s 1974 defensive captain, Harris finished his career ranked first in tackles on Tech’s all-time list with 415 and is currently eighth. He played two seasons for head coach Bill Fulcher and one for Pepper Rodgers during his career at Tech.

Rymer, a native of Fort Mill, S.C., who still plays PGA Tour events, earned third-team all-America honors in 1988 and honorable mention all-America accolades in 1989. He helped lead Tech to four consecutive berths in the NCAA Tournament during the 1987-88-89-90 seasons. He captured five individual tournament titles during his collegiate career and twice earned first-team all-ACC honors in 1988 and 1989. Rymer helped Tech to a seventh-place team finish at the 1988 NCAA Championship, finishing 26th individually.

Erwin, from Tampa, Fla., recorded perhaps the best season ever by a Tech pitcher in 1988 when he posted a perfect 13-0 record, still the most wins without a loss in a season in Tech history. That year he earned third-team all-America honors by both the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. Erwin was a key member of three ACC Championship teams in 1986, 1987 and 1988, also lettering during the 1989 season. His career winning percentage of 25-3 (.893) is the second best in Tech history. After graduating with a degree in Industrial Management, Erwin played minor league baseball in the Oakland Athletics organization.

White, from Philadelphia, Pa., earned a total of eight varsity letters while at Tech, four in football (1985-89) and four in track and field (1986-88, 1990). He earned all-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the discus at the 1990 NCAA Championships and was an ACC champion in the discus in 1987, 1988 and 1990. White also was the ACC champion both indoors and outdoors in the shot put in 1990. He still holds Tech’s school record for the discus with a heave of 187’11”.

White also was a standout for Tech’s football team, earning second-team freshman all-America honors in 1985 and was a member of the famed “Black Watch” defense that season. He graduated from Tech in 1990 with a degree in Civil Engineering and is currently employed by the Pepsi Cola Company as a human resource manager.

Flowers was a key member of Tech’s SEC Championship swim teams in 1948 and 1949. In 1949 he was a member of Tech’s record-setting 300-yard medley relay team. He also set the school record in the 150-yard backstroke that same season. Captain of the 1948 team, Flowers graduated in 1949 with a degree in Industrial Management, and he is currently president of the Flowers Construction Company.

The six inductees into Tech’s Sports Hall of Fame increase the number of former Tech athletes, coaches, administrators and announcers who have been so honored to 391.

Tickets to the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame Banquet are available at $65 each and may be purchased by contacting Barb Dockweiler in the Alexander-Tharpe Fund Office (404-894-6124), or by writing Georgia Tech Hall of Fame Banquet, Georgia Tech Athletic Association, 150 Bobby Dodd Way, Atlanta, Ga. 30332-0455.

The banquet, which will be held at Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis, will be held on Friday, Nov. 12, beginning with a reception at 7 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. and an awards program at 8:30 p.m. The Marquis is offering a special rate to Georgia Tech fans, friends and alumni for the event at $90. Tech hosts Clemson in football Saturday, Nov. 13, at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field, with a kickoff time to be determined Nov. 1.