Hall of Legacy Inductees Announced

Aug. 25, 2007

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech Department of Athletics proudly announces the members of the 2007 Hall of Legacy, which honors individuals and corporations who have made extraordinary and special contributions to Texas Tech athletics through means other than athletic participation.

The 2007 inductees to the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Legacy include Benjamin Bates Alexander, C. Ralph Blodgett, Robert W. Broyles and O.R. and Betty Van Ness. This special annual event will be Fri., Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. at Jones AT&T Stadium Suite Level 1. The 2007 inductees will be introduced the following day at the Texas Tech vs. UTEP football game. For tickets to the event, contact the Red Raider Club at (806) 742-1196.

Alexander's commitment to west Texas and eastern New Mexico is evident in all facets of his life. From Eunice, N.M., and his family's grocery business to DA&S Oil Well Servicing, Inc. in Midland, Andrews, Hobbs and Eunice; Ben is widely know as a successful business man who prides himself on understanding the key role his employees play in the success of his businesses. Ben often highlights this quality by offering benefits beyond the paycheck, including profit sharing. His civic and service honors include; Former Chairman of the New Mexico Junior College District, Former board member of the College of the Southwest, Outstanding Citizen of Hobbs (1967), Citizen of the Year, Hobbs (1971), Person of the Century, Hobbs (2000) and much more. Ben's contributions to Texas Tech University are as diverse and wide spread as his accomplishments. He specifically supports Texas Tech Athletics through contributions to the academic center, Athletic Training Center, Jones AT&T Stadium Projects, women's basketball project, a variety of endowments and countless other programs.

Ben Alexander

Ralph Blodgett

Blodgett, a lifelong West Texan, graduated from Texas Tech in 1941 with a BBA in Industrial Management. Ralph is a vital member of the community of Spearman, Texas. He served in a wide variety of civic positions including, former Mayor of Spearman (12 years of service), Past President of the Spearman Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, and former board member and Past President of Texas Municipal League not to the mention the countless other community posts he held in his service to the Panhandle and Spearman areas. His contributions to Texas Tech University are equally far reaching; including Past President of the Texas Tech Alumni Association, former member of the Texas Tech Foundation Board, and Charter Member of the Texas Tech Century Club. His contributions to Texas Tech Athletics include several major gifts to the Athletic Training Facility, a variety of endowment contributions and continued support of the Red Raider Scholarship Fund.

Broyles, born and raised in San Angelo, Texas, where he excelled as a football player at San Angelo High School and he entered Texas A&M University to play football in 1944. An injury ended his football career with the Aggies. He served two years in the U.S. Army and was discharged in 1947. He retuned to San Angelo College on a football scholarship and was recruited by Polk Robinson to play for Texas Tech University in 1948. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1951 with a bachelor of science in petroleum geology. Hired by Stanolind Oil and Gas Company in January 1951, he spent 20 years and 14 transfers with the company. Along the way, he met his wife, Helen, and married in 1957. In 1967, he elected to go into independent practice as a petroleum geophysicist. Robert considers his ability to obtain an education through a football scholarship a major stepping-stone in his road to success. As a result, Robert's commitment to Texas Tech Athletics is evident through his Red Raider Scholarship Fund contributions; he is one of the leading all-time givers to this fund. Additionally, he has contributed to several other programs, including the Dave Brown Memorial Endowment and the Football Locker Legacy Program. Mr. Broyles has also set up a major planned gift devoted to Texas Tech Athletics.

Robert Broyles

O.R. and Betty Van Ness

O.R. Van Ness was born and raised in Houston and attended the University of Houston. He became involved in Lubbock Real Estate in 1970. O.R. worked as Lubbock developer and established Commanders Palace as a land lease community in 1970. After establishing residence in Lubbock in 1978, O.R. was able to expand his operations of Commanders Palace. Betty Van Ness, a Lubbock native, attended SMU and Texas Tech University. She taught piano and organ lessons for the Baldwin Piano Company prior to joining the Texas Tech Music Faculty in 1976. At the Texas Tech School of Music Betty taught semi-automatic keyboard, beginning music theory, and continuing education piano classes. Betty established and sponsored the Texas Tech Raiderettes, a dance and drill team that performed at JV football games. She also assisted with the Double T Dolls. In addition, Betty was part of her own musical combo that played at local social clubs and private parties in West Texas. O.R. and Betty show extraordinary commitment to Texas Tech Athletes; through innumerable Red Raider Scholarship Fund contributions, Stadium Club seats and gift-in-kind use of their company airplane.

Texas Tech University Athletics

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