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BLUE RAIDER HALL OF FAME
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    • Gary Head

    Inducted: 1999
    Sports: Golf

    A player in the Blue Raider 1960s golden decade of golf, Gary Head's performance on the course was one of records and achievements. Under fellow alumnus, Hall of Famer and Coach E.K. Patty, during Head's four years on the MT golf team, the Blue Raiders never lost a dual match and never finished lower than first in the OVC or TIAC.

    Known for his keen eye on the greens and powerful play, Head captained the golf team in his senior year and during that time won both the OVC and TIAC individual titles. A native of Springfield, Tenn., he capped his collegiate career in 1963 by winning the NCAA's national title for individual college division players with a 10-under par score of 278.

    Class of 2012

    Mike Caldwell
    Football

    Diane Cummings Turnham
    Athletic Administration

    Harry Gupton
    Basketball, Baseball

    Tawanya Mucker Wilson
    Basketball

    Jayhawk Owens
    Baseball

    History of the Hall of Fame

    In the early spring of 1975, a pair of long-time supporters of Middle Tennessee State University's athletic program decided that the University should honor its greatest athletes. Homer Pittard, alumni director, and Gene Sloan, public relations director, came up with the idea and asked sports information director Jim Freeman to join them in setting up an athletic hall of fame.

    After getting approval for the Hall of Fame from President M. G. Scarlett, the trio began laying the groundwork to select the first inductees. Others, including Bob Womack and Joe Nunley, were also involved.

    "We decided not to have categories but to put all candidates in one group," said Freeman. "We also decided against inducting a large group to start with and felt that three per year was the ideal number. That way, everyone got a good share of the spotlight."

    The nominating and voting for the first several years was done by members of the old "T" Club, now reorganized and called the Varsity Club. Nominations were solicited, and the the list of candidates was mailed to the voters. They selected Horace Jones, Charles "Bubber" Murphy and Teddy Morris as the initial inductees in 1976.

    The Blue Raider Hall of Fame was originally housed in the old Blue Raider Room under the west side of the football stadium. It had to be torn down when then stadium was expanded in 1998. After several years without a home, the Hall of Fame moved into the new Rose and Emmett Kennon Sports Hall of Fame building in 2004.