NORFOLK, Va. — Norbie Wilson, a local veteran coach at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, has been named the 39th recipient of the Bud Metheny Award for his contributions to baseball.
Wilson will be honored as part of the annual ODU Baseball Banquet at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel on Jan. 29 featuring Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle as the keynote speaker.
“I have been involved in teaching and coaching my entire adult life. It is the most honorable and fulfilling profession that I could have chosen,” Wilson said. “Having known Coach Metheny and his great legacy, I am deeply humbled to be given an award that bears his name.”
Wilson, a coaching legend at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach where he won more than 400 games before retiring from coaching in 2004, made his mark in baseball. Under Wilson, First Colonial won 14 district championships, seven Eastern Regional championships and a Virginia AAA state championship in 1993. His 1993 state championship team was ranked sixth in the nation by USA Today and posted a record of 28-0.
Wilson returned to coaching in 2010 to revive the baseball program at the College of The Albemarle for two seasons. Wilson led the team to records of 22-21 and 24-21 and saw the team advance to the conference tournament each year. Under his tutelage, COA produced the first, first-team All-American in school history (Jake Stone) and saw 14 players move on to play at a four-year college. Last season Wilson worked as an assistant coach at Norfolk Academy and was recently named the director of baseball operations at Bryant and Stratton College in Virginia Beach. Bryant and Stratton will begin playing junior college baseball in 2017. He was an associate scout for the Washington Nationals for nine years and is currently an associate scout for the Kansas City Royals.
Individual tickets for the Friday, Jan. 29 banquet are $65.00 each, with a special rate for groups or teams of $45.00 each (20 or more tickets) by calling 683-6963. Table sponsorships, which include amenities such as a VIP reception with the headliner, autographed baseballs and more, are available as well. Contact the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (ODAF) at 683-6961 for sponsorship information.
PREVIOUS BUD METHENY WINNERS
1978 Dave Rosenfield: General Manager, Norfolk Tides, Clinic Co-Founder
1979 George Kotarides: President, Milton's Pizza
1980 Ed Nagourney: Rices Nachman Dept. Store
1981 Bud Metheny: Former ODU Baseball Coach
1982 George McClelland: Former Executive Sports Editor - The Virginian Pilot
1983 Charlie Sugg: Real Estate Assessor, City of Norfolk
1984 Don Fett: President, Waymar, Inc.
1985 Clyde McCullough: Former Major League Scout
1986 Abe Goldblatt: Sports Writer, The Virginia Pilot / Ledger Star
1987 Richard J. Davis: President, Tidewater Professional Sports, Inc.
1988 Harry Postove: Major League Scout
1989 Hank Foiles: Foiles Insurance, Former Major League Scout
1990 Lewis D. Hirschler: Hofheimer's Inc.
1991 Richard Alexander: Umpire
1992 Bob Rathbun: Former Sports Anchor, WTKR-TV, WTAR Radio
1993 Sandra Picken: Founder of the Peninsula Muscular Dystrophy Benefit Baseball Tournament
1994 John T. Callahan: Former President of Tidewater Baseball League
1995 Gary Wright: Tidewater Summer League and AAU Baseball
1996 Paul Fraim: Mayor of Norfolk
1997 Roy L. Burton, Jr.: Founder of Willard-Lakewood Athletics Assoc. & Granby Booster Club
1998 Paul Vestal: President Greenbrier Athletic Association
1999 Ken Young: President, Norfolk Tides Baseball Team
2000 Lester Bangs: Local Baseball Scout
2001 Warren Spivey: President Spivey Rentals
2002 Bill Swann: Former Head Baseball Coach - Va. Wesleyan and Asst. Coach at ODU
2003 Tim Miller: Chairman ACS Systems & Engineering
2004 Luke Newman: President of Greenwich Kitchens Center
2005 Pat Baker: Local Dentist
2006 Tony Zontini: Coach / Teacher
2007 Towny Townsend: Coach / Teacher
2008 Henry Morgan: Peninsula Businessman / Peninsula Pilots Owner
2009 Jake Hardison: Challenger Little League Baseball
2010 Ed Fraim: ODU Fundraiser
2011 Wayne Gomes: Major Leaguer
2012 Tim Druzgala: Businessman
2013 Clyde “Ducky” Davis: Umpire / Scout
2014 Barry Kornblau: Business Owner & Alumnus
2015 Hervey Trimyer: Past Board Member of ODAF and the ODU Dugout Club