The University of West Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame will this fall welcome four new members into its ranks.
Former baseball coach Archie White, baseball All-America Dr. Jimmy Blackwell, and football legends Ken Terry and Casey Pennone were chosen for the honor in a unanimous vote of the UWG Athletic Booster Club Board of Directors.
Induction ceremonies for the Hall of Fame Class of 2010 are scheduled for October 9. The event will take place at halftime of the Wolves’ football game vs. North Alabama.
“We feel this is an outstanding class,” said Jim Collins, chair of the Club Hall of Fame Committee. “Each is very worthy of this honor, and we’re looking forward to their induction and having them back on campus.”
White is perhaps the best known of the newest Hall of Fame members. He spent 22 seasons (1969-90) as West Georgia’s head baseball coach, winning 633 games. His teams were a power at the NAIA level through 1974, and in NCAA Division II, beginning in 1975. He coached five Division II All-America players and mentored 10 UWG Hall of Fame members. Also, White coached 19 All-Gulf South Conference players, though the program didn’t join the league until 1984.
White, a graduate of the University of Mississippi, also produced success in the classroom. His teams traditionally maintained high GPAs and graduation rates, and five of White’s players earned Academic All-GSC honors.
Blackwell was a stellar performer, both on the field and in the classroom during his days at West Georgia. The pitching star was a three-time All-GIAC performer, and earned honorable mention NAIA All-America notice as a junior in 1965. His resume also includes the Gene Waldron Memorial Award, a national honor presented annually to the junior who best exhibited excellence on the field and in the classroom.
Blackwell’s academic credentials were even more impressive than his baseball accomplishments. The Carrollton native posted a GPA of 3.97, earning him the status of valedictorian of West Georgia’s 1966 graduating class. Later, Blackwell graduated from the Medical College of Georgia and has been a practicing physician in Dalton since 1977.
Terry was a mainstay of West Georgia football during the program’s infancy in the early 1980s. From his defensive end position, the Decatur native ranked second on the squad in quarterback sacks in both 1981 and ’82, and shared the team lead in 1983. He was also voted a team captain his senior season 1984.
The most memorable moment of Terry’s career came in the 1982 NCAA Championship game vs. Augustana. His defensive charge helped thwart an Augustana fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, maintaining a scoreless tie in the second quarter. That stop set the stage for West Georgia’s subsequent 99-yard scoring drive and the game’s first touchdown.
Pennone was also a defensive standout during his West Georgia career. He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at middle linebacker. A native of Warner Robins, Pennone was a two-time All-GSC selection, a team captain, and ranks among UWG’s career leaders in a variety of statistical categories.
Beyond individual accomplishments, Pennone was at the heart of one of the most successful runs ever for West Georgia football. During his four seasons of play, UWG either won the Gulf South Conference title, qualified for the NCAA Division II Playoffs, or both following each of his four seasons.
This year’s induction ceremonies will include more than just the four newest members. Again this year, all UWG Hall of Fame members will be invited to return to campus for the pregame reception, and will be on the field for recognition as part of the induction ceremony.
With the addition of the Class of 2010, a total of 87 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and others have received induction into the University of West Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame.
