WRESTLING HALL OF FAME

[Raider76]

How does Ronnie Carter get in?

Ronnie Carter has done everything he could to promote wrestling in Tn over the last 30 years. He has always shown a passion for the sport. When the Simpson-Dunnings begin coaching Chattanooga completely dominated TN wrestling. Because of their leadership the whole Nashville area has improved to balance out Chatt. Congrats to them and Luther Killian who is a great Ambassador of the sport.

[keefjams]

Ronnie Carter has done everything he could to promote wrestling in Tn over the last 30 years. He has always shown a passion for the sport. When the Simpson-Dunnings begin coaching Chattanooga completely dominated TN wrestling. Because of their leadership the whole Nashville area has improved to balance out Chatt. Congrats to them and Luther Killian who is a great Ambassador of the sport.

Don't forget the contributions of MIKE KILLIAN "The Work Horse" a true role model for all. I hall of fame without him would be hall of SHAME!

[CoachDelgado]

Gentlemen,

This is only the 3rd Hall of Fame induction in Tennessee history. The first was in 1993 followed by the second one in 2005. I am certain that any nominees that are forwarded to P.A., in mail format with credentials included and not just postings on the message board, will be seriously considered for future inductions. We have a lot of catching up to do to honor our past greats in this state. It will take some time. We cannot, and I believe are not allowed, to induct an inordinate number of people in one year. I am not sure how many we are limited to, but P.A. can answer those questions.

 

The thing I am liking about this string is the mention of the past greats. It is fun to hear their stories and accomplishments. Perhaps in future inductions some of these people can be included.

[canedad145]

i think the late Lou Hooban should be in the Tennessee Hall of Fame, he's in the National Hall Of Fame for winning over 500 dual meets

[CoachDelgado]

Used with permission of B.B. Branton

 

Tennessee Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, by B.B. Branton, bbbranton@peoplepc.com

 

Quote:CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. 10/09/06 -- TSSAA executive director Ronnie Carter and Father Ryan head coach Pat Simpson, who has led the Irish to 11 state wrestling championships (traditional and duals), head the seven member class of 2006 who will be inducted into the Tennessee chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame in October.

 

Tennessee’s third induction dinner is set for Sat. Oct. 28 at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, Tenn. The reception will start at 5:30 p.m. (CST), followed by the dinner at 7.

 

The 2006 class of seven is Carter (Pleasant View), Brian Dunning (Nashville), Jeff Jordan (Clarksville), Luther Killian (Chattanooga), brothers Frank Simpson (Nashville) and Pat Simpson (Nashville) and Kenneth “Speedy’’ Speegle (deceased).

 

Former Tennessee School for the Blind state champion and coach Ralph Brewer (Nashville), will receive the hall of fame medal of courage award and 1991 Clarksville NW state champion Jeff Loyd (Cantonment, Fla.) will be honored with the Outstanding American award from the state of Tennessee.

 

Inductees into the various state chapters of the national wrestling hall of fame must have at least 20 years of service in the sport beyond their wrestling careers.

 

The seven inductees are either current or former high school head wrestling coaches.

 

Current head coaches are Jordan (Clarksville), Pat Simpson (Father Ryan) and Frank Simpson (MBA).

 

Carter was head coach at Overton and has been with TSSAA since 1978. Dunning, a TSSAA wrestling official, is a former head coach at Franklin Road Academy and Glencliff. Killian is a former head coach at MBA and currently is an assistant at McCallie School.

 

Speegle, who died in 2005, was head coach at St. Andrew’s School and Grundy County from 1955-1977,

 

HOF Tickets: Tickets are $50 a plate. Send a check to: P.A. Bowler 109 Mansker Park Dr. Hendersonville, Tenn. 37075. Make checks payable to: Wrestling hall of fame.

 

Tennessee Chapter Induction Classes: 1993 (5) – Gordon Connell, John Farr, Jim Morgan, G.P. West, Luke Worsham.

 

2005 (6) – Clint Abbott, Eddie Davidson, Charlie Goss, Al Miller, Horace Moore and Col. David Spencer.

 

Tennessee Chapter Class of 2006

 

* RONNIE CARTER (Pleasant View, Tenn.) … Lee HS (Columbus, Miss., 1963) … East Miss. JC (Scooba, Miss.), 1965; Bethel College (McKenzie, Tenn.) 1967 … Degree: Math and Philosophy.

 

Current Occupation: Executive Director, TSSAA … 21 years; 1986-present

 

ATHLETIC CAREER: Lettered in football and basketball at Lee High School … Lettered in football at East Miss. JC …

 

COACHING CAREER: Head wrestling coach at Overton HS, 1971-1978 … Two regional team titles and several district championships ... Three, top 10 state finishes … 1977 (8th), 1976 (5th), 1978 (7th) … 12 state medalists.

 

TSSAA CAREER: Assistant executive director, 1978-1985 … Executive director, 1986 – present … As executive director, TSSAA has added state championships in bowling, soccer and cheer and dance as well as the popular Spring Fling, the seven-sport state championship event … Committees Served: National Federation Wrestling Committee (4 years) … Member of board of directors of the National Federation of State High School Associations (1998-2002) … President of the National Federation (2001-2002) … Member of the National Federation Football Rules Committee (25 years) … Chairman of the Research Sub-Committee (8 years) … Member of the National Federation Basketball Rules Committee (12 years) … Chairman of the committee (4 years) … Has served on numerous NCAA committees representing the National Federation of State High School Associations.

 

* BRIAN DUNNING (Nashville) … Hillwood, 1973 … Slippery Rock College, U. of Tennessee 1977 ... B.S. in Health , Physical Education, Recreation

Middle Tenn. State, 1980 … Masters in Art and Teaching

 

Current Occupation: Teacher at Glencliff H.S. in Nashville … TSSAA wrestling official

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: 1970 – state champion as a ninth grader at Hillwood … His sons, Raymond and Whit were also state champions … The state’s third, four-time state medalist (1970-1973) after Ernie Rose (Kirkman) and Martin Francis (Notre Dame) … Two-time All-American in 1973 … Junior AAU’s and Junior World Nationals (5th place) … Regional champion in U.S. Olympic and Junior World Trials … College: Slippery Rock (Pa.) and UT-Knoxville … All-SEC in 1977 … S.E.I.W.A. champion … Wrestled for national hall of famer Gray Simons at UT … earned a Health, Physical Education and Recreation degree from UT.

COACHING CAREER: 27-year coaching career … Head coach at Franklin Road Academy (1984-1992) … Head coach at Glencliff HS (1997-2000) … Also has served as an assistant coach at Glencliff, Hillwood and Hillsboro as well as Middle Tenn. State Univ. … Founder and current director of the Nashville Wrestling Club …

WRESTLING OFFICAL: TSSAA official for 12 years as well as a freestyle official

 

* LUTHER KILLIAN (Chattanooga) … McCallie School, 1968 …

Auburn, UT-Chattanooga, 1973; Degree: Math; … Masters from Georgia State, 1982; Education, Secondary School Counseling and Psychology

 

Current Occupation: Math teacher and assistant wrestling coach at McCallie School in Chattanooga.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: McCallie - 1968 – Scholastic Wrestling News high school All-American … 1968 - Mid South Conference and National Prep Champion … 1968 record: 17-0 … Led Tornado to national team runner-up spot that season … Co-captain and voted team’s best wrestler … Five varsity letters, 1964-1968 …

College: At Auburn, placed third in the 1969 S.E.I.W.A. tournament … 1971 co-captain.

 

COACHING CAREER: 34-year coaching career including head coach at MBA (1986-1995) with two individual state champions. … Assistant coach at Lovett (Atlanta), MBA (Nashville), McCallie and head coach at Saint Stephen middle school in Chattanooga.

 

HONORS: McCallie’s highest award, the Clifford Barker Grayson Medal in 1968 … Regimental commander of the military program … Lovett School Senior Class Faculty Award (1982) ... MBA Father’s Club Faculty Award (1998) … Two-time TACA Region coach of the year (1990, 1991) while at MBA ... USA Wrestling Southeast assistant coach of the year (1996)

 

Did You Know: With Luther’s induction on Oct. 28, McCallie will have five wresters and or coaches in the state hall of fame. This is more than any other school in Tennessee...Current coach Gordon Connell (1993), former wrestler and assistant coach Jim Morgan (1993), former wrestler Jim Glasser (state of Ga., 2004), former coach Col. David Spencer (posthumously, 2005), current assistant coach Luther Killian (2006).

 

* JEFF JORDAN

(Franklin (Tenn.) H.S., 1976 … UT-Knoxville 1980, English Education

 

Current Occupation: Owner of beef cattle farm near Clarksville and head wrestling coach at Clarksville HS.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: Team captain at Franklin High School in 1976 … Two-year letter winner … Wrestled for distinguished hall of famer Gray Simons at Tennessee.

COACHING CAREER: 21 years as a head coach at the high school level (25 years including as an assistant)… Head Coaching Record: 345-49-1 (87.5%) … One of only two Tennessee coaches to win state team titles at two schools; State traditional at Franklin HS in 1989 and state duals and traditional titles at Clarksville HS in 2000 ... (Gordon Connell also accomplished this at Hixson and McCallie) ... Has coached seven individual state champions and one state OW …

 

HONORS: Recipient of the English Award at UT … President of the Clarksville/Montgomery County Cattleman’s Assoc. … Franklin High School Hall of Fame.

 

* FRANK SIMPSON Father Ryan (Nashville) 1975 …

Middle Tenn. State Univ. 1980, Degree: Physical Education and Art

 

Current Occupation: Teacher and head wrestling coach at Montgomery Bell Academy.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: Three years on varsity at Father Ryan (1973-74-75) … Member of 1974 state championship team … College: Four years on varsity at Middle Tenn. State … Team captain in 1979 … 1979 All-SEIWA (4th) … 1978 NCAA Mid- West Region (4th).

 

COACHING CAREER: 24 years as a head coach: Bishop Byrne, Kirby, Hendersonville and MBA … Career record: 342-110-1 (75.6%) … 295-50-1 (85.4%) at MBA ... 18 individual state champions (16 at MBA) … Three state tournament Outstanding Wrestlers …

 

HONORS: 14-time area coach of the year.

 

* PAT SIMPSON Father Ryan (Nashville) 1974 …

Middle Tenn. State Univ. 1979, Degree: Health, Physical Education, Recreation; Masters: Tenn. State, Administration and Supervision

 

Current Occupation: Teacher and head wrestling coach at Father Ryan.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: Three years on varsity at Father Ryan (1972-74) … Member of 1974 state championship team … 1974 state runner-up … College: Four years on varsity at Middle Tenn. State … 1979 S.E.I.W.A. champion … Tournament Outstanding Wrestler (OW) … Received award for most pins in the shortest amount of time … Three-time All-S.E.I.W.A. … 1976 (4th), 1977 (3rd), 1979 (1st, OW) … NCAA tournament qualifier.

 

COACHING CAREER: 27 years as head wrestling coach at Father Ryan … 11 state team championships; six dual titles (1988, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004) … five traditional titles (1987, 1988, 1998, 2000, 2003) … 42 individual state champions … Three state tournament Outstanding Wrestlers.

 

HONORS: 11 state coach-of the-year awards.

 

* KENNETH “SPEEDY’’ SPEEGLE (deceased)

High School: Chattanooga Central HS, West Technical High School, 1946; Cleveland Ohio College: Middle Tenn. State Univ., 1960.

 

ATHLETIC CAREER: High School: Lettered 3 years in football and baseball at West Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio … College: Wrestled at Middle Tenn. State Univ. in 1951, team captain.

 

COACHING CAREER: 20 years (1955-1974) as head coach at St. Andrew’s School (Sewanee, Tenn.) … Grundy County High School’s first wrestling coach … Coached three years (1975-77) at the Tracy City (Tenn.) school … At St. Andrew’s, he coached 22 Mid-South champions, two state champions and one national prep champion … Former St. A. wrestlers established a scholarship in his name in 2000 … Head baseball coach in the mid 1960s.

 

HONORS: Speedy Speegle Scholarship given annually by St. Andrew’s –Sewanee School to one student … Scholarship established by his former wrestlers in 2000.

 

NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME - Medal of Courage Award

 

* RALPH BREWER – High School: Tenn. School for the Blind, 1962 ...

College: MTSU, 1970; Degree: Health, Physical Education & Recreation; Masters: Special Education from George Peabody College, 1976

Occupation: Retired coach and administrator from Tennessee School for the Blind.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: 1962 state champion at Tennessee School for the Blind ... Runner-up in state tournament Outstanding Wrestler balloting to Bill Harlow of St. Andrew’s … Five-year letter winner … Two-time state medalist; 3rd in 1961, 1st in 1962 … Two-time Southwestern Region Blind School champion (1961, 1962) … Led TSB to region team championships in 1961 & 1962 ... College: Wrestled on the Auburn freshman team in 1963.

 

COACHING CAREER: Head coach at TSB, 1964-1972 … Coached three state champions, including 1964 OW Mickey Bailey … Led TSB to the Nashville Interscholastic League (NIL) championship.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE CAREER: Headmaster at West Virginia School for the Blind (1980-88) … At TSB, he served as pre-school counselor, dean of student living and superintendent, retiring in June 2002.

 

HONORS: The Ralph Brewer Award is given annually to the Nashville area coach-of-the -year … President of his senior class at TSB.

 

OFFICIATING: A former TSSAA official.

 

NATIONAL HALL OF FAME - Outstanding American Award

 

* JEFF LOYD – Clarksville NW High School, 1991 ...

Missouri Valley College, 1995; Degree: Biology, Dean’s List

Northwestern Univ.; Board Certification in Prosthetics and Orthotics

 

Occupation: Orthotist for Hanger Prosthetics/Orthotics in Cantonment, Fla.

 

WRESTLING CAREER: High School: 1991 state champion at Clarksville NW ... Two-time state medalist; 1990 (3rd), 1991 (1st) … Career record: 112-19; 1989 (30-15), 1990 (37-3), 1991 (45-1) … 1991 High School All-American placing fourth at Senior Nationals … Clarksville NW team captain in 1991 … First state champion from Clarksville NW and Montgomery County … College: Wrestled at Missouri Valley College … 1995 NAIA All-American (6th) as a senior … Biology major and Dean’s List student in 1995

[downforthecount]

I want to make another plea, that if you are considering attending the Hall of Fame banquet, and I highly recommend it, that you let P. A. Bowler know today. Contact him via email at:

 

bowler94@comcast.net

 

You can pay at the door, BUT you must make reservations by Tue. A final seating count is required by then to the hotel. There are already 230+ registrations and the room is only so big.

 

One of the highlights of the evening will be the exhibits the inductees display from their careers. Lots of memories, so arrive by 6:00 pm (central) to insure time to view and visit.

 

Coach Delgado is correct in that this induction class may be the largest allowed. Not sure if there is a maximum allowable, but we are at the limit of the recommended (from National) size, with two in the special categories. Hopefully the Chapter can continue the momentum being built over the last two years to continue the banquets and include some of the many deserving candidates.

 

Hope to see you there.

[delaWarr]

Thanks to BB Branton for the great Hall Of Fame Honorees story, and to CoachDelgado for posting it on the board. Good reading, plus some validation for those of us interested in the history of Tennessee Wrestling.