Honoring 32
Julius “Doctor J” Irving, No. 32, was the first basketball player I saw who defied gravity.
James Brown, No. 32, powered through offensive lines with the force of gravity.
Sandy Koufax, No. 32, made his debut on the mound the year I was born.
All of their jerseys have been retired, as have been those of more than a dozen other professional athletes who have worn 32. Steve Carlton, Bill Walton, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson are just a few of those inspirational 32s.
Today we honor 32 who wore maroon.
Ross A. Almeddine
Christopher James Bishop
Brian R. Bluhm
Ryan Christopher Clark
Austin Michelle Cloyd
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Daniel Alejandro Perez Cueva
Kevin P. Granata
Matthew Gregory Gwaltney
Caitlin Millar Hammaren
Jeremy Michael Herbstritt
Rachael Elizabeth Hill
Emily Jane Hilscher
Jarrett Lee Lane
Matthew Joseph La Porte
Henry J. Lee
Liviu Librescu
G.V. Loganathan
Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan
Lauren Ashley McCain
Daniel Patrick O’Neil
Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz
Minal Hiralal Panchal
Erin Nicole Peterson
Michael Steven Pohle Jr.
Julia Kathleen Pryde
Mary Karen Read
Reema Joseph Samaha
Waleed Mohamed Shaalan
Leslie Geraldine Sherman
Maxine Shelly Turner
Nicole Regina White
Last August, Virginia Tech SGA president Adeel Khan spoke at the dedication of the April 16 Memorial.
“Take time to remember the legacies, remember the dreams and remember the talent that our community has lost. I hope you are inspired to work harder to honor the 32. Share your talents with the world for the 32. Achieve your dreams for the 32. Be more compassionate, friendly and thoughtful for the 32. Be better, for the 32.”
I run for the 32.
Whether I’m in a race or just running with my friends I wear an identification band around my ankle engraved with “Virginia Tech 32.”
Thirty-two will never be retired. Thirty-two is my inspiration.
Posted by Mary Alice Blackwell at 10:58 AM. Filed under:
Mary Alice Blackwell was a sportswriter for 11 years before turning in her scorebook to cover cops and courts. The Virginia Tech Hokie joined the staff of The Daily Progress in 1987 and has spent the past dozen or so years writing about actors, musicians, artists, authors and, occasionally, her running buddies. 
