 Lawrence R.Fleischer
Granada Hills, CA
Leader
Lawrence Raymond “Larry” Fleischer grew up in Long Island, NY. Larry is a well-known leader and a visionary in the deaf sports world. He is best known as the person who led the restructuring of the AAAD to the USADSF from 1985 to 1989.
This restructuring transitioned the AAAD from an organization which mainly coordinated national basketball and softball activities, to USADSF, a multi-sport organization with many opportunities for deaf athletes to participate in international competition.
Larry attended the New York School for the Deaf (Fanwood), Gallaudet University, California State University at Northridge, and Brigham Young University. At Gallaudet, he played football and was a pitcher on the Gallaudet baseball team. To this day, he continues to be an avid runner and very interested in sports, recreation, health and fitness.
In 1977-78 Larry served as Secretary-Treasurer of the FAAD and did so again in 1984. He was Chair of the AAAD Task Force established after the 1985 WGS to successfully settle the $1.2 million deficit. He served as FAAD President 1979-80. Larry was Chair of the AAAD Restructure Committee 1985-89 and served as AAAD President 1989-98. From there he went on to serve as President of PANAMDES 1998-2003. He is currently President of the USADSF.
Without Larry’s vision for the future, the AAAD would be limited to serving basketball and softball athletes. Under the current structure, the USADB has become a national organization with many more men and women’s’ teams participating in the annual USADB tournament.
The AAAD was great for its time period and will never be forgotten. The current USADB structure allows more players to participate, and more delegates and representatives of clubs to participate in the delegates meetings, and creates a leadership potential for all involved.
 JoDee Dike Johnson
Fremont, CA
A long time basketball player and all-around athlete who was part of the AAAD/USADB founding membership in 1988, JoDee played the first three seasons for AAAD women’s ball when it was an invitational tournament from 1988-90. She was named to the first team women’s All-Stars in the first invitational at Boston in 1988 playing for championship team Pierce Valley Club of the FAAD.
When the official women’s AAAD/USADB tournament began play in Atlantic City, NJ in 1991, she was also first team All-Star. JoDee led the tournament with 90 points.
A product of the Colorado School for the Deaf and a graduate of CSUN, JoDee played a total of 10 seasons, during1988-2002. JoDee was named first team All Star during AAAD/USADB on 4 occasions-1991, 1994, 1997 and 1999 and second team All Star in 1990 and 1993 where she was the leading rebounder of the tournament with 35 as a second team All-Star. A stellar guard-forward combo, JoDee helped her teams with inspired plays and skill leading her Oakland, Easy Bay and Fremont teams to 6 titles in the NWAAD and frequent appearances at the AAAD/USADB tournaments. JoDee was named NWAAD first team All-Star 8 times (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2004). She was voted MVP 4 times (1991, 1992, 1993, 1999). She will be named to the NWAAD basketball Hall of Fame automatically, when she is inducted into USADB Hall of Fame. JoDee, along with other pioneer ladies of the early day of AAAD/USADB women basketball, helped to make women basketball a staple in the lives of deaf women, and an important achievement in women’s basketball at the annual AAAD/USADB regional and national tournaments which continue to this day.
JoDee was also on the Deaflympics team for basketball in 1993, team handball in 1997, bowling in 2001 and curling in 2007.
The USADB is proud to honor JoDee with enshrinement in the USADB Hall of Fame as a most deserving member based on her accomplishments as a basketball player, Deaflympic representative and true team leader in every sense of the word.
Congratulations JoDee and welcome to the USADB Hall of Fame!
Scott Morrison
USADH Hall of Fame Coordinator |
