UPCOMING EVENTS and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Notes from Art Demmas
Past-Presidential candidates,
former Senator Fred Thompson and former
Senator William H. "Bill" Frist were
co-recipients of the chapter's 1995 Fred
Russell Distinguished American Award.
Other chapter notable recipients of this award are former Tennessee Governors Winfield Dunn, Ned Ray McWherter,
and Phil Bredesen.
Admiral William P. Lawerence received this award in 1978, and then the chapter honored him by naming the scholar-athlete award The Adrmiral William P. Lawerence Award.
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Next banquet - Monday - March
5, 2012
The annual honors banquet for the Middle
Tennessee Chapter of the National Football
Foundation and College Hall of Fame will be
held on Monday, March 5,
2012, at 7:00 p.m. at the Nashville Airport
Marriott. The banquet gives
the Hall of Fame Foundation, along with all
of Middle Tennessee, an opportunity to honor
56 high school and 7 college
scholar/athletes who have distinguished
themselves not only as football players but
also in their academic and leadership
achievements. We awarded scholarships
to all our high school scholar/athletes and
recognized outstanding community leaders and
great Americans by awarding the Fred
Russell Distinguished American Award and
the Roy Kramer Contribution to Football
Award.
Join us next year and help us honor these outstanding young men and community
leaders for all their accomplishments. The cost of a table is $500 and it
will seat ten guests (four for your use and five for the scholar/athlete, his
parents, principal and coaches). Your contribution is, of course, tax
deductible. Your participation as a table sponsor makes it possible for us
to continue the tradition of honoring our athletes.
Support one of our scholar/athletes! Purchase a table, by mailing your
contribution to Scott Brunette, 6224 Bresslyn Rd., Nashville, Tennessee
37205. Checks should be made out to the
National Football Foundation/College Hall of Fame.
45th Awards Dinner Program - 2011
(click here)
*note you will need Adobe "Free" Reader to open the Dinner Program
2011 BANQUET PHOTOS
(photos by Mike Strasinger)
*double-click on photos to enlarge
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"THE GAME PLAN" |
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Director Bob Hyde "coaches up" the TEAM for the nights activities |
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HONOR GUARD |
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The Honor Guard is from Hunters Lane H.S. |
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"God Bless America" |
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was sung beautifully by Karyn Williams |
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Dyson & the Dinger |
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Kevin Dyson catches up with his Titan O.C. Mike Heimerdinger before the banquet got underway |
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DIRECTORS 1 |
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Directors John Popham, "Boots" Donnelly, and Brad Lampley |
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DIRECTORS #2 |
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Directors George Plaster, Wes Elrod, and Kelly Holcomb |
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F.R.A. Table |
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with Director Dave Malone and wife Pat. |
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"Waves & Wildcats" |
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Gallatin & Wilson Central tables |
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POPE JOHN II TABLE |
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Director Wayne Parker and Coach Jeff Rutledge |
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ED TEMPLE |
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former Distinguished American honoree Ed Temple in attendance |
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BILL SHERMAN |
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former Distinguished. American honoree Bill Sherman in attendance at the Fairview table |
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PROUD MOM & DAD |
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Jim Barrom winner Andrew Charles Montgomery (Overton) poses with some proud folks |
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the Colts of Glencliff |
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Sportswriter Maurice Patton in the company of some Colts |
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COMPLETE DENIAL |
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Official Walter Overton is descibing some missed calls by Beard, Ward, and Sullins (former zebra).........Sullins is in denial!! |
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My loss of hair was caused by you! |
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Contibution to Football honoree is explaining that his missing hair was caised by former coach.... Boots Donnelly |
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ADMIRAL FRANK KELSO |
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Distinguished American honoree accepted the award; only if he could accept it in behalf of our great servicemen & women that have so dutifully served our great nation |
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A Great Banquet!! |
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President Bob Sullins closes the 2011 banquet............. |
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Historical
recollections by our
First Chapter
President - Art
Demmas
In 1961, Fred
Russell hosted a
luncheon at
Nashville’s
Cumberland Club,
which was then in
the L&C Tower, for
the purpose of
organizing NFF&CHoF
chapters in
Tennessee. Among
those in attendance
were George Volkert,
Sewanee’s Bishop
Julian, Alf Sharp,
Vernon Sharp, Al
Beaman, Harry
Welford from
Memphis, a gentleman
from Knoxville,
Cotton Clark and a
couple of others
that I simply cannot
recall their names.
As a result, I was
selected as the
president of the new
Middle-Tennessee
Chapter. Other
Chapters were also
formed in Memphis
and Knoxville.
The first
Scholar-Athlete was
Cohn High School’s
Butch Stinson. Since
I was ( still am ) a
member of the
Downtown Nashville
Exchange Club, I
made this initial
award at one of the
Club’s Tuesday
luncheons at the
Hermitage Hotel.
We grew rapidly,
honoring
Scholar-Athlete
Barrett Sutton ( MBA
) & the first
Distinguished
American Award
recipients the
following year (
Alfred Adams and Dr.
Tom Zerfoss).
Our spring dinners
over the years have
been in several
different locations:
Vanderbilt
University Club,
Airport Marriott,
Airport Hilton,
Vanderbilt’s Stadium
Club, Hillwood
Country Club, Loew’s
Hotel across from
Vanderbilt, the
Maxwell House and
now back to the
Airport Marriott.
The Chapter’s
presidential line
went from myself to
Roy Kramer, to Dick
Philpot, to Charlie
Hawkins, and now Bob
Sullins.
As you know, the
chapter’s growth has
been very
impressive,
considering that on
March 7, 2011, we
honored 56 area high
school and seven
area collegiate
Scholar-Athletes and
award over $28,000
in scholarships.
Art Demmas |
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