R.C. Thielemann elected to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:31 am
When they announced the names at halftime, I didn't really know where I knew the name from until they showed highlight of him on the Jumbotron and they were all the NFL ones were the Redskins.UA Sports Information- Saturday, June 18, 2005 ---
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Nine former University of Arkansas student-athletes, including three All-Americans, two all-conference selections and the first African-American scholarship football player in school history, make up the 2005 class of inductees into the UA Sports Hall of Honor.
Football greats R.C. Thielemann, Leotis Harris, Jon Richardson and Jerry Lamb join basketball legends Scott Hastings and Christy Smith on this year’s distinguished list. Baseball star Steve Krueger, two-sport standout and athletic administrator Bill Gray and long-time assistant track and field coach Dick Booth will also be honored as part of this year’s festivities.
Honorees were elected to the UA Sports Hall of Honor by a vote of former letterwinners in conjunction with the “A” Club. Richardson was elected posthumously.
The official induction is Sept. 2 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale. For ticket information, call the Razorback Foundation at 479-443-9000.
R.C. THIELEMANN
A dominating blocker for four seasons on the Razorbacks’ offensive line, R.C. Thielemann showed his promise shortly after arriving on the Fayetteville campus. A four-year letterman from 1973-76, he became a starter during his freshman season, launching a remarkable streak of 42 consecutive starts. He earned the starting nod in the final eight games of his freshman campaign as well as every game in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. He garnered All-Southwest Conference honors at offensive guard in 1975 and helped the Razorbacks to a 10-2 record, including a win over Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. As a senior, he moved to center where he earned All-SWC honors for the second consecutive year. He is one of only two Razorbacks to earn all-conference honors at two positions. A member of the 1970s All-Decade Team, he earned a spot on Arkansas’ All-Century Team selected as part of the football centennial celebration in 1994. Following his collegiate career, he was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons. He played 12 seasons in the NFL, including an eight-year stint with the Falcons (1977-84) and a four-year stint with the Washington Redskins (1985-88).