Benjamin “Benny” Brown

Carter G. Woodson High, Hopewell (1956)
Basketball

Benny Brown was a VIA Group III All State point guard on Carter G. Woodson’s 1955 and 1956 State Championship Basketball teams. As a three-year starter, he was team captain in his junior and senior years and averaged 17 points per game for his high school career. His leadership was demonstrated by the fact that Group III Woodson lost only one game over two seasons; defeated only by Group I Peabody High of Petersburg. He was called an ideal point guard who was able to penetrate and score at the basket, pass the ball to open teammates or pull up for jump shots himself. In fact, he was considered an innovator of the jump shot in an era when the two-handed set shot was used by most players. His consistent, controlled play at all times was the embodiment of a “coach on the floor.” He was considered a model student in the classroom. He participated in Student Government, the Acapella Choir, and Math and Science Clubs, and other activities. After graduating from Carter G. Woodson High, Brown played basketball at Virginia State College (now University) for two seasons before joining the U. S. Army. He played several years with the semi-professional Hopewell Vikings basketball team. He was elected to the Hopewell Athletic Wall of Fame in 2017.