Bill Long had a 109-38-8 record in football at Douglas Freeman, including a state title in 1967. When Douglas Freeman High School opened in 1954, Bill Long practically was a one-man gang in the athletic department.

In addition to teaching math, he was a football, basketball and track coach, as well as athletic director.

Long is so synonymous with Freeman sports that even his home phone number is just one digit removed from the Rebels' athletic office.

When Freeman administrators and boosters decided to create an athletic hall of fame, the first selection was a snap.

"Bill will be the first inductee of the first class," Activities Director Jim Sangston said.

Sangston, along with the Rebels' booster club and a hall of fame committee, still are hammering out details. Several more first-class inductees will be named at a later date.

The inaugural banquet will be sometime in the spring. No exact spot has been settled upon for the actual location of the hall.

"It could be more a trophy case, or a wall, than a hall," Sangston said. "There's not much room available in the gym lobby . . . probably more people would see in the main building."

Actually, the Virginia High School League beat Freeman to Long's honorary distinction. He was named to the VHSL Hall of Fame in 1992.

Reminiscing: Following a stellar athletic career at University of Richmond and a stint as a U.S. Air Force pilot in World War II, Long made Freeman a second home.

"Freeman was really the first western Henrico school, because Hermitage at the time was more north side," Long said. "At the time, Broad Street was the dividing line - north of Broad you went to Hermitage, south of Broad you came to Freeman."

There were only four boys sports and one for girls (basketball) when Freeman opened in '54 for grades 10-12.

"We had nearly 2,000 students . . . more than they have now," he said. "But there are a lot more buildings now."

State champs: Long coached Freeman football until 1969, when he became an assistant principal. He remained in that capacity into the early 1990s.

Long's football record of 109-38-8 includes a state championship in 1967 and a 10-1 mark in '69, when the star was future UR/NFL player Barty Smith.

"Barty ranks with the top athletes the school has had," Long said. "Then, he took it further than the others."

Identical numbers: No, it wasn't a coincidence that Long's phone number is nearly the same as Freeman's.

"One of our parents worked for the phone company and asked me if I'd like that," Long said. "I said 'sure,' and I've had it ever since."