Seven picked for CGCSHOF Hall of Fame 2017 Class
Third Hall class includes former local playing, coaching legends
Seven new names will be written into local sports history as the Calhoun-Gordon County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
The Class of 2017 was elected this week by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors and previously inducted Hallof-Famers. The class, which is the third to be inducted, includes Jacin Bagwell, Staci Miller Banks, Casey Baxter, Ann Rogers Gallman, Barry Hall, Clarence Porch and Lynn Walter.
The group will be officially inducted at the annual CGSHOF Banquet on Aug. 12 at Georgia Northwestern Technical College Gordon Campus.
Here is some more details on this year’s inductees (in alphabetical order):
Jacin Bagwell
Bagwell is 1979 Calhoun High alumni, where he made his biggest mark in baseball. He was a varsity starter in all four years of his high school career from 1975-79. He also played basketball at Calhoun where he earned the Best Defensive Award and was a part of the National Honor Society.
Bagwell went on to attend Shorter College from 1980-84 where he earned a B.S. in Recreation Management while also continuing his baseball career. As a player for the Hawks, he started three years and holds school records for highest batting average in a single season (.421), most hits in a single season (80), most doubles in a single season (18) and most walks in a single season (45). He was two-time All-GIAC Conference selection, two-time All-District selection, All-Area selection and a NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection. He was named tri-captain and also earned the Joe Hackett Memorial Award MVP before signing a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates after his junior season.
Bagwell played in the Stan Musial World Series in 1981 as part of a Summer League team and batted .444 in the series while also tying a tournament record by having three doubles in a single game. He has also coached youth sports in the Calhoun area, including three years in football, six years in baseball and two years in basketball.
Staci Miller Banks
Banks is a 1992 graduate of Gordon Central High where she was a multi-sport athlete, achieving success in basketball, softball and track. She was a four-year letterman in basketball where she holds the school record for most points in a single season and career, most rebounds in a game and career and most career free throws made. She held the record for most points in a single game with 39 until it was broken in 2009. She was a team captain for three consecutive years, region tournament MVP, AllState Honorable Mention in 1991 and 1992, NWGA Tip-Off Club Player of the Year for her team in 1990, 1991 and 1992, Rome News-Tribune All-Area Team selection in 1990, 1991 and 1992, Calhoun Times All-Area Team selection in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 and Calhoun Times Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992.
Banks also made her mark in softball where she was a four-year letterman and earned Rome News-Tribune All-Area honors in 1991 and 1992 and Calhoun Times All-Area Team honors in 1991 and 1992. She was also named to the Chattanooga Free Press All-Star Team in 1992 and finished off her high school career with a .409 batting average and just one error in her senior season.
Banks was also a four-year letterman in track at Gordon Central, was voted Most Athletic Female by her senior class and was inducted in the first Hall of Fame class at Gordon Central.
Banks went on to play basketball at Valdosta State University where she was a fouryear letterman and earned the Team Hustle Award and Coaches Award. She was part of a team that won the 1995 Eastern Division Championship and participated in the NCAA Division II National Tournament Sweet 16.
Banks has served as a youth softball and basketball coach locally for eight years and was an assistant girls basketball coach at Gordon Central from 2008-2010.
Casey Baxter
Baxter graduated from Calhoun High in 2002 where he was a standout athlete in four sports, making his biggest impact on the basketball court. His basketball career for the Jackets included being team leader in 2000 in points, steals and rebounds, a 2001 State Finalist, 2002 Regional champion, 2001 Chattanooga Times Free Press Area Player of the Year and Robert Davis Heart and Desire Award, 2001 and 2002 NWGA Tip-Off Club Player of the Year, 2002 Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival MVP, 2002 AJC Region 7-AA Player of the Year and was selected to the 2002 North-South All-Star Game. Baxter still holds the program’s all-time scoring mark and most wins in a career.
Baxter also was stellar on the baseball diamond, lettering for three years. He was a part of the 2000 State championship team and was named the Defensive Player of the Year that season. He was also part of the 2002 Elite Eight team.
Baxter played football at Calhoun as well where he was named the WEBS Team Impact Player of the Year and earned the Permanent Team Captain Award. In 2000, he was named All-State Honorable Mention and was a First-Team AllState selection in 2001. He was a part of a region title and an Elite Eight appearance during his career.
Baxter lettered in track during high school also as a five-event participant. He was a finalist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press Scrappy Moore Athlete of the Year Award and was Calhoun High’s representative for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.