EHS Hall of Fame welcomes 10 new members

Photo by Kristen Luther From left, Earl Campbell representative, Bud Potter representative, Ruth Franklin, Ray Vaughn, Sid Smithdeal, Richard Phillips, ÒBoÓ Campbell, Robert Lynn Goddard II, Bill Pike Sr. representative, and Dr. Harold Stout.

By Michelle Pope
STAR STAFF
mpope@starhq.com
The mood in A.L. John Treadway Gymnasium Tuesday evening was one of respect and reverence as 10 outstanding athletes were given the honor and recognition that they deserved for their accomplishments.
The Elizabethton High School Athletics Hall of Fame Induction ceremony was held to honor those individuals.
Larry Alderson, the Athletic Director at Elizabethton High, welcomed the inductees and the friends and families of the guests of honor. EHS faculty member Jim Greenlee gave the invocation.
Sam Greenwell, another faculty member at EHS, presented the plaques to the recipients, and summed up the feelings of everyone present when he said: "We want to make sure that the inductees are remembered. That is why we have the Hall of Fame."
The first inductee was the late Earl "Whig" Campbell. Campbell was named to the All-Conference football team two years during his years at Elizabethton High (1946-1949), and named to the All-State team two years.
Campbell's repertoire includes playing in two Cotton Bowls and signing with the Detroit Lions. Mr. Campbell spent many years working for Wilson Sporting Goods Co. before his retirement.
Spencer "Bo" Campbell was inducted next. "Bo" attended EHS from 1949-1953 and played as a football starter for three of those years. At only 165 pounds, his position was guard.
He was named an All-Conference player two years, and All-State for two years. In 1951, he helped his team take 10 wins, having an undefeated season, and defeating seven other teams that were undefeated at that point.
On top of his football accomplishments, Campbell was a three-year basketball starter, helping the team place third in the state the '52-'53 season with a 32-4 record. As if two sports weren't enough, he also excelled in track, competing in hurdles, the high jump, pole vault and relays.
After Campbell's amazing high school career, he gave back to those that helped him on his way by serving as a TSSAA official.
The third inductee was Ruth Franklin. She played and coached basketball at Elizabethton, and was named an All-State guard one year. In Mrs. Franklin's basketball days at Elizabethton, the team was known as the Elizabethton Flashers. She continued her education after she graduated in 1928 at Milligan College, playing basketball there as well.
Franklin, unable to get basketball out of her blood, coached the Hampton girls basketball team, and sold ads so that the girls would be able to have uniforms. She is credited with coming up with the legendary blue and white concoction that Hampton still proudly wears.
Franklin served Carter County as a teacher for 40 years. She didn't want to stop teaching, but her husband's failing health forced her to retire to take care of him.
"The Lord has been so good to me," she said. "I've had good health, and I just taught 40 years. I'm 93, and in five months, I'll be 94, and I'm still teaching my Sunday School class."
She was touched by the decision to induct her into the Hall of Fame.
"I thought it was really nice. This is the first time that I've been in anything like this, and it was just really nice," Franklin said.
Robert Lynn Goddard II was the next inductee. While he attended Elizabethton from 1964-1967, he received four letters in tennis, and was the team captain his junior and senior year. He won the Tennessee State Open in doubles, the Oak Ridge Open, Oak Ridge Closed, and the Elizabethton Open and Closed tournaments, among many others.
Goddard was ranked sixth in the state for tennis, and owns 42 trophies, 27 of which are for singles. He organized and ran the Elizabethton Tennis Organization from '66 to '70, and was named the Track and Field Coach of the Year twelve times. He coached for 25 years, and had a winning average of 85 percent.
On top of his athletic and coaching achievements, Goddard taught as well, and was named the Most Outstanding Teacher in 1995.
The fifth inductee was Richard "Dick" Phillips, who was known as an outstanding sprinter. He won the conference in the 100-yard dash, and was named as an All-Conference football player two years, and was All-State and All-American one year. He served in the Army for two years, attended George Washington University, and graduated from ETSU in 1959.
Phillips was employed by the California Corrections until his retirement, where he was Athletic Director for the juvenile division. He also officiated football for 12 years.
The late William A. "Bill" Pike Sr. was the next inductee. While he attended EHS (1932-1935), Pike played as a fullback, receiving two letters, while being named as an All-Conference player both seasons. He was regarded as the fastest back in high school history. Pike was a 4-year letterman for the Milligan College football team after his high school graduation.
On top of football, Pike also was a boxing legend. He won all of his fights by knockout, and was the district welterweight champion in 1937. He held a Golden Gloves record of 55 wins and 2 defeats.
Pike taught and coached at Hampton High, coaching the first football team of six players, and originated Hampton's first basketball team. Pike also founded the Elizabethton Boys Club.
The seventh inductee, the late James M. "Bud" Potter, ran track, played baseball, basketball, boxed as a lightweight, and lettered in football for four years as a tackle and kicker. Having been named an All-Conference player for two years, he was known fondly as "the Toe." In baseball, he played first base, and was a left-handed pitcher for Elizabethton.
Potter transferred to ETSU and participated in ROTC. He received his Masters degree in education, and served in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant from '54 to '55. He was the head football coach at York Institute from '56-'57 and retired as Sullivan South High School's Athletic Director.
Sidney T. Smithdeal was named into the Hall of Fame next, having lettered four years in baseball, four years in track, and three years in football. He was selected to the National High School All-American All-Star High School Squad of 1953.
Smithdeal was also the 1954 upper East Tennessee Golden Glove Champ as a heavyweight boxer. He played professional baseball for the "A's" from '55-'60, including a year of playing for the U.S. Army from '59-'60.
Dr. B. Harold Stout, the man responsible for starting the Hall of Fame at Elizabethton was honored by being a member as well. Stout said that when he got the Hall of Fame rolling, he didn't want to be one of the athletes inducted into it. "I didn't want that to happen. I honestly didn't."
He played basketball, baseball, and football for EHS during his high school years from 1948-1951. He was named an All-Conference player in basketball and baseball, and received an All-American Honorable Mention.
Stout attended ETSU, and coached baseball at Milligan College and ETSU. He has already been named to four Halls of Fame: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, ETSU Sports Hall of Fame, East Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and Tennessee Baseball Hall of Fame.
Stout said that being named to the Elizabethton Hall of Fame has been the most meaningful to him.
"I'm so honored," he said. "I'm in a few others, but of all the ones that I'm in, this one means as much to me as anything that's ever happened to me in my sports life. My high school teachers were very supportive and I just have a lot of good memories here."
The final inductee was Ray Vaughn. He was named an All-Conference baseball player for three years, and played in the state tournament for three years. One of his baseball highlights was a no-hitter he pitched against Science Hill.
Vaughn attended Lincoln Memorial University, and was named All-Conference for four years, and was the leading hitter for three years. His team won VSAC four years. He went on to sign with the Cincinnati Reds and worked for Phillips Consumer Electronics until his retirement.
The Hall of Fame, a tradition that many are glad has been started, boasts 50 inductees to date.
"I knew from my background, I'm from here originally, I knew there were a lot of good athletes, outstanding athletes, here over the years," Stout said. "Nothing had ever been done to honor them in this fashion, so we decided to get that started. This should have been started 40 years ago, to recognize some of these people while they were still with us."