The D.C. United Hall of Tradition (formerly Tradition of Excellence) is an honor bestowed upon players, coaches and club management demmed by the franchise to have crucial to the club's success.[1]
Originally known as Tradition of Excellence, the honor was created in 2003 when the club honored midfielder John Harkes. Since 2007, six fellow players, executives and media partners have been honored by United.
The most recent inductee into the Hall of Tradition was United defender, Eddie Pope was a member of the club during their late 1990s dynasty, which included three MLS Cup honors, two MLS Supporter's Shields, a U.S. Open Cup and a CONCACAF title.[2]
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On September 13, 2008 at halftime during a match against FC Dallas, D.C. United honored the 1998 squad that won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup including the two finalists for induction into the Hall; Richie Williams and Jeff Agoos.[3] Agoos was inducted during a 2-1 playoff victory against the New England Revolution on December 16, 2008 after winning three MLS Cup titles during five seasons with D.C. United.[4]
It is an honor and a privilege to join John and Marco in the D.C. United Hall of Tradition. It's a very special group. I was fortunate to be included on a team with great players in a quality organization and I want to thank all of the people involved.—Jeff Agoos, Soccer Insider[5]
Arce and Dirón became the fourth and fifth players inducted in to the Hall during a halftime ceremony while D.C. United faced the Seattle Sounders at RFK Stadium on September 12, 2009.[6][7] Pope was inducted in the Hall at halftime ceremony during a 2-1 loss against the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 18, 2010.[8]
On June 13, 2011 D.C. United announced for nominees for the 2011 Hall of Tradition induction ceremony, including Roy Lassiter, Carlos Llamosa, John Maessner, and Richie Williams.[9] On July 12, 2011 D.C. United announced that defensive midfielder Richie Williams would be inducted into the Hall of Tradition during a match against the Portland Timbers on August 27.[10] Before the induction ceremony D.C. United President and CEO Kevin Payne recognized Williams' accomplishments:
| “ | Richie was a key member of the early D.C. United teams who set a standard for MLS, which remains unmatched. His intelligence and fiery determination on the field was a critical ingredient in our success. His work rate and understanding of the game allowed our more glamorous players to be successful, but his contributions were no less important to our many championships. It’s absolutely appropriate that Richie be inducted into the Hall of Tradition, alongside John Harkes, Marco Etcheverry, Jeff Agoos, Raul Diaz Arce and Eddie Pope.[10] | ” |
Williams played for D.C. United six of his eight seasons in Major League Soccer. During his first five seasons with the club from 1996 until 2000 Williams took park in numerous titles, including the 1996, 1997 and 1999 MLS Cup titles , a 1996 U.S. Open Cup championship, 1997 and 1999 Supporters Shields, and the 1998 Champions Cup and InterAmerican Cup victories. Williams played a final additional season with D.C. United in 2002.[10]
| Nat | Name | Type | Pos. | App. | G | Years | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Harkes | Player | Midfielder | 83 | 14 | 1996–98 | May 14, 2003 | |
| Marco Etcheverry | Player | Midfielder | 190 | 34 | 1996–2003 | October 20, 2007 | |
| Betty D'Anjolell | Executive | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1995–98 | June 29, 2008 | |
| Jeff Agoos | Player | Defender | 158 | 7 | 1996–2000 | October 16, 2008 | |
| Raúl Díaz Arce | Player | Forward | 68 | 52 | 1996–97, 2000–01 | September 12, 2009 | |
| Danilo Noel Dirón | Broadcaster | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1997–2008 | September 12, 2009 | |
| Eddie Pope | Player | Defender | 143 | 8 | 1996–02 | July 18, 2010 |
Players only.
| Position | Members |
|---|---|
| Defender | 2 |
| Midfielder | 2 |
| Forward | 1 |
| Goalkeeper | 0 |
| Nation | Members |
|---|---|
| United States | 4 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| El Salvador | 1 |
| Uruguay | 1 |
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