2004 Lettermen's Hall of Fame Class Enshrined
9/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 25, 2004
By Marisa Schenke
TCU Frog Club
The TCU Lettermen's Association Hall of Fame induction banquet was held Friday night, Sept. 24, 2004, at the Dee J. Kelly and Visitors Alumni Center on the TCU campus. The annual event recognizes former Horned Frog student-athletes for their achievements in competition and in the community.
This year's TCU Lettermen's Association Hall of Fame class contains the following members: Carven Holcombe, Class of 1987, representing men's basketball; Glenn Monroe, Class of 1971, representing baseball; Ronald Parker, Class of 1976, representing football; Steven Reed, Class of 1990, representing men's swimming; and Kenneth Wineburg, class of 1957, representing football. Wineburg also lettered four years in baseball and received two letters in track. Lettermen's Association President John Grace (Class of '72 baseball) welcomed the guests. The Voice of the Horned Frogs Brian Estridge teammed up with TCU color analyst John Denton as the Masters of Ceremonies.
Carven Holcombe graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1983. He was named Who's Who in basketball and was selected High School Player of the Year for the state of Texas in 1983. Holcombe joined the TCU basketball squad in 1983 where he served as team captain for four years. He was named Freshman of the Year in 1984, elected to the Southwest Conference second team in 1985 and '86 then first team in '87. He helped lead his team in back-to-back Southwest Conference Championships in 1986 and '87 and currently ranks as the school's second all-time leading scorer. He also ranks among the leaders in numerous other categories.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Holcombe in 1987. He went on to play in the European basketball league until 1993. After his basketball career, Holcombe worked in management for two large grocery chains and currently owns and operates A-1 Powerwash Services. He is also coaching at Prince of Peace Lutheran School. Holcombe currently uses his basketball and team skills to help teach young boys and girls respect, integrity, perseverance and teamwork.
"I hope to open a facility for kids teaching them basketball with relations to good health, good decision making and understanding the value of hard work," Holcombe said.
Another 2004 Hall of Fame class member, Glenn Monroe, recently moved back to Fort Worth to start work with Texas Bank as the Senior Lending Officer over Commercial, Oil and Gas Lending. Monroe began his college baseball career after graduating from Bellaire High School in Houston in 1967.
Recruited by Texas, Texas A&M and Rice, Monroe signed with TCU in 1967, lettering his first year as a backup infielder. Monroe also lettered in freshman basketball. He was the starting shortstop for the next three years and elected team captain in 1970. Monroe was named First-Team All-SWC and All-District 6 as shortstop in 1969 and '70 and led the team in RBIs and was second in homeruns.
In 1972, Monroe signed with the Cleveland Indians and was sent to Reno in the California League where he led in hitting with a .349 average. Monroe was named the California League Newcomer of the Year in 1972 and played for the Topps National Minor League All-Star Team. Monroe started the 1973 season on the disabled list in San Antonio with the Texas League after suffering a major knee injury during the off-season. He returned to the team in May where he helped the team set Texas League records on the way to the Western Division Championship. Monroe finished his career in 1974 with a grand slam off of Dennis Leonard, who went on to win the Cy Young award with Kansas City.
TCU Board of Trustee's member Ronald Parker also joins the 2004 Hall of Fame class. Parker grew up on a farm outside Brenham, Texas in "Old Washington." He played both basketball and football for Brenham High School where he led the football team to the semi-finals in 1971. Parker was also named All-District and All-Central Texas in both football and basketball his senior year. He chose Blinn College after being recruited by major SWC schools and helped lead the team to a perfect 11-0 season. In the spring of 1974, Parker selected TCU to continue his college career.
"I can say that TCU helped shape and build upon the values which my parents, my community and church had created in me," Parker said.
Parker also gives much credit to his coaches and teammates, including Lee Cook, Mike Renfro, Scott O'Glee, Reuben Ray, Dede Treveen, Joe Segulia, Vernon Wells, and Ronnie Littleton.
Parker was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1976 and played the beginning of the season before a knee injury during a Seattle Seahawks game ended his career. He worked for American Quaker Petroleum Company on his return from Chicago and prepared for law school. In 1978, Parker was asked by then TCU Athletics Director Frank Windegger to be the youngest Assistant Director of Athletics in the country.
Accepting the position, Parker focused on developing a national recruiting program for the university. After two years, Parker joined the Western Company of North America as Head of Corporate Relocation and University Recruitment. In 1982, he was recruited and began working for PepsiCo, where he has been for the past 22 years.
Olympic qualifying swimmer and Army Major Steven Reed will be the first swimmer ever to be inducted into the TCU Hall of Fame. Reed began his swimming career at age 12 and soon became a Senior National finalist in the 200-yard butterfly in 1986. He was named a United States Swimming Academic All-American in 1986 and chose to swim for TCU.
Reed set school records in the 200-yard butterfly, 400-yard medley and freestyle relays and the 800-yard freestyle relay. He was a two-time All-SWC member in 1989 and '90 and placed second at the SWC Championships in '89. It was the highest placing for a TCU swimmer in the SWC Championships. Reed was named TCU's most valuable swimmer in 1989-'90 and was co-captain of the team in '90. After receiving the TCU Dutch-Meyer Award, Reed served as TCU's Assistant swim coach while completing his M.B.A.
Along with swimming, Reed was a member and scholarship recipient of the TCU Army ROTC "Horned Frog" Battalion, President of the TCU Army ROTC Honor Society and received commission and Distinguished Military Graduate honors as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1990. Reed graduated Cum Laude, was awarded the TCU/Deloitte-Touche Award for academic excellence in Accounting, named to the TCU Alpha Lambda Delta honor society and Who's Who Among College Students in 1990.
Reed is currently in his 13th year in the Active Army, serving as an Adjutant General Corps office at the rank of Major. He is a recent graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and is now currently assigned as the Chief of Personnel Strength and Management for the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Reed has been awarded several Army and Joint military awards which includes the Meritorious Service Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. As a member of the All-Armed Forces Swim Team, Reed competed in the 1995 World Military Games in Rome, Italy, and was the only armed service member to compete for both the All-Army Triathlon Teams in 2002 and 2004. The 2002 team won the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship that year.
Reed has served as a volunteer swim coach of youth swim teams in over five cities, including the Youngsan Youth Swim Team in Seoul, South Korea. The Youngsan Barracudas won the 1999 Winter and Summer Korean International Scholastic League Swimming Championships and placed fifth out of 20 teams in the 1999 Asian-Pacific Junior Olympic swimming Championship in Tokyo, Japan.
Reed has been a U.S. Masters All-American, National Champion and Record Holder since 1993, is a three-time U.S. Triathlon All-American since 2002 and was a 2000 Olympic Trials Qualifier in the 100-meter butterfly.
Football walk-on Kenneth Wineburg was promised a scholarship in 1954 by coach Dutch Meyer if he made the team the following year. He didn't have to wait long, as six weeks later Meyer gave him a scholarship. Wineburg lettered four years in both football and baseball and an additional two letters in track. He was named to the All-SWC team in 1956 and started at halfback in the 1957 Cotton Bowl Game against Syracuse.
Due to injury, Wineburg did not see action in three games in '56 and missed being the leading rusher in the SWC by just 85 yards. He managed to lead the 1956 TCU team and Cotton Bowl Champions in scoring. In baseball, Wineburg was a pitcher on the first TCU Southwest Conference Championship team and placed third in the 1955 SWC track meet in the high jump.
Wineburg was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1957. He was the President of the TCU Lettermen's Association in 1989 and received a special service award from the Association as well. Wineburg is currently a member of the Preston Wood Baptist Church and has done volunteer work for Shrine Children's Hospitals.
