The 21st class of Hampden-Sydney athletic
greats was inducted into the Hampden-Sydney College Athletics Hall
of Fame on Saturday, October 25, 2008, at halftime of the Tigers'
gridiron contest with Catholic University.
Football standouts Charles Garden '32 and Jim
Smith '56 joined lacrosse legend Chris Bissinger '95 and
championship coach Bobby Saylor '63 as the H-SC Hall of Fame Class
of 2008.
Chris Bissinger, Class of 1995,
Lacrosse
Chris Bissinger was a four-year letter winner on the Tiger
lacrosse team and rates as one of the program's all-time best
midfielders. In 1995, Bissinger earned USILA second team
All-America accolades as captain of a Tiger team that finished the
year at 10-5 overall, capturing the ODAC championship and advancing
into the NCAA Tournament. Bissinger was a three-time All-ODAC
selection, earning second team honors in 1993 and 1994 and a first
team nod in 1995. His 38 points in 1995, courtesy of 23 goals and
15 assists, rates as the eighth-best single-season point total
among Tiger midfielders, while his 106 career points is the
fourth-highest point total among Hampden-Sydney middies.
Charles Garden, Class of 1932,
Football
Garden was a four-year member of the football team, three-year
member of the track team, and was on the basketball team for one
season. A powerful football player, Garden was the first football
All-American at H-SC as he earned honorable mention honors in 1930
from his fullback position. He was also president of the student
body during his senior year and served as class president during
his first three years on The Hill. Garden held a number of other
positions on campus, serving on the Athletic Council, Monogram
Club, Pan-Hellenic Council, Vigilance Committee, and German Club
during his four years at The College. Garden, who passed away on
May 27, 1975, hailed from nearby Prospect, VA.
Bobby Saylor, Class of 1963,
Football
The dynamic Bobby Saylor served as an assistant football coach
under Hampden-Sydney Hall of Famer Stokeley Fulton, was the head
tennis coach, and also served as an Assistant Athletic Director
under Fulton. As a football player at The College, Saylor was an
honorable mention All-America choice in 1961 at defensive end.
Twice selected as his team's Most Valuable Player, Saylor was given
the Virginia Small College Sportsmanship Award during his senior
campaign. While a student at Hampden-Sydney, Saylor was a member of
Chi Phi. On the coaching front, Saylor's 1972 tennis team captured
the Mason Dixon championship. About a decade later, Saylor led
Hampden-Sydney to its only two ODAC tennis titles in school history
(1981, 1982), earning the distinction of ODAC Coach of the Year in
both of those seasons. In 1983, Saylor was named Athletic Director
and head football coach at Maryville College.
Jim Smith, Class of 1956,
Football
Jim Smith was a three-year letter winner in football and baseball,
coming to Hampden-Sydney from Fork Union Military Academy. On the
gridiron, Smith played both halfback and quarterback, earning
honorable mention All-Little Eight honors in 1954. Smith followed
that season with first team All-Little Eight accolades in 1955 when
he also served as team co-captain. Smith started at shortstop on
the baseball team that won the Mason Dixon Conference championship
in 1954, while also serving as co-captain on the diamond. He
received the Gammon Cup and Anne Carrington Harrison Award in 1956,
and held the positions of Student Body President, President of Pi
Kappa Alpha, and Vice President for Omicron Delta Kappa.
