HERMITAGE- - - The 2009 TSSAA Hall of Fame inductees have been selected. Thirteen 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 18, 2009.
Four administrators, five coaches, three 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: Bob Baldridge, administrator from Nashville; Mike Bone, administrator from Shelbyville; Joe Davis, administrator from Memphis; Harry Gill, administrator from Smyrna; Ken Bailey, coach from Baileyton; Sam Brooks, coach from South Pittsburg; Bob Cummings, coach from Nashville; the late Bryant McDaniel, coach from Clarksville; Lamar Rogers, coach from Clarkrange; Bill Arata, official from Memphis; Bryan Kennedy, official from Fayetteville; Kenneth Pack, official from Tullahoma; and Larry Counts, contributor from Murfreesboro.
The Hall of Fame luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18. 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 Heather Carter (hcarter@tssaa.org).
Bob Baldridge—served 40 years on the TSSAA staff, helping to develop the classification system and directed the football playoffs since its inception in 1969. He was also a registered lobbyist and served on numerous NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) committees.
Mike Bone—Educator for over 40 years in Shelbyville, Tennessee, serving as Principal of Shelbyville Central High School, and later as Superintendent of Bedford County Schools
Joe Davis—Longtime administrator from Memphis, Tennessee, who has served on the TSSAA Board of Control for seven years, and was also a prominent TSSAA football and basketball official
Harry Gill—Outstanding coach and administrator in Rutherford County, currently serving as its Director of Schools
Ken Bailey—Former basketball coach from East Tennessee who achieved big success at small Bulls Gap High School when only one classification was in place
Sam E. Brooks—Coached over 1700 games, matches, and events in high school over 34 years—28 of those years were at South Pittsburg High School.
Bob Cummings—Compiled over 100 victories in just over fifteen years as a high school head football coach before moving on to the college and professional levels
The late Bryant McDaniel—Longtime basketball, track, and cross country coach at Clarksville High School with seven state cross country championships
Lamar Rogers—Girls basketball coach at Clarkrange High School for over 30 years compiling over 900 wins, and 7 state championships
Bill Arata—TSSAA basketball official from Memphis who worked numerous region tournaments, a state tournament, and now serves as a supervisor and assigning officer
Bryan Kennedy—Basketball official from Fayetteville who has dedicated nearly 50 years to TSSAA
Kenny Pack—Football official from Tullahoma who has been active in officiating for over 40 years. His father, Bill is also a member of the TSSAA Hall of Fame. He has officiated in two high school football games where the entire crew was made up of Packs (father and five sons).
Larry Counts—Contributor from Murfreesboro who has dedicated over 20 years to high school athletics, serving as the state championship event director for TSSAA in football, volleyball, track and field, tennis, baseball, and soccer.