The Lowndes County Sports Hall of Fame announced its inaugural class Thursday at the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The 10 members of the first class include the late Stan Black, football player; the late Billy Brewer, football player and coach; Roosevelt Bridges, coach and administrator; the late Carl Butler, swimming coach; Sam Fletcher, baseball player and coach; Leslie Frazier, football player and coach; Frank Griffin, multi-sport coach; Ronnie Richardson, baseball player and coach; the late Cary Shepherd, softball coach; and Clarence Weatherspoon, basketball player.

Organization board member and co-founder Glenn Lautzenheiser introduced each nominee and their accomplishments, and board member Trip Hairston spoke on the importance of sports in the area.

“This transcends any differences that we may have in this community,” Hairston said. “Whether it’s politics or any of that stuff, we lay all that down at the door and we come together to recognize people who have done great things for the community, who have brought a sense of pride to those of us in Lowndes County.”

“It’s a blessing,” Bridges said of the honor. “When they first told me about this I thought, ‘my God.’ I met with them, they told me what it was all about and I’m enthused about it. It’s overwhelming.”

Bridges and Griffin both coached several generations of students in Columbus and Lowndes County and remarked on how many of them, as players and coaches, could one day join them as inductees. For them, that is as much a part of their joy as being inducted themselves.

“I’ve had the pleasure and opportunity to coach four different sports, and during that time, 50 years, I ran across a lot of kids,” Griffin said. “One of the greatest thrills is when I run into a grandkid of a former player, and they still refer to me as ‘coach’ and not ‘Mr. Griffin.’”

The organization was formed last spring and began accepting nominations in June 2024, considering more than 30 names for the inaugural class.

The first banquet and induction ceremony is set for 6-9 p.m. April 18 at Trotter Convention Center downtown. Inductees Frazier and Weatherspoon will serve as keynote speakers.

Tickets to the banquet are for sale to the public at $30 per person. Tickets are available to purchase through the organization’s website: lowndescountysportshalloffame.com/