Huggins got off best line of banquet

Highlights from Sunday’s 62nd annual Victory Awards Dinner, conducted at the Lakeside Resort at Cheat Lake:

The best line of the night went to West Virginia University basketball coach Bob Huggins. In accepting the award as the West Virginia College Coach of the Year, Huggins began, “I’d like to thank the sports writers. That’s something I never thought I would say.’’

The most popular figure was WVU quarterback Patrick White.

It seems like every one of the more than 500 persons in attendance either had their picture taken with him or got his autograph. White, who won the Amateur Athlete of the Year Award for the second straight year, was introduced by WVU football coach Bill Stewart, who sat in between White and Parkersburg’s Josh Jenkins, who became the first two-time winner of the Hunt Award, given to the state’s top prep football lineman.

Gov. Joe Manchin, fresh off an appearance at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, was on hand to introduce gymnast Mary Lou Retton, one of two inductees into the West Virginia Sports Writers Hall of Fame.

Retton, who is as genuine as Bill Stewart, introduced herself to every one of the award winners and presenters.

“Hi, I’m Mary Lou Retton,’’ she said, displaying that winning smile that hasn’t changed since her gold medal-winning performance 24 years ago. Retton talked about how the times have changed.

“Today’s athletes have to have bottled water,’’ she said. “We drank from a garden hose.’’

While Retton is a household name in the Mountain State, the other Hall of Fame inductee, Earl Lloyd, isn’t as well known, but perhaps he should be.

The former West Virginia State College basketball star was the first African-American to play in the National Basketball Association. Just as Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, Lloyd did in basketball.

One of the more emotional presentations was the High School Coach of the Year Award, presented to Woodrow Wilson basketball coach Ron Kidd.

Before the basketball season began, Kidd was diagnosed with cancer and turned over his team to his assistant coaches. But he returned — cancer-free — for its late-season run through the state tournament, where it beat on consecutive nights the Nos. 3, 2 and 1 seeds.

The audience also was a star-studded one. West Virginia University Athletics Director Ed Pastilong arrived early and stayed late.

Former WVU all-American Sam Huff presented the award named in his honor.

Duquesne University basketball coach Ron Everhart, a Marion County native and a friend of the Retton family, came down from Pittsburgh to spend the evening.

It was great to see so many Mid-Ohio Valley coaches, athletes and fans in attendance. The Parkersburg area always has been a big supporter of the VAD and Sunday’s dinner was no exception as virtually every local school was represented.

The most amazing statistic of the evening?

That easily belonged to veteran Morgantown sports editor Mickey Furfari, the only person in attendance who also was at the first Victory Awards Dinner 61 years ago.

Contact Dave Poe at dpoe@newsandsentinel.com