At first he said exactly what was expected. No.
He said it three times.
It took several minutes of convincing to get him to maybe, and another week before he finally said yes.
Rush Harding will be honored by the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame with a Roast and Toast on Oct. 24 at the Stephens Center on the UALR campus.
Tables will not go on sale for at least a week, but there are sponsorships available and anyone interested can contact the Hall of Fame at (501) 663-4328.
A lot of people know Harding, but few know him well.
He and his wife, Linda, are probably the only people who know every organization they give money to.
Whether it is a gym or a fieldhouse that he builds, he never puts his name on it, choosing to remain a private donor.
A few years ago, yours truly had the good fortune to attend a game at Clarendon High School with the Harding family, including mom and dad, for the unveiling of the new fieldhouse that Harding had built. At halftime, the cover was dropped and it was revealed that Harding had dedicated the new facility in the name of one of his lifelong friends.
Most are not aware that as an honor graduate at Clarendon High School, he was accepted to West Point. Harding and another of his best friends had a lifelong dream of playing football together there, and in a rare feat, both were accepted.
The summer before they were to report, his friend was killed.
Harding’s heart didn’t heal that year at West Point. Every practice and every game reminded him of his loss, and he transferred to the University of Central Arkansas, where his mother and dad had graduated.
He decided he needed a change from football, so he switched to basketball and made himself into a tough nosed guard who practiced as hard as he played in games.
After graduation, he went to work for T.J. Raney and Sons, an investment firm, and in 1979, with six others, he founded Crews and Associates, where he is still the CEO.
To say there was excitement about this event at Wednesday’s ASHOF board meeting would be a major understatement.
The voting list for next year’s induction class was unanimously voted in at the meeting, and it has a chance to be a great class.
Voting is for all members of the ASHOF, who also get a windshield decal and free visitation to the museum for their entire family. Membership is $75, and more information is available at the phone number mentioned earlier.
Harding is on the board of the Hall of Fame and is a past president, and he’s a very generous member of the organization.
Harding’s generosity may be as private as possible, but it is something he does on a regular basis, and no one has ever donated as much to UCA.
In 2002, he established the Holloway-Hicks Scholarship for African-American students. He’s built a fountain, an amphitheater, half of a football stadium and much more.
In 2007, he was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award, putting his name alongside Johnelle Hunt, Dee Brown and Scottie Pippen.
UCA may top his list, but Hendrix, UALR, the University of Arkansas and many others have felt the generosity of a man who loves his state.
Harding had only two requests when he finally agreed to be honored: First, he gets to pick his roasters. Second, it won’t be a dressy affair.
“Who wants to wear a tie when they are off work?” he said.
As soon as Rennie Rutledge at First Security heard about the roast, he joined Hal Crafton as presenting sponsors.
Yet, there are several levels to help honor a man who avoids public attention, and to get a chance to hear some inside stories on the benevolent Harding.
Sports, Pages 17 on 09/19/2013