The Messenger

Glencoe High School icon E.C. "Baldy" Wilson. Photo by Joshua Price/Messenger.

Catchin' Up...with E.C. 'Baldy' Wilson

By Joshua Price/Sports Editor

E.C. “Baldy” Wilson is a jewel of Etowah County. Whether the conversation is centered around coaching or good men, he was and still is one of the county’s finest in both categories.

Wilson’s claim to fame is his tenure as varsity football coach at Glencoe High School from 1949 to 1967, during which he compiled an overall record

Lyle Darnell coached Glencoe High School to its lone football state championship in 1973. Photo by Joshua Price/Messenger.

Catchin' Up...with Lyle Darnell

By Joshua Price/Sports Editor

Lyle Darnell coached high school football in Alabama for 41 years, and wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The Arab native coached at nine different schools during his career. As a head coach at Hanceville, Thompson, Glencoe, Scottsboro, Etowah and Pell City, Darnell finished with a 204-77-6 record, including one state championship, numerous coach of the year

Bob Coley coached high school football at Altoona, Glencoe and Hokes Bluff from 1955 - 1968. Photo by Joshua Price/Messenger.

Catchin' Up...with Bob Coley

By Joshua Price/Sports Editor

Bob Coley is well known in Etowah County, especially to people from the Glencoe community. Coley has operated a Christmas tree farm on Pineview Avenue in Glencoe for over 30 years, providing many families with their central festive decorative household piece.

Before Coley became popular with his Christmas trees, however, he coached high school football, basketball and baseball

Former Carver High School athlete John R. Smith. Photo by Joshua Price/Messenger.

Catchin' Up...with John R. Smith

By Joshua Price/Sports Editor

John R. Smith was one of the fastest sprinters to ever come out of Carver High School, and arguably Etowah County. In 1990, Smith became the first African-American to be elected to the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith competed in all sports at Carver High. He excelled in track, baseball and football. Smith was a

Excell Hester as a senior in 1948. Photo courtesy of Etowah High School.

Catchin' Up...with Excell Hester

By Joshua Price/Sports Editor

Legendary Etowah High School football coach Jim Glover said Excell Hester was the best athlete he ever coached. 

In fact, many people consider Hester to be one of the top athletes this county has ever produced. 

Hester graduated Etowah County High School in 1948.

Hester was a senior in high school when Glover arrived at Etowah in the fall of…