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.
Godfrey, John Ray
John Ray Godfrey Godfrey of Aspermont was a first team all-American at ACU in basketball in 1968, averaging 23.8 points per game. He holds the single-game scoring record for Moody Coliseum with 41 points. He played on three Southland Conference championship teams at...
Bullington, Wally
Wally Bullington Bullington was a four-year letterman in football at ACU. He was an assistant coach to Chuck Moser at Abilene High when the Eagles won three consecutive state championships in 1954-56 and then replaced Moser as the Abilene High head coach, compiling a...
Bridges, Don
Don Bridges Don Bridges of Abilene was honored with as the seventh recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Officiating in 2011. Bridges was a long-time high school and Lone Star Conference official and served as president of the Abilene Chapter of Southwest...
Rhiddlehoover, Jon
Jon Rhiddlehoover Rhiddlehoover was an all-state lineman and star discus thrower at Abilene Cooper High School and then earned all-Southwest Conference honors as a lineman at the University of Arkansas. He later coached at Cooper and McMurry before dying of cancer....
Peake, Stuart
Stuart Peake Peake is the only player to start every game for all three years on Abilene High’s three consecutive state championship teams from 1954-56. Although he played guard, Peake had such outstanding speed that he ran on the Eagles’ sprint relay team. He was...
Patterson, Andrae
Andrae Patterson Patterson is considered the top basketball player to ever come out of the Big Country. The 6-9 Patterson was named Mr. Basketball for Class 5A in Texas as a senior at Cooper High School and was selected as a Parade All-American. He was a four-year...
McLeod, Bob
Robert McLeod McLeod of Merkel is considered one of the top two-sport stars in Big Country history. He is the only player to be selected to the All-Century team at Abilene Christian University in both football and basketball. After an outstanding career in both...
Harrison, Jon
Jon Harrison Harrison joined Jack Mildren, his former high school and college teammate, in the Big Country Athletic of Fame. Harrison still holds most of the single-season receiving records at Cooper High school, where he served as an assistant coach before retiring...
Greever, Oris
Oris Greever Greever of Abilene is the sixth recipient of the Lifetime Achievement for Officiating. He was a member of the Abilene chapter of the Southwest Football Officials Association from 1953-76. He worked regional and state championships in every...
Gerald, The Pat Gerald Family
First Legacy Award-The Pat Gerald Family The Gerald Family of Sweetwater was the first recipient of this award to honor an individual or group who made a lasting contribution to sports in the Big Country. Pat Gerald, deceased, was a long-time high school coach and...