Smith, The Smith Family

Smith, The Smith Family

THE SMITH  FAMILY is a co-recipient of this year’s Legacy Award for the family’s significant role in Abilene High’s rich football history. Aultman Smith rushed for 252 yards and scored three touchdowns in 1928 as Abilene High beat Port Arthur to win the state...
Patterson, Jack

Patterson, Jack

JACK PATTERSON is one of two posthumous recipients of the Class of 2022’s Bill Hart Memorial Legends Award. He won an individual Southwest Conference championship at Rice University in 1939. After coaching at Merkel and San Angelo, Patterson became the first track and...
Gray, Elmer

Gray, Elmer

ELMER GRAY is one of two posthumous recipients of the Class of 2022’s Bill Hart Memorial Legends Award. Gray graduated from Roscoe High School in 1928 and came to ACU to run track and play football. He was the first athlete at ACU to run under 50 seconds in the...
Tollison, David

Tollison, David

DAVID TOLLISON was perhaps the best all-around player on Abilene  Cooper 1987 state championship baseball team. He was 11-1 as a pitcher and batted .417 with seven home runs, 45 RBIs and 19 stolen bases as a senior. He was the winning pitcher in the state championship...
Gilreath, Kathryn

Gilreath, Kathryn

KATHRYN GILREATH helped Cooper High School to a 3-year record of 57-0 and three consecutive 5A team tennis state championships. She played No.1 singles all four years. In the spring of 1993, she was a state quarterfinalist in doubles, a state semifinalist in doubles...
Richey, Trey

Richey, Trey

TREY RICHEY is the only person to win a six-man football state championship as both a player and a coach. He was the star running back and safety at Jayton HS where the Jaybirds went undefeated and won back-to-back state six-man football championships in 1984 and...