The 2024-2025 Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame class boasts 10 legendary individuals who have made a fundamental impact on sports in the district and beyond. The induction ceremony is slated for Friday, April 11 at the Arts District Mansion in downtown Dallas.
This year’s class of inductees includes:
- Lauren Blackburn – Sunset High School graduate, two-time UIL state champion in the 100-meter hurdles, and the 2010 Dallas Morning News Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
- Jerry Broadnax – Three-time football Player of the Year at Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School, and six-year NFL veteran with the New England Patriots, Houston Oilers, and Green Bay Packers.
- Bruce Chambers – Former football player and head coach at David W. Carter High School. He is a longtime assistant football coach at the University ofTexas.
- Ralph Guldahl – 1930 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, 16-time professional golf champion, and a Texas Golf and World Golf Hall of Famer.
- Dante Jones – Two-time all-district linebacker at Skyline High School, national champion at the University of Oklahoma, and eight-year NFL veteran with the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
- Bill Melton – Sunset High School graduate and an acclaimed local, state, and national sports announcer who was a voice of the 1996 Olympics and three Super Bowls.
- James Mitchell – Booker T. Washington High School graduate who coached girls’ track & field, cross country, volleyball, and basketball for 30 years at James Madison High School.
- Donna Ramsey – W.T. White High School graduate and the first female athletic trainer in Dallas ISD history.
- Charlie Shepard – Graduate of Crozier Technical High School, four-time Grey Cup champion in the Canadian Football League, and recipient of the 1959 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award.
- Richmond Webb – The 1985 salutatorian of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Webb was a seven-time NFL Pro Bowl selection during his 11-year career with the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals.
To be selected for the Hall of Fame, individuals must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and moral character. Inductees were selected for their striking accomplishments and undisputed impact while advancing school athletics. Their successes are not limited to Dallas ISD borders. They have reached recognition on local, state, national, and international levels.
Lauren Blackburn: A 2010 Sunset High School graduate, Blackburn was a two-time team captain and UIL state champion in the 100-meter hurdles, posting a high school-best legal wind time of 13.39 seconds—the fastest in the nation that year. She also ranked fourth nationally in the 300-meter hurdles and was named to the USA Today girls’ high school track & field team in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, she was the Dallas Morning News Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Blackburn continued her career at the University of Southern California, winning the 100-meter hurdles at the 2014 Pac-12 Outdoor Championships. In 2011, she placed second in the event after winning the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays and Texas Relays. Blackburn currently works as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines.
Jerry Broadnax (1951-2020): A 1969 honors graduate of Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School, Broadnax was a three-time Outstanding Player of the Year in football. He continued at Southern University and A&M College, excelling as a tight end and track & field athlete, winning the 1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference discus title. Named an Outstanding College Athlete of America in 1972 and 1973, Broadnax earned a spot in the New England Patriots’ preseason camp despite going undrafted. He later played for the Houston Oilers, the Chicago Wind of the World Football League, and joined the Green Bay Packers’ preseason camp in 1976. A dedicated mentor, Broadnax supported youth in West Dallas and at Pinkston High School. He was inducted into the L.G. Pinkston, Southern University, and Texas Black Sports halls of fame.
Bruce Chambers: A 1976 graduate of David W. Carter High School, Chambers played football for the Cowboys before continuing as a wide receiver at the University of North Texas. He returned to Carter in 1984 to coach the freshman and junior varsity teams, then became a varsity assistant in 1989. In 1996, Chambers took over as head coach, leading Carter to the state playoffs every season during his 14-year tenure. The Cowboys won the 1988 state championship, four regional titles, and 13 district crowns. As head coach and athletics director in his final two seasons, he posted an 18-6 record, with his teams finishing as district champions and bi-district finalists both years. Chambers mentored several players who went on to the NFL, joining teams like the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and St. Louis Rams. From 1998 to 2014, he was part of the University of Texas football coaching staff and now serves as an assistant athleticdirector in Arlington ISD.
Ralph Guldahl (1911-1987): Guldahl made his mark in golf at Woodrow Wilson High School, winning the 1929 Dallas City Championship and leading the Wildcats to a state title. The following year, he finished 11th in the Texas Open and decided on the spot to forgo college, take the $87.50 prize, and turn professional. He qualified for the 1933 U.S. Open, narrowly missing a 4-foot putt in a playoff for the win. In 1936, he tied for eighth in the U.S. Open and won the Western Open, Augusta Open, and Miami Biltmore Open. That year, he also earned the Radix Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Guldahl made his Masters debut in 1937, finishing second, before winning both the U.S. Open and Western Open, becoming the first golfer to hold both titles in the same year. He defended his U.S. Open title in 1938 and became the first golfer to win three consecutive Western Opens. The next year, he secured his elusive Masters victory and reached the PGA Championship semifinals in 1940. A 16-time professional champion, Guldahl was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall ofFame, World Golf Hall of Fame, and Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame.
Dante Jones: A two-year football letterman at Skyline High School, Jones graduated in 1983 after earning all-district linebacker honors in 1982. As a senior, he was named 10-5A District Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the Dallas Morning News All-Star Team and Dallas Times Herald All-Metro Team. Jones continued his football career at the University of Oklahoma, contributing to four Big 8 Conference championships and playing in the Orange Bowl all four years, helping the Sooners win the 1985 national championship. As a senior team captain, he was named Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year, earned All-Big 8 honors, and was a consensus All-American. He also won the 1987 Orange Bowl MVP and finished third in voting for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. Selected in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Jones played seven seasons before finishing his career with the Denver Broncos in 1995. In 1993, he ranked second in the NFL with 189 tackles, four interceptions, and three fumble recoveries.
Bill Melton: A 1958 Sunset High School graduate and University of Texas alumnus, Melton began announcing for Dallas ISD in 1966, calling track & field meets and football games for over a decade. His career expanded to college and professional levels, earning him roles at major national events, including the 1996 Olympics, three Super Bowls, 32 Cotton Bowl Classics, 40 Texas Relays, and 32 UIL regional and state track meets. For 40 years, Melton was the PA announcer for SMU and UNT, while his voice became a fixture at Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers games, NCAA championships, and global events such as the FIFA World Cup, FIBA World Basketball Championships, and World Championship Tennis. Beyond sports, he served 25 years as Dallas County Treasurer before retiring in 2002.
James Mitchell (1939-2015): A 1959 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, Mitchell played basketball before attending Wiley College and later earning a Master of Science in secondary education from Southern Methodist University in 1974. Known as “Coach Mitchell,” he spent over 30 years teaching and coaching at James Madison High School, leading girls’ athletics in track & field, cross country, and volleyball while assisting with basketball. He prioritized academics alongside athletics, with many of his student-athletes graduating at the top of their class. Mitchell coached numerous district, regional, and state champions, leading Madison to its first UIL state track title in 1992. His cross country teams won back-to-back district titles, producing multiple regional top-10 finishers and two state qualifiers, while his volleyball teams claimed two district championships. His legacy includes a Dallas Morning News Athlete of the Year and a six-time NCAA Division I All-American.
Donna Ramsey: A trailblazer in sports medicine, Ramsey became Dallas ISD’s first female athletic trainer in 1978 and the nation’s first full-time female athletic trainer at the secondary level. A 1971 W.T. White graduate, she attended the University ofNorth Texas before dedicating her career to Dallas ISD. She served as a central athletic trainer at P.C. Cobb Athletic Complex and later Alfred J. Loos AthleticComplex, earning a reputation for her superior clinical knowledge and injury treatment. Ramsey helped countless student-athletes recover and return to competition, with many advancing to college, professional sports, and even the Olympics. She was deeply respected for her mentorship and unwavering commitment to students, remaining a vital part of Dallas ISD’s athletic programs until her retirement in 2008.
Charlie Shepard (1933-2009): A standout football player at Crozier Technical High School. Shepard graduated in 1951 and became a four-year letterman at the University of North Texas. As a team captain, he earned All-Gulf Coast Conference honors before being drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1955. In 1956, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, rushing for 91 yards in 12 games, before finding success in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. A dominant punter and running back from 1957 to 1962, Shepard set a league record with a 95-yard punt and was named MVP of the 1959 Grey Cup. He rushed for 1,076 yards that season and totaled 3,768 career rushing yards, never averaging less than 43.1 yards per punt in a season. A five-time Grey Cup finalist and four-time champion, Shepard was inducted into the CFL Winnipeg Hall of Fame in 1992 and the University of North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
Richmond Webb: A 1985 salutatorian and football star at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Webb went on to Texas A&M University, where he helped the Aggies earn four straight bowl appearances and win back-to-back Southwest Conference championships in 1986 and 1987. As a senior, Webb served as team captain, earned all-conference honors, and received the Aggie Heart Award. The Miami Dolphins selected him ninth overall in the 1990 NFL Draft, and Webb quickly made his mark, earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors from The Sporting News and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection in his first seven seasons. He was also a two-time All-Pro and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. Known for protecting quarterback Dan Marino’s blindside, he set a Dolphins record with 118 consecutive starts. After 11 seasons in Miami, Webb finished his career with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001-2002. There, the offensive line allowed the fourth-fewest sacks in team history and contributed to the franchise’s second-best individual rushing performance. Webb is a member of the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor and the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame later this month.
For more information, please visit the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame website.