By Chris McCarthy/Editor
Seventy-four Etowah High School graduates and friends honored 1957 Etowah High School graduate and 1961 University of Alabama graduate Jerry Rich at the Blue Devil Spirit Fellowship Luncheon on Jan. 4 at the Attalla Community Center.
As a three-sport letterman for the Blue Devils, Rich earned All-Etowah County honors in football, basketball and baseball and earned a football scholarship to the University of Alabama. In Rich’s senior season of 1960, UA went 8-1-2 overall and 5-1-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
Attalla Mayor and 1965 EHS graduate Larry Means presented Rich with a proclamation from the city. City of Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton, who coached basketball at EHS in early 1990s, gave a few remarks recognizing Rich.
Sharing the head table with Rich were Fred Sington, Jr., a Gadsden High graduate and teammate of Rich at Alabama; Dr. Gary White, an EHS graduate and longtime football manager at UA; 1963 EHS graduate Dr. Cecil Yancey; 1947 EHS graduate and assistant football coach Bill Hawkins; and 1950 EHS graduate and assistant football coach G.B. Beasley.
Also in attendance were 1958 EHS graduate and Rainbow City Mayor Terry John Calhoun; Dr. Bob Walden, the oldest living retired principal in Etowah County; 1978 EHS graduate and Attalla City Schools Superintendent David Bowman; 1999 EHS graduate and EHS Principal Ryan Barkley; EHS head football coach Drew Noles; EHS graduate and EHS head basketball coach James Graves; 1969 EHS graduate and EHS head baseball coach Larry Foster; former EHS assistant football coach (from 1962-65) Tom Maddux; and 2016 EHS All-State football selections Andy Noles (receiver, first team); Peyton Nance (center, first team); Daulton Hyatt (quarterback, second team); Emil Smith (receiver, second team); and Raul Hernandez (kicker, honorable mention).
Other EHS graduates attending the event were:
Class of 1948: Coach Bill Clark, Bobby Jack Roberts
Class of 1949: Bill Humphries
Class of 1950: Coach Wyman Townsel
Class of 1952: Ray McClendon
Class of 1953: Kent Henslee
Class of 1956: Stanley Holcomb
Class of 1957: Doyle Nunn, Henry Culp, Jr., Sherrell Roberson
Class of 1958: Terry John Calhoun, Raymond Kell, Sam Wilson, Doug Watts
Class of 1959: Luther Riddle, Leslie Ellis, Jackie Kell, Felton Bobo
Class of 1960: Benny Denson, Harold Crosson, Larry Sitz, Jerry Foster
Class of 1961: Jerry Glover, James Kimbril, Richard Willingham, Roger Pate, Johnny McCullars, Charles Watts, Cecil Faulkner
Class of 1962: Jimmy Kell, Richard Bohanon
Class of 1963: Bob Lankford, Mike Nunn, Troy Willet, Ronnie Hood, James Riddle, Wayne Calhoun, Ray Drummonds
Class of 1964: Tommy Hallmark
Class of 1965: Jerry Kilpatrick, Robert Bain, Wayne Wood, Pat Vezertzis, Mark Wimpee, Jacky Beck, Bill Moon, Jerry Moore, Harold Sherrell
Class of 1966: Charles O’Rear
Class of 1967: Don Oliver
Class of 1975: Randy Hood