DeKalb County (Alabama) Sports Hall of Fame

Class of 2001

Brock
Thomas Brock
Born April 22, 1930, Thomas Brock played football, basketball and baseball at DeKalb County High School in Fort Payne. He was captain of the football team and co-captain of the basketball team and made All-County in football and baseball. Brock was also selected to play on the East-West All-Star baseball teams at the local, regional and state levels. After high school, Brock signed a baseball scholarship with Jacksonville State University and led the team in hits all three years he played. As a sophomore, he hit .542, which is still the highest single-season hitting average in JSU history. He is also among the leaders in career averages at JSU with .457. He spent summers playing for the Fort Payne DeSotos and other area semi-professional teams. Brock became Ider’s head football coach and assistant basketball coach after finishing college. He served as principal of a junior high school for a year before leaving the education field. The Collinsville native continued playing basketball semi-professionally for a number of years. He was a member of a championship softball team in the Chattanooga area..
Carlyle Gary Carlyle
Gary Dale Carlyle was born in DeKalb County on December 20, 1952 to a Christian family. After attending High Point School and Sylvania High School, Carlyle went on to Alabama A&M where he played football. There he received the President’s Cup and was inducted into the Alabama A&M Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the SIAC Hall of Fame. Carlyle and his wife Kathy have three daughters - Jessica, Jordana and Johnna. They are members of Trinity United Methodist Church (Burnt Church). Carlyle has coached at Lee in Huntsville, Geraldine, Madison County and Fultondale. He served as principal of Sylvania High School for several years.
Ingram James Wymon Ingram
James Ingram was born in Dozier, Alabama on January 28. Ingram ran track and played basketball and football at Crossville, scoring the school’s first touchdown in 1926 against Georgia’s Rockmart High. As a student at Newberry College in South Carolina, he lettered in four sports. He served as athletic director and head coach in football and baseball at Lexington (SC) High School from 1938-1970. With three state championships, 16 district titles and one second-place title under his belt, Ingram’s record is 218-77-10. He was the winning coach at Camden, SC’s Horse Bowl in 1950 and Charlotte, NC’s Shrine Bowl in 1954. He is a charter member and past president of the South Carolina Coaches Association.
Jones Tom Jones
Born in Valley Head on August 24, Tom Jones earned four letters in basketball at the University of Alabama and four in golf. Named basketball captain in his senior year, Jones averaged a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds per game. He twice earned All-SEC honors in golf, serving as golf team captain in his senior year. Jones has won golf tournaments in six consecutive decades, the 1985 Alabama State Amateur and the 1990 Alabama State Four-Ball championships among them. Married to wife Norma for 32 years, he is the proud father of Thomas, Michael and Marianne.
Luther Mays JPG Luther Mayes
Thomas Mayes was born on April 1 in Grove Oak, Alabama. Playing football and basketball at Geraldine High School and basketball at Snead State Junior College, Mayes began coaching at Grove Oak Junior High School in 1947. As a beloved coach, administrator and teacher, his record for a 30-year career was 595-229. His accomplishments include ten DeKalb County Junior High School championships, five second-place titles and no losing seasons.
Shaddix Lisa Shaddix
Lisa Smith Shaddix was born on September 15. She played volleyball, basketball and softball at Sylvania High, being named All-County and All-Area in volleyball & basketball from 1986 to 1989. She was All-Sand Mountain in basketball in ‘88 and ‘89, and All-Area in softball in ‘89. Graduating in 1989, Shaddix received the US Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award and the Ray Kroc Award, and was named US Army Reserve Scholar/Athlete and Co-Salutatorian. Attending Snead State Junior College, she played on the Region XXII All-State and All-Regional volleyball & softball teams in ‘89-’91, and was featured in Who’s Who Among American Junior College Students in ‘90-’91. At Jacksonville State University, Shaddix received the 1994 National Collegiate Physical Education Award and the 1994 US Academic Achievement Award. She graduated with a 3.45 GPA. Other achievements include: 1993 UAH & JSU All-Tournament volleyball team; first player in JSU history selected to the NCAA Division II All-South Region Team; nominated for NCAA Division II All-American ’92-’94 All-Academic in Gulf South Conference for volleyball & softball; ‘93 All-Gulf South Conference in volleyball; member of ‘91-’92 Gulf South Conference Champions volleyball team; All-Gulf South Conference in softball; held ‘94 stolen bases record of 44 for 48; highest batting average, .379. The Fort Payne native boasts a volleyball career with 542 kills, 241 digs and 79 blocks.

Underwood Willie Underwood
Born April 18, 1958 in Bibb County, Alabama. Graduate of Fort Payne High School. There he excelled in football, basketball, baseball and track. He earned a football scholarship to attend Clemson University. While at Clemson he participated in three bowl games: Gator Bowl 1977, Gator bowl 1978 and Peach Bowl 1979. He also participated in the Blue-Gray All Star Game 1980. He was and still is best remembered for his outstanding performance in the USC - Clemson game. He had two interceptions, returning one 37 yards for a touchdown leading to an upset victory over the Gator Bowl bound Gamecocks. Other accomplishments were All-State Most Valuable Defensive Player, Most Valuable Player, All-State twice, All-ACC Team, Sports Illustrated Player of the Week, and Team Captain 1980.