Newspaper Page Text
March 23, 2022
■iEeporter Pgge 5B
New Sports Hall of Fame class named
By Richard Dumas
RDumas@monroecoga.org
The Forsyth-Monroe
County Sports Hall of Fame
board is pleased to announce
the induction of eight new
members as part of its Class
of2022.
In a meeting held Wednes
day, the 11-person Hall of
Fame committee selected
William “Bill” Bazemore,
Shawn Bostick, April
Willingham Cassell, Cyrus
Davis, Benson Ham, Alvin
Jefferson, Reggie Mays and
Lee McGee as its latest Hall
of Fame inductees.
The eight new members
will be enshrined into the
Hall at the fifth annual
Forsyth-Monroe County
Sports Hall of Fame banquet
at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday,
June 18 at the Monroe
County Conference Center.
The public is invited to at
tend, and tickets will be on
sale at various locations in
the coming months. Tickets
are $40 in advance. A dinner
prepared by Forsyths own
Her Majesty catering service
will be included with your
ticket. Longtime 13WMAZ
anchor Frank Malloy will
serve as the emcee for the
evening.
Meanwhile, this years
historic team to be recog
nized at the banquet is the
1963 Mary Persons football
team, which finished with
an 8-2 record in what was
the breakout season for
fifth-year head coach Dan
Pitts. At the time of Pitts’
1998 retirement, he was the
winningest coach in Georgia
High School Association
history. One of this years
inductees, Lee McGee, is the
fourth member of the 1963
team to be enshrined into
the Forsyth-Monroe County
Sports Flail of Fame, join
ing past inductees Danny
Adams, Rodney Walker and
BAZEMORE CASSELL
Phil Walker.
In addition, longtime Mary
Persons athletic supporters,
Steve and Debbie Coleman,
will be the co-recipients of
the Dan & Mary Lynda Pitts
Extra Mile Award for their
work in the community to
support local sports. Also,
two current Mary Persons
senior athletes, one male and
one female, will be recog
nized as co-recipients of the
Marcus Whitehead Scholar-
Athlete Award.
Bazemore was a star
linebacker for the Mary
Persons High School football
team from 1976-1979,
including being selected
to the AA All-State squad
in 1979. After attending
Georgia Tech, he returned to
Forsyth where he has been a
longtime volunteer with the
Mary Persons Touchdown
Club, including serving as
Club president. In addition
to coaching football and
t-ball for many years at the
Monroe County Recreation
Department. Bazemore also
was a teacher and coach for
one year at Southland Acad
emy in 1983-84 prior to a
distinguished banking career
at Monroe County Bank
(later United Bank), where
as president he set up a stu
dent scholarship in honor of
Coach Dan Pitts. Bazemore
was also instrumental in
naming MP’s stadium after
Coach Dan Pitts.
Bostick was a four-sport
athlete at Monroe Academy
from 1985-1989, including
being selected to the GISA
All-State football squad in
1988 while also serving as
the Mustangs’ team captain.
In basketball, Bostick played
on back-to-back region
championship and state
runner-up teams in 1985-86
and 1986-87. Bostick went
on to play college football
from 1989-1993 at Valdosta
State University, where he
started along the offensive
line for two-plus years. Since
completing his playing
career, Bostick has been an
assistant college football
coach for more than a quar
ter century, including more
than two decades working
under Chris Hatcher. During
Bostick’s outstanding coach
ing career, his teams have
qualified for the national
playoffs 10 times, including
a national championship at
Valdosta State in 2004. He
was a member of the offen
sive staff of the 2007 Georgia
Southern squad that led the
nation in rushing offense
and the 2018 Samford squad
that led the nation in passing
offense.
Cassell (then Willingham)
was a four-sport athlete at
Monroe Academy from
1985-1989, including being
named as an All-State selec
tion in both basketball and
softball as a senior in 1989.
Cassell was a member of
three region championship
softball teams, including a
state runner-up squad. Her
1989 basketball team also
finished as a state runner-
up, and she was also an
all-region selection in track.
Cassell’s athletic career
moved on to the collegiate
level, where she competed
in basketball and track at
Kennesaw State University.
Since completing her playing
career, Cassell has excelled as
a high school coach at Mon
roe Academy, Perry Middle
School and FPD. While an
assistant at FPD, Cassell was
a part of state championship
staffs in softball and girls
basketball. As a head coach
at FPD, Cassell led a pair of
state championship teams
in both cross country and
track. Since 2015, Cassell has
worked for Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, form
ing and supporting FCA
huddles throughout Middle
Georgia.
Davis was a standout
running back at Hubbard
High School from 1958-
1961, starting his final three
years. Davis was one of the
fastest high school athletes
of his time, running a time
of 9.6 seconds in the 100-
yard dash. After graduating
from Hubbard in 1962,
Davis went on to play at the
football at the collegiate level
at Lane College in Jackson,
Term. After his playing days
were finished, Davis became
a high school teacher and
coach at Dorsey High School
in Los Angeles, where he
mentored future NFL stand
out Bernard Jackson.
Ham was a three-sport
star at Mary Persons High
School from 1949-1952,
lettering for four years in
basketball, football and track.
Ham, who was an All-State
football selection as a senior
in 1952, was named the
Macon Telegraph Player of
the Week after scoring three
touchdowns in a 1952 vic
tory over Manchester. Ham
went on to attend Auburn
University on a football
scholarship, playing for the
legendary Ralph “Shug”
Jordan. He then returned to
Forsyth, where he served as
the longtime chairman of
the Monroe County Board
of Education in addition to
running a law practice and
serving as a member of the
Georgia House of Represen
tatives.
Jefferson was a basket
ball standout at Mary
Persons High School from
1990-1993. Following his
graduation, he played college
basketball at Macon Junior
College for the legendary
Don Richardson before
moving on to Auburn Uni
versity for two years from
1995-97. While at Auburn,
Jefferson played on a pair of
winning squads under Cliff
Ellis, who is in the Top 10
all-time among Division 1
coaches in victories. The 6’9”
forward played in 61 total
games for the Tigers, scoring
233 career points while grab
bing 216 career rebounds
and blocking 54 shots. After
college, Jefferson, who had
NBA tryouts with several
teams, played professionally
in Mexico, Spain, France
and Italy and also performed
with the world-famous
Harlem Globetrotters.
Mays was a three-sport
athlete at Mary Persons High
School from 1978-1981,
including being named as an
All-Middle Georgia football
selection in each of his final
two seasons in 1980 and
1981. Mays is perhaps best
remembered for being a star
defensive back and punt
returner on MP’s lone state
championship football team
in 1980. During the 1981-
82 school year, Mays was
named team Most Valuable
Player on both the MP foot
ball and basketball squads.
After high school, Mays
walked onto the football
team at Georgia Tech, even
tually earning a scholarship
for the Yellow Jackets under
coach Bill Curry. He later
transferred to Carson-New-
man College in Jefferson
City, Tenn., where he was a
two-time All-Conference
defensive back in 1985 and
1986 as well as team MVP
and captain of the 1986
NAIA Division I national
championship squad.
McGee was a star quarter
back for the Mary Persons
High School football team
from 1962-1964, including
being selected to the Class
B All-State squad in 1964.
McGee, who also played de
fensive back and punter, was
the team captain of Coach
Dan Pitts’ first-ever region
championship team in
1964. McGee then attended
Georgia Tech, where he
played football for the Yellow
Jackets under famed coach
Bobby Dodd. After gradu
ating from Tech, McGee
served as a Captain in the
U.S. Army before returning
to Forsyth to rim his family’s
business, Georgia Hardware
Company.
Sponsorships are still
available for this year’s
banquet. A gold sponsor
ship of $1,000 includes:
eight banquet tickets, a
full-page ad in the banquet
program and signage at the
banquet. A silver sponsor
ship of $500 includes: four
banquet tickets, a half-page
ad in the banquet program
and signage at the banquet.
A bronze sponsorship of
$250 includes: two banquet
tickets, a quarter-page ad in
the banquet program and
signage at the banquet. Also,
a patron who donates $100
will receive name recogni
tion in the banquet program.
For more information
about buying tickets or
sponsoring the banquet,
please contact a member of
the Forsyth-Monroe County
Sports Hall of Fame board.
Members include: K.B. Ayer,
Mary Frances Chambliss,
Steve Coleman, Richard
Dumas, Herbert Gantt, Jim
Hardin (vice-chairman),
Bob Harris, Nolen Howard,
Bobby Melton (chairman),
Penny Mitchell (secretary/
treasurer), and Ralph Moore.
LUCIFER
Continued from page 1A
asked if he could have a pool
umbrella, and was told no. He then
tried to get a room but said he
didn’t have enough cash.
Around 1:38 am., Benjamin
found the suspect’s vehicle at
Quality Inn on Hwy. 42 and
found Johnson in the front office.
Benjamin ordered him to put his
hands on his hackbut he refused
and walked away. After Johnson
continued to ignore Benjamin’s or
ders, the officer walked back to the
parking lot and Johnson followed.
Then the officer Tasered him and
he fell to the ground. But Johnson
snatched the Taser wires off of him
and ran. As he ran a black hand
gun and magazine fell out of his
pants. Monroe County Sgt. Chris
Sherrell and deputy Tyler Rodgers
arrived and saw Johnson run from
Benjamin, jump into his car and
close the door. A female passenger,
Stephanie Johnson, 41, of Geor-
giana, Ala., was also in the car.
To prevent his escape, Rodgers
drew his handgun and fired twice
into the driver’s side front tire of the
Volkswagen and Sherrell fired at
the passenger’s side tire with his 9
mm service weapon while Johnson
was reaching under his seat. Both
tires went flat.
Deputies then pointed their
firearms at him and loudly ordered
him to stop reaching and get out of
the car. Johnson continued digging
all through the car and Rodgers
opened die door and tried to pull
him out of the vehicle.
Sherrell then fired his taser, hit
ting Johnson in the chest. But he
continued to fight while removing
the prongs. Rodgers then fired his
taser, which had little effect.
Deputies were eventually able
to pull him out of the Volkswagen
and put him on the ground while
he kept putting his hand under his
body. Rodgers had to strike him
multiple times with a closed fist
before they were able to handcuff
him.
The passenger was told to exit
the vehicle and was handcuffed.
Johnson was charged with receiv
ing stolen property (2 charges),
possession of firearm by convicted
felon and obstruction (2 charges).
A handgun was found on the
ground beside the patrol vehicles,
which was later discovered stolen
out of Columbus. In addition, the
Volkswagen vehicle was also re
ported stolen out of Columbus. On
the driver floorboard, and on the
ground directly beside the driver
side of the vehicle, was a large sum
of cash.
Shell station owner Pat Patel said
that Johnson told his clerk to give
him the money, but didn’t flash his
gun. Patel said Johnson got about
$352 cash. Patel laughed that the
suspect tried to get a hotel room
after robbing a store in town. “If he
had gotten on 75, we would never
have gotten him,” said Patel. He
thanked local law enforcement for
their quick response.
Forsyth police say Johnson is a
suspect in at least 6 other robberies
and are working with other agen
cies on those cases.
ABUSE
Continued from page 1A
Joyner went to Lot 41, where he
met with Bouaphanh Vanvensom-
phone and asked him about a dog
being on his property. Vanven-
somphone at first stated that there
was no incident with a dog, but
later admitted to shooting the dog
with a .22 rifle, and then grabbing a
baseball bat, and beating it. He said
he did it because he has chickens
in the backyard but admitted that
the dog was not trying to attack the
chickens, and that it was just stand
ing at the end of his driveway when
the incident occurred. Joyner asked
him about a second dog, but Van-
vensomphone denied a second dog
being on scene. He showed Joyner
the rifle and said the bat was in the
backyard. He was handcuffed and
taken to the Monroe County Jail.
The dog later died at an animal
hospital as did another dog report
edly attacked by Vanvensomphone.
The killed dogs’ names were Lucy
and Lobo.
WRECK
Continued from page 1A
fire had begun underneath the patrol car and
Hammond said the dog, “Gustav”, appeared
to be having a hard time breathing. Ham
mond said he tried to use his knife to break
the glass in the rear, driver’s side door while
another bystander used his elbow. But they
were unsuccessful. Ramsey told them to
move to the passenger side where the dog
was. Hammond said they found a bottle in
the grass and used it to crack the glass. From
there Hammond said he used his boot leg
to kick in the rest of the glass and began to
work to free the dog. Hammond said he
reached in and could feel the dog’s back and
grabbed the dog’s collar. But at the same time,
someone else said they had the dog and was
able to pull him out. The dog ran around and
into the road, obviously in shock from the
trauma. Thankfully traffic had been stopped.
Hammond said he and another bystander
found fire extinguishers in their cars and
used them to put out the fire in the patrol car.
“I wasn’t gonna leave that dog in there,”
said Hammond, who has 7 rescue dogs of his
own.
Hammond said after the wreck he never
saw the suspect, Boone, who apparently ran
into the woods at the nearby Meadows Gun
Club and the Georgia Department of Cor
rections deployed a K9. Cpl. Dalton Mosley
and deputies Larry Sullivan and Thomas
Haskins also joined the foot search.
Haskins and three GBI agents soon saw
Boone hiding in the bottom of an embank
ment and Mosely and Sullivan took him into
custody. Boone was charged with failure to
signal, failure to stop at stop sign, failure to
yield, driving in forbidden area (2 charges),
failure to maintain lane, following too closely,
aggressive driving, passing on shoulder,
reckless driving, hit and run, failure to notify
owner after striking fixed object, driving
without a license, fleeing, reckless conduct,
and obstruction.
Ramsey suffered a broken ankle and
Gustav had serious injuries but is expected to
be OK.
LAST DAIRY
Continued from page 1A
sister Neva. Geneva passed away in 1989 and William in
2005.
The 360-acre dairy farm was bought by the family in 1966
after their previous farm on Higgins Mill Road near John-
stonville Road was split in two by Interstate 75 construction.
Peters said the work was good back in the day and even
though it was a seven-day-a-week job, he enjoyed being an
entrepreneur.
Dairy cows must be milked twice a day and they would
come in lining up in the milk barn equipped for a dozen
cows in hierarchy order. Six on the right and six on the left.
Holsteins and Jerseys. They would come in one door and out
the other in the morning and in the evening, they went in
and out the opposite doors. Peters said the boss cow is always
in first and usually, the first cow is always first and the last is
always last. He said seniority means a lot to milk cows and
they respect their elders.
The milk was stored in two huge stainless-steel tanks that
cooled it to 37 - 38 degrees and tanker trucks would come
every one or two days (depending on the season) to deliver
the milk to places as far away as Florida, Alabama, and South
Carolina. Peters said the milk was sold directly to a co-op
who sent it where needed. He added that a winemaker was
interested in the tanks and they will probably be sold off
soon.
He said it’s a sad situation that corporations have taken over
the small operations, but young people can’t afford to start
up a business with the way prices have shot up. He said the
costs of land, cattle, feed, equipment, fuel and insurance make
it impossible. He also said he doesn’t regret being the last
generation in his family in the business because he wants his
two daughters and a son to do better in life than he did. He
also has 3 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Both sides of Peters’ family have been in Monroe County
since before its creation. They helped build this coimty with
their expertise and hard work in a business that has now
ended. Peters said they will expand their beef business with
Angus and White Face cattle somewhat, but it will never
be what it once was when they had 200 cows on the farm.
Now many dairy bams in the area have been converted into
homes.
“It’s a sign of the times,” Peters said. “It’s just the way it is.”