The Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame hosted its 2nd annual Champions Celebration to commemorate the two Big Country high schools, Benjamin and Westbrook, that won football state championships during the 2022-23 season on Sunday, January 21. The reception, sponsored by BML Crude Oil Marketing, featured rousing games between the teams, a free museum tour, an awards presentation, limited edition back-to-back state championship shirts for sale and hall of fame coach CH Underwood speaking.
Players, coaches, school administration and staff, families and fans from both schools were present to celebrate both schools’ back-to-back state championships. Including the 2021 and 2022 Benjamin and Albany teams, there have only been 11 Big Country football teams win back-to-back state championships in the history of the UIL.
The Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame has produced limited edition shirts to mark this historic occasion. Long sleeve shirts are available to purchase at the Museum, or you can call us at 325-704-1759 to place an order. We are able to ship shirts for an additional fee.
Class of 2025 Announced
The nation’s top wide receiver, the first volleyball inductee, a world champion barrel racer, an Olympian and several successful coaches in football, track and tennis are among the inductees in the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame’s 2025 Induction Class. ...
Grissom, Bill
BILL GRISSOM of Winters was the leading rusher at McMurry as a junior and senior in 1963 and 1964, and was among the survivors of the infamous belly-landing plane crash involving the McMurry football team. He then began a 34-year career as a high school football...
Washington, James
JAMES WASHINGON was a standout receiver on Stamford’s back-to-back state championship football teams in 2012 and 2013. He also played on the Bulldogs’ state runner-up basketball team. Washington had a prolific career as a wide receiver at Oklahoma State, where he...
Early, Mickey
MICKEY EARLY played football and ran track at Rotan. He was 9.6-second 100-yard sprinter in the late 1960’s, which was among the fastest times in the state. On the football field, Early was a three-year starter at SMU, earning all-Southwest Conference honors as a...
Harrison, Leslie
LESLIE HARRISON grew up in Anson and currently lives in Stamford. She is a six-time World Champion and two-time Reserve World Champion as an Amateur Select with the American Quarter Horse Association. Harrison has won six National Barrel Horse Association Senior 1-D...
Harrell, Sam
SAM HARRELL played quarterback and defensive back for Gordon Wood at Brownwood before beginning a long coaching career around the state of Texas. Harrell coached Ennis to three state championships in 2001, 2002 and 2004 before retiring in 2009 to fight MS. Harrell was...
Corley-Ashley, Calli
Calli (Corley) Ashley was a three-sport athlete at Abilene High in volleyball, basketball and track. She was an all-state volleyball player and District MVP as a senior. Corley also earned all-district honors in basketball and is a two-time state qualifier in the...
Hood, The Don Hood Family
THE HOOD FAMILY from Abilene is this year’s Pat Gerald Memorial Legacy Award recipient. The lateDON HOOD won nine NAIA and NCAA Division II national championships in 11 years at Abilene Christian University. He was considered the nation’s premier pole vault coach,...
Groce, Ike
Ike Groce is considered the “Father of Tennis in Abilene.” He came to Abilene in 1969 and was the junior high tennis coordinator for the Abilene Independent School District. Because of the foundation that Groce laid with youth tennis in Abilene, Cooper has won four...
Kniffen, Fred
The late Fred Kniffen was a state champion tennis player for the Clyde Bulldogs. He played tennis at Hardin-Simmons and is in HSU’s Hall of Fame. Kniffen was Abilene Cooper’s first tennis coach prior to moving to Tyler, where he started the tennis program at Tyler...
Robertson, Julian “Tex”
The late Julian “Tex” Robertson of Sweetwater was a member of the U.S. Olympic water polo team that won a bronze medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. He then founded the swim program at the University of Texas, where he trained 15 all-Americans, numerous...