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The Parry McCluer Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will present the 2023 class of inductees on the weekend of Oct. 13-14.
The five inductees, who span four decades and include two who will each follow a father into the Hall of Fame, will be introduced on Friday, Oct. 13, at halftime of the Fighting Blues’ 7 p.m. home football game against Craig County. They will be formally inducted on Saturday evening, Oct. 14, at a banquet at the high school gym at 6 p.m.
The inductees are Donald “Whitey” Stinnett (Class of 1965), Landon Camper (1978), Terry Vest Smyth (1979), Joey Clark (1986) and Adam Gilbert (2006). Camper and Smyth will follow their fathers, the late Kerry Camper Sr. and Ted “Fooky” Vest.
Donald “Whitey” Stinnett was an outstanding offensive and defensive football player, earning all-district honors in 1964. He was a four-year basketball player, earning all-tournament honors in 1962 and all-Valley District honors in 1963, 1964 and 1965. Stinnett also played second base for the baseball team in 1962 and 1963.
Landon Camper is legendary in the history of PM wrestling. His record from 1975-78 was 66-6-5. Four of his losses were to defending state championships. Camper wrestled in the Virginia High School League state finals all four years, being the runnerup in 1975 and 1976, before winning the state championships in 1977 and 1978. In the 1977-78 season, his record was 19-0, with 17 wins by pins. A member of the Blues’ football team from 1975-77, Camper played the “Monster Man” position on the 1977 undefeated state championship team.
Following an absence of 30-plus years, girls basketball returned to Parry McCluer in 1973, and by the late 1970s, the Blues were a Pioneer District force. Terry Vest Smyth was a major factor in the Lady Blues’ success. A defensive standout, Smyth played for the Blues for four years from 1975-78. She was designated captain as a senior in the 1977-78 season, when she earned all-district honors and was named the Pioneer District player of the year. The Lady Blues captured district and regional championships that year, but fell short in the state semifinals.
Smyth was a four-year volleyball performer, earning team most valuable player in 1977 and selected as co-captain in 197778. She was a track letter winner from 1976-78.
Joey Clark earned letters in football, basketball and baseball in all four years of his high school career. As a punter and defensive end, Clark was alldistrict in 1983-85, all-region in 1984-85 and all-state as a punter in 1985. In the 1983 state championship game, Clark had a fumble recovery, two interceptions, and punted six times, with an average of 40 yards.
As a point guard on the basketball team, Clark earned alltournament honors once, as well as being all-district in 1985.
Clark was a four-year standout for the PM baseball team from 1983-86, earning all-district honors as a shortstop in 1984-86 and all-region honors in 1986.
Adam Gilbert is the leading scorer in basketball history at PM. From 2003 through his senior season in 2006, Gilbert was a consistent scorer, averaging 13.2 points per game for his career, 19.2 points per game his senior season, finishing with a total of 1,401 points. Gilbert also holds the PM assist record with 469. He made the all-Pioneer District first team from 2004 to 2006, the all-Region C team in 2006 and the Group A all-state second team in 2006, when he was selected to the Virginia High School Coaches Association allstate game.
In baseball, Gilbert was a fouryear starter, selected all-district from 2004 to 2006, all-region in 2006, and Group A all-state second team in 2006. Gilbert continued his basketball career at Guilford College.
In addition to the induction of these five student-athletes, the undefeated 1983 state championship football team and cheerleaders will be honored, with recognition at halftime of the Friday night football game and at the banquet on Saturday night.
Tickets for the event are $25. They are on sale at the Buena Vista School Board office at 2329 Chestnut Ave. and at the PMHS office. Ticket reservations may be called in for pickup at the door on Saturday night.
