Football
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
12 to join the TSSAA Hall of Fame
HERMITAGE- - - The 2010 TSSAA Hall of Fame inductees have been selected. Twelve new members will be inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame at the annual luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Murfreesboro on Saturday, April 17, 2010.
Four administrators, five coaches, two officials, and a contributor will be inducted that day to join others in the annual gathering of those selected since the process began in 1982.
Those being inducted at this year’s luncheon are: Gene Beck, administrator from Springfield; Scott Brunette, administrator from Nashville; Joseph Clayton, administrator from Collierville; Morris Rogers, administrator from Winchester; Alfred B. Cate, coach from Memphis; the late Don Grider, coach from South Pittsburg; the late Ben Martin, coach from Oak Ridge; George Pitts, coach from Bluff City; Larry Ricker, coach from Greeneville; Vic Francescon, official from Brentwood; Billy Bob Garrison, official from Elizabethton; and Faye Osteen, contributor from Millington.
The Hall of Fame luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The luncheon is to not only honor the new inductees and their families, but to honor all past inductees into the TSSAA Hall of Fame.
Additional information on the inductees is provided below. If you need a photo of any of the inductees, please contact Matthew Gillespie ([email protected]).
Gene Beck—Former basketball coach at Springfield High School for 17 years before becoming an Assistant Executive Director at TSSAA. He remained in that position for 23 years before retiring in February of 2009.
Scott Brunette—Former coach and assistant principal at McGavock, Whites Creek, and Stratford high schools, who is currently in his 18th year as Athletic Director and Physical Education Coordinator for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Joseph Clayton—Has served over 50 years in education as a teacher and coach in the Memphis area. He is now serving on the Shelby County Board of Education, a position he has held since 1998.
Morris Rogers—Has served over two decades in the Franklin County School System as an administrator. He was a member of the TSSAA Board of Control for ten years, and is now in his 9th year as County Wide Director of Athletics for Franklin County.
Alfred B. Cate—Served 36 years at Memphis Central High School as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. He compiled winning records in football, basketball, baseball, and tennis.
The late Don Grider—Longtime football coach at South Pittsburg High School, whose team captured Tennessee’s first Class A Championship in 1969. He would go on to win nearly 200 games in his 23 years as head coach.
The late Ben Martin—First athletic director and coach of several sports at Oak Ridge High School, where he led his track teams to seven State Championships. He selected the Oak Ridge nickname and colors in its first year of existence (1943).
George Pitts—Coached high school boys basketball for 30 years, winning a total of 7 state championships. His Brentwood Academy teams are the only boys’ basketball program in TSSAA history to win four consecutive state championships (’03 – ’06). His other 3 state championships came while at Science Hill High School in 1990, 1994, and 1995.
Larry Ricker—Educator for over 30 years, who has won 4 girls’ basketball state championships at South Greene High School. He compiled an 86% winning percentage and made fifteen trips to the state tournament during his 21 seasons as head coach.
Vic Francescon—TSSAA official from Brentwood who is in his 50th year as a member of the Middle Tennessee Basketball Officials Association, and his 48th year as a member of the Middle Tennessee Football Officials Association. He worked numerous state playoff games and two football state championships.
William Garrison—TSSAA official from Elizabethton who has served as a TSSAA official in football, baseball, and basketball and served 20 years as a basketball supervisor. He worked in regional basketball and baseball tournaments, as well as 6 state baseball tournaments and several football playoff games.
Faye Osteen— Contributor from Millington who has dedicated over 30 years to high school athletics and the TSSAA. In 2000, she determined to begin a fund to both honor the TSSAA Hall of Fame and to emphasize the development of TSSAA as the governing body of high school athletics. Her late husband, Bill, was a longtime member of the TSSAA Board of Control and is a charter member of the TSSAA Hall of Fame.
Four administrators, five coaches, two officials, and a contributor will be inducted that day to join others in the annual gathering of those selected since the process began in 1982.
Those being inducted at this year’s luncheon are: Gene Beck, administrator from Springfield; Scott Brunette, administrator from Nashville; Joseph Clayton, administrator from Collierville; Morris Rogers, administrator from Winchester; Alfred B. Cate, coach from Memphis; the late Don Grider, coach from South Pittsburg; the late Ben Martin, coach from Oak Ridge; George Pitts, coach from Bluff City; Larry Ricker, coach from Greeneville; Vic Francescon, official from Brentwood; Billy Bob Garrison, official from Elizabethton; and Faye Osteen, contributor from Millington.
The Hall of Fame luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The luncheon is to not only honor the new inductees and their families, but to honor all past inductees into the TSSAA Hall of Fame.
Additional information on the inductees is provided below. If you need a photo of any of the inductees, please contact Matthew Gillespie ([email protected]).
Gene Beck—Former basketball coach at Springfield High School for 17 years before becoming an Assistant Executive Director at TSSAA. He remained in that position for 23 years before retiring in February of 2009.
Scott Brunette—Former coach and assistant principal at McGavock, Whites Creek, and Stratford high schools, who is currently in his 18th year as Athletic Director and Physical Education Coordinator for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Joseph Clayton—Has served over 50 years in education as a teacher and coach in the Memphis area. He is now serving on the Shelby County Board of Education, a position he has held since 1998.
Morris Rogers—Has served over two decades in the Franklin County School System as an administrator. He was a member of the TSSAA Board of Control for ten years, and is now in his 9th year as County Wide Director of Athletics for Franklin County.
Alfred B. Cate—Served 36 years at Memphis Central High School as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. He compiled winning records in football, basketball, baseball, and tennis.
The late Don Grider—Longtime football coach at South Pittsburg High School, whose team captured Tennessee’s first Class A Championship in 1969. He would go on to win nearly 200 games in his 23 years as head coach.
The late Ben Martin—First athletic director and coach of several sports at Oak Ridge High School, where he led his track teams to seven State Championships. He selected the Oak Ridge nickname and colors in its first year of existence (1943).
George Pitts—Coached high school boys basketball for 30 years, winning a total of 7 state championships. His Brentwood Academy teams are the only boys’ basketball program in TSSAA history to win four consecutive state championships (’03 – ’06). His other 3 state championships came while at Science Hill High School in 1990, 1994, and 1995.
Larry Ricker—Educator for over 30 years, who has won 4 girls’ basketball state championships at South Greene High School. He compiled an 86% winning percentage and made fifteen trips to the state tournament during his 21 seasons as head coach.
Vic Francescon—TSSAA official from Brentwood who is in his 50th year as a member of the Middle Tennessee Basketball Officials Association, and his 48th year as a member of the Middle Tennessee Football Officials Association. He worked numerous state playoff games and two football state championships.
William Garrison—TSSAA official from Elizabethton who has served as a TSSAA official in football, baseball, and basketball and served 20 years as a basketball supervisor. He worked in regional basketball and baseball tournaments, as well as 6 state baseball tournaments and several football playoff games.
Faye Osteen— Contributor from Millington who has dedicated over 30 years to high school athletics and the TSSAA. In 2000, she determined to begin a fund to both honor the TSSAA Hall of Fame and to emphasize the development of TSSAA as the governing body of high school athletics. Her late husband, Bill, was a longtime member of the TSSAA Board of Control and is a charter member of the TSSAA Hall of Fame.
