CLASS OF 1999
D.T. BELL, JR.
Talmadge “D.T.” Bell Jr. grew up in Macon and took up the sport of boxing as a youth in his hometown. He won the 1938 and 1939 Golden Gloves Championship as a Middleweight, and captured the Light Heavyweight Championship of the American South in 1941. He lost only four out of over 90 career bouts, half of which were fought professionally. But, unfortunately, Bell’s boxing career was tragically cut short and he never got the chance to add to his record. He died at the age of 23 while piloting a P-47 Thunderbolt for the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. Many referred to the fighter as the “second” W.L. Young Stribling (also in the Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame).
NORMAN FAIRCLOTH
Norman Faircloth grew up in Wilcox County and became one of the most successful coaches in Georgia high school history. The longtime Cochran High and Fort Valley High coach was honored by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club as one of the state’s winningest coaches in recognition of his 545 career wins. He won five state titles and 22 region championships as a football and basketball coach and was named the state’s coach of the year five times in basketball and three times in football. He was also The Macon Telegraph’s 1961 Coach of the Year. Faircloth was a true Georgia coaching legend.
CATHERINE HARDY LAVENDER
Catherine Hardy-Lavender grew up in Carroll County and attended Fort Valley State College where she was a basketball stand-out in college, but FVSU track coach Raymond Pitts convinced her to try track. She quickly became a national powerhouse, setting an American record for the 50-yard dash at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) indoor meet in 1951. She was named an All-American, and won the 50-yard dash, 100-meter, and 200-meter races at the AAU meet the following year. She set another American record, this time in the 200-meter run at the Olympic tryouts as she was named to the 1952 U.S. Women’s Track Team. She was chosen to anchor the 4×100 meter relay, leading her team to a Gold Medal as they set a world record and beat the German and Great Britain teams at the Helsinki Olympic Games. She went on to have a 30 year teaching career in the Atlanta Public School System.
B.T. HARVEY
Burwell Towns (B.T.) Harvey, a graduate of Colgate University, arrived at Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1916 to teach physics and chemistry; he would remain at the college for 42 years. Harvey coached Maroon Tiger teams in football, basketball, and baseball, for only 13 years, from 1916 until 1929. But, during that time his gridiron squads won 59 games, lost 24, and tied six times. They won three conference championships, and were undefeated and untied on two occasions. Under Harvey's guidance, Maroon Tiger basketball teams won 131 games, including ten consecutive SIAC championships, and lost only 17 times. On the baseball diamond, Harvey's teams won 112 games, lost 45 and tied three contests. His Maroon Tigers captured four conference titles and tied for two others. He was the SIAC’s first commissioner. In 1983, the new Morehouse football stadium was named B.T. Harvey Stadium in his honor.
ANTONIO McKAY
Antonio McKay grew up in Atlanta and went on to be a three-time All American as well as a NCAA indoor and outdoor National Champion for the Georgia Tech track and field team. At the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles, he won the Bronze Medal in the 400 meters and won the Gold Medal as part of the 4 X 400 meter relay team. He won the Gold Medal again in the 4 X 400 meter relay at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. McKay won Gold in the 4 X 400 meter relay at the World Championships in Rome in 1987. He also won the 400 meters at the World Indoor Championships in 1987 and 1989. Since his retirement from running, he has been a successful high school track and field coach in the Atlanta area.
CLARENCE SCOTT
Clarence Scott was raised in Decatur and attended the former African-American school, Trinity High School. As a junior in 1965, Scott helped Trinity to a state title. He played college football at Kansas State where he was an All-American defensive back. He was the first defensive back selected in the 1971 NFL Draft at 14th in the first round by the Cleveland Browns. He proved to be a steady presence with the Browns, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1973, a season in which he had five interceptions for 71 yards and one touchdown. Scott played all 13 years of his NFL career with the Browns. He is a member of the Kansas State Hall of Fame and The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
JEFF VAN NOTE
Jeff Van Note was born in New Jersey but grew up in Kentucky and was a star player at St. Joseph Prep in Bardstown. In 1968 he signed to play college football at the University of Kentucky where he was a running back and defensive end for the Wildcats. He was drafted as a linebacker by the Atlanta Falcons in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft. He was eventually moved to center and became one of the most iconic players in franchise history. His 18-year tenure with the Falcons is one of the 25 longest in NFL history and is the second longest while staying with the same team. He played in 246 games over this stretch, and started 225. He only missed 4 games in his entire career. Van Note was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and his jersey number 57 is retired by the Falcons. After his playing days, he had a successful broadcasting career that included serving as a color analyst for the Falcons and Kentucky Wildcats football radio broadcasts.
DANNY YATES
Danny Yates III grew up in Atlanta and took up the game of golf as a child. He went on to be part of back to back SEC Championship golf teams at the University of Georgia (1971-1972). In 1971, he made the cut at the U.S. Open. Yates has won the Southern Amateur, the 1992 U.S. Mid-Amateur, and both the Georgia Amateur and Georgia Mid-Amateur three times. He was a member of the 1988 U.S. World Amateur team and the 1989 and 1993 Walker Cup teams. He captained the 1999 and 2001 Walker Cup teams. Because of his amateur success, he played in the 1989 and 1993 Masters. He is a member of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.