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

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

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

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...
Gerald, The Pat Gerald Family

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...