CLASS OF 2016
MIKE GLENN
Michael (Mike) Glenn graduated in 1973 from Rome's Coosa High School, where he was an All-State standout scoring over 2,400 points for his career. Glenn received a scholarship to Southern Illinois University where he was an All-Missouri Valley Conference performer. He was also a two-time first-team Academic All-American. Glenn was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the NBA Draft in 1977, but broke his neck in an offseason auto accident and was released from the team. He battled back to make a quick recovery, though, starting his NBA career later that same year with the Buffalo Braves. Glenn moved to Atlanta in 1981 and played four seasons with the Hawks. Mike completed his 10 year NBA career averaging 7.6 points per game. He shot 58.8 percent from the floor with the Hawks in 1984-85. In 1981, Glenn received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for community service. Since retiring as a basketball player, Glenn has worked as a television analyst, writer, and commissioner of the World Basketball Association.
CHIPPER JONES
Larry Wayne (Chipper) Jones was born in DeLand, Florida and raised in nearby Pierson. A two-sport athlete at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Chipper decided to choose baseball over several major college football offers. Jones was the first overall choice in the 1990 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves and sent to Class A Macon for his first professional assignment. By 1995, Jones was the Braves' starting third baseman for the Braves team that won the World Series title. In 1999, Chipper won the National League Most Valuable Player Award after hitting a career-high 45 home runs. He won a batting title at the age of 36 in 2008 when he hit .364 while also leading the NL in on-base percentage. At the end of his 19 years with the Braves, Chipper had 2,726 hits, 468 home runs and more walks (1,512) than strikeouts (1,409). He was named to eight All-Star Games and finished in the Top 10 of the NL MVP voting five times. At the time of his retirement, his 468 home runs were the most ever by a National League switch hitter. Jones was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
PATRICIA ROBERTS
Patricia (Trish) Roberts was a member of the 1973 State Championship girls’ basketball team at Monroe Area Comprehensive High School. Trish began her collegiate basketball career at North Georgia State College, where she played for one season before transferring to Emporia State College in Kansas. Roberts was a member of the 1976 US Olympic basketball team that won the silver medal, playing for Coach Pat Summitt. Roberts transferred to Tennessee for her last season of eligibility to play for Summitt. In that year, Roberts was UT’s first Kodak All-American and was Tennessee Female Athlete of the Year. She scored 51 points in one game and finished the season with a 29.9 points-per-game average. After graduation, Roberts played in the Women’s Basketball League from 1978–1982 for the Minnesota Fillies and St. Louis Streak. She began a coaching career that included stops at the University of Maine, the University of Michigan, and Stony Brook.
JIMMY ROBINSON
Jimmy Robinson played football, basketball, baseball, and participated in track & field at Ridgeview High School in Atlanta. He rushed for over 1,000 yards his senior season and signed with Georgia Tech in 1971. But the Jackets moved Robinson to wide receiver where he led the team in receiving for three straight seasons, finishing his career with 101 receptions for 1,633 yards and 13 touchdowns. After being selected in the 15th round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson spent five seasons in the NFL. He also played with the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. He led the Giants in receptions in 1977 and 1978, and later made history by scoring the first touchdown in Giants Stadium history. He retired from the NFL then became a receivers coach for the USFL’s Memphis Showboats, Georgia Tech, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl, and the Dallas Cowboys. Robinson was inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.
PHIL SCHAEFER
A native of North Augusta, South Carolina, Phil Schaefer began his sports broadcasting career as a student at Ohio State University where he called games for the school's basketball and baseball teams. Phil moved to Atlanta and joined WSB radio in 1963. He became the station’s Sports Director and would spend the next 40 years broadcasting a variety of sporting events in Georgia. Schaefer did play-by-play for the Atlanta Hawks, the University of Georgia basketball team, worked alongside Larry Munson on UGA football broadcasts, covered The Masters golf tournament, and would do radio play-by-play during the NCAA Basketball Tournament. A three-time Georgia Sportscaster of the Year, Schaefer also served as the public address announcer for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Hawks. Schaefer also served as Athletic Coordinator for the Dekalb County School system for 20 years.
HINES WARD
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Hines Ward moved to the Atlanta area at the age of one. An exceptional football and baseball player at Forest Park High School, Ward enrolled at the University of Georgia in 1994 where he was a versatile performer for the Bulldogs. As a wide receiver Ward had 149 career receptions for 1,965 yards. He also played tailback and totaled 3,870 all-purpose yards. Ward played some quarterback his sophomore year and completed 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards. For his Bulldog career, Hines would total 4,762 total yards and 20 touchdowns and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft. Ward spent fourteen seasons with the Steelers and accumulated 12,511 all-purpose yards, 1,000 receptions, and 86 total touchdowns. A four-time Pro Bowler, Ward led Pittsburgh to two Super Bowl victories and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XL.
LUTHER WELSH
Luther Welsh was raised on a farm outside Bishopville, South Carolina attended Mayesville-Riverside High School. In 1951 it was off to Presbyterian College where he played baseball and football. Welsh began his teaching and coaching career in Warrenton in 1955 and then served in the U. S. Army. He resumed his head coaching career at Dougherty County High School in Albany from 1968 until 1982. He took over as Head Coach at Thomson High School and in 1983 and 1984, Thomson posted back-to-back undefeated seasons to claim State Championships. Welsh would also have stints at Camden County, Greene-Taliaferro, and Screven County, before returning to Thomson in 1999. He led the Bulldogs to a perfect 15-0 season in 2002 claiming another State Championship. Welsh retired after the 2010 season with a career record of 333-181-6. He won 13 region titles 11 of which were in Thomson as were all three of his State Titles. Coach Welsh ranks among the leaders in victories among coaches in the state of Georgia.
GLENN WILKES
A native of Eatonton, Glenn Wilkes attended Mercer University on a basketball scholarship and forged a career as a player that eventually led the school to retire his number 13. After graduating in 1950, Wilkes flirted with a professional basketball career, but settled on coaching after a brief stint in the Army. His first stop was at Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon where he posted a 123-30 mark in three seasons, catching the eye of Stetson University in Deland, Florida. In 1957, Wilkes began the first of 36 seasons as head coach at Stetson amassing a school-record 552 victories. Known as “The Godfather of Florida Basketball,” Wilkes was also a published author, writing several books on various aspects of the game. He is a member of the Mercer, Stetson and ASUN Conference Halls of Fame. Glenn was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.