TEN TO JOIN THE TSSAA HALL OF FAME AT ANNUAL INDUCTION CEREMONIES APRIL 1
The 2017 TSSAA Hall of Fame inductees have been selected. Ten 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 1, 2017. Two administrators, five coaches, two officials, and one 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: the late Ernest Chism, administrator from Germantown; Ellis Haguewood, administrator from Memphis; Walter “Bud” Bales, coach from Knoxville, James Counce, coach from Dyersburg; Sylvester Ford, coach from Memphis; the late Doug Hall, coach from Nashville; Marvin Williams, coach from Whiteville; the late William J. Mitchell, official from Lewisburg, James H. Reed, official from Shelbyville; and Gary Dutton, contributor from Loudon. The Hall of Fame luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 1. 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. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, January 30. You may purchase the tickets at $25.00 each by visiting our website (www.tssaa.org). Please print off the ticket form and mail it to our office along with a check or money order. All ticket orders will be available for pick-up on the day of the luncheon. There will be NO ticket sales at the door. The late Ernest Chism—Longtime administrator in the Memphis area; 28 years as Principal of Germantown High School; served on Shelby Co. School Board; Germantown alderman; chairman of Shelby Co. Schools Principal’s Association Ellis Haguewood—Educator and leader at Memphis University School for nearly 50 years; his roles have included teacher, director of student activities, dean of students, director of summer school, Upper School principal, and Headmaster; has served as Headmaster since 1995; member of the TSSAA Division II committee since its inception in 1997, serving as chairman for a period of time; TSSAA Ex-Officio Board member representing the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools Walter “Bud” Bales—Head baseball coach at Knoxville Central High School from 1974 – 2000; career record of 509 wins and 207 losses; 1990 team went undefeated (31-0) and won the TSSAA State Championship in Class AAA; coached Major League players Todd Helton, Bubba Trammell, and Steve Searcy James Counce—Longtime football coach in West TN, with his longest stints at Dyersburg and Henry Co. high schools; overall coaching record of 235-95; winningest football coach in the history of two programs (Dyersburg and Henry Co.); assistant coach at MBA in 2007 when it won the Division II State Championship; had two perfect seasons and two 5A State Championships as head coach of Henry Co. (2011, 2014); retired after 2014 season Sylvester Ford—Teacher and basketball coach who tallied 687 wins in his 40 years as head coach in the Memphis area, most notably at Fairley High School (1987 – 2012); TSSAA Class AAA State Champions in 1993 with a record of 37-1; his son, Sylvester, Jr. “Deuce”, a member of the 1993 state championship team, is now the head coach at Fairley and his dad serves as his assistant coach; Fairley High School gymnasium renamed in his honor in 2014 The late Doug Hall—Teacher and coach for over 30 years in middle Tennessee; coached track and field, cross country, football, and basketball; spent career at Bellevue High School and then Hillwood High School when the two were consolidated; compiled numerous NIL championships and garnered many coach of the year awards for his accomplishments; in 1987 the Doug Hall Relays were established in his honor and they are still being held today Marvin Williams—Successful boys’ and girls’ basketball coach beginning in 1959; coached at Morris Chapel, Ramer, McNairy Central, and Bolivar Central; coached seven teams to the TSSAA State Tournament; Bolivar girls’ finished runner-up in 1976 and were state champions in 1977 (Class AA), and in 1978 (Class AAA); nominated for National Coach of the Year in 1978; coached on collegiate level at Jackson State Community College and Austin Peay State University; retired in 1990 The late William J. Mitchell— Football and basketball official for over 50 years; worked football and basketball for 12 years in the Middle Tennessee Athletic Association, the governing body for African-American sports during the segregated era in Middle Tennessee; registered TSSAA football official for 40 years where he worked 8 playoff games; Lewisburg proclaimed June 11, 2011 as Willie J. Mitchell Day and he was honored with a monument at a Marshall Co. park James H. Reed—Registered TSSAA official for over 50 years; officiated basketball for over 40 years and baseball for 30 years; worked three TSSAA State Basketball tournaments in both girls and boys (1982, 1984, 1985); officiated in the TSSAA State Baseball tournament and numerous sub-state, region, and district tournaments; appointed at-large supervisor in 2005 Gary Dutton—Assistant football coach and then Principal at Loudon High School for over ten years; Supervisor for Instruction at Loudon County Schools 1981 – 1995; Began traveling the state in 1995 conducting coaches’ education courses for the TSSAA; conducted “Coaching Principles” for over 7,000 TSSAA coaches in 18 years; served as a Professor at Lincoln Memorial University for 18 years; was a member of the national faculty for ASEP (American Sport Education Program); helped design the 4th Edition of Coaching Principles, which was used as class material for the ASEP coaching class; retired in 2014