Cannon County has built a well-earned reputation for its sports tradition through the years and now, for the first time, the all-time greats will be recognized in the Cannon County Sports Hall of Fame.
Sponsored by The Cannon Courier, the first members of The Cannon County Hall of Fame will be inducted during our initial All-Sports Banquet in May (date, time and location will be announced in April).
"Cannon County has a long tradition of successful athletes, coaches, contributors and administrators who have added to the fabric of the sports scene for many decades," said William R. (Ron) Fryar, publisher of The Cannon Courier. "We wanted to do something to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to sports in Cannon County, and we believe a sports Hall of Fame is the answer."
The first Hall of Fame class will be inducted in conjunction with The Cannon Courier All-Sports Awards Banquet in May, where the top student-athletes in each sport will be honored. More information on the banquet will be forthcoming; however, since Hall of Fame nominations will be gathered from the public, that information is paramount.
A Hall of Fame nomination form is located on page 15 of this week's Cannon Courier, as well as being posted on CannonCourier.com as a PDF. Deadline for nominations is April 15. No nominations will be accepted after this date.
There are four categories for nominees - athlete, coach, administrator and contributor. The Hall of Fame is not specific to any school; however, the candidate must be nominated based on his/her contributions to sports in Cannon County whether at the grammar school or high school level. Candidates from any era may be nominated.
Candidates will be judged on the degree of his or her contribution to the advancement of sports in Cannon County. Only individuals may be elected into the Hall of Fame.
Inductees will be chosen by a Hall of Fame Committee selected by Cannon Courier management. The Cannon County Hall of Fame will be showcased at Cannon County High School in the lobby entrance to the Cannon County High School Gymnasium. In addition to their induction at The Cannon Courier All-Sports and Hall of Fame Banquet, Hall of Fame inductees also will be recognized at the Cannon County Homecoming Football game the fall following their induction into the Cannon County Sports Hall of Fame.