NATA Hall of Fame

Leo Murphy became a legendary figure with the Cleveland Browns, working with the team from 1950-89. After graduating in 1948 from Notre Dame, where he was an athlete, Murphy cared for the Chicago Rockets and the New York Yankees before joining the Browns. He has been a sought-after speaker and was the first recipient of the Cleveland Touchdown Club's Meritorious Service Award. He is retired.

In his 40 years at Bowdoin College, Mike Linkovich earned the respect of students and colleagues alike. He was an athletic trainer for the Olympic Organizing Committee at the 1980 Winter Olympics and served at the 1980 Summer Olympics and the 1981 National Sports Festival. Linkovich, a former president of the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association, is retired but still leads by example in giving back to his profession.

1920 - 1995

Affectionately known as “Rooster,” Don Fauls treated Florida State athletes from 1954-86. Fauls came to Florida State after serving as athletic trainer for professional baseball teams in North Carolina and Nebraska. He was an athletic trainer for the U.S. Pan American team and was a member of the Olympic Training Selection Committee.

Ed Motley excelled in football and baseball as a student at William & Mary University. After a stint in the Army, he coached for 10 years at the high school level and eventually came to Virginia Tech in 1952 as athletic trainer in charge of all sports. Motley served as athletic trainer for all women's athletics at Virginia Tech from 1978 until his retirement.

Fred Hoover graduated from Florida State University and worked as an athletic trainer there before taking a job at Clemson University in 1959. He remained at Clemson until his retirement in 1998. Hoover, who was chair of the NATa board from 1964-67, remains a professor emeritus at Clemson.

1929 - 2003

An athletic trainer since 1948, Buddy Taylor got his start with the Richmond Rams semi-pro football team. He served as head athletic trainer and assistant professor at Winston Salem State University beginning in 1974. Taylor made a name as an excellent lecturer, author and teacher of athletic training skills and served as athletic trainer for various international athletic teams.

1914 - 2000

O. William “Bill” Dayton began his at the University of Miami in 1938. After serving as athletic trainer at several various universities, Dayton became head athletic trainer at Yale University in 1956, staying there for 22 years. Dayton, a founding father of the NATA, gave more than 40 years of his life to the athletic training profession.

1934 - 2000

When he was named NATA's first Executive Director in 1971, Otho Davis had been in the profession for almost 20 years. He was a fixture with the Philadelphia Eagles, as head athletic trainer from 1973-95. Under his leadership, NATA secured professional liability insurance for athletic trainers, welcomed its first corporate sponsors and established a national office in Dallas.

Bob Peterson got his start in athletic training in 1929 at Northwestern University under fellow Hall of Famer Carl Erickson. After 13 years at Northwestern, Peterson was appointed head athletic trainer at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where he set up the first athletic training room. Peterson went on to Indiana University, the University of California - Berkeley and the University of Washington.

Tom Healion began his athletic training career with the Toronto Argonauts in 1954. After athletic training stints at the University of Pittsburgh, Northwestern University and the University of Indiana, Healion was appointed head athletic trainer for the New England Patriots in 1972 and remained there until 1986. Healion is retired and lives in Colorado.