J-MC Sports Hall of Fame had unique start

Desperation is often the catalyst for success. Such was the case when the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame was born in 1986.

I was sports editor at The Jackson Sun when my friend, Billy Schrivner, called and asked if I would meet him and Jackson veterinarian Danny Walker at Shoney’s. The restaurant was located just south of the present Dairy Queen location on Highland Avenue.

I sat across from the two of them in a booth and listened to Walker’s dilemma. On his own, he had booked Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann to speak at a fundraiser for Jackson Christian School. When Walker told the JCS board of directors it was going to cost $5,000 for Theismann’s visit, they balked.

Walker quickly called Theismann’s booking agency to cancel the engagement. “No problem,” they said. “Just send us a check for $2,500, and you’re in the clear.”

“I asked how long I could wait, and they told me I had until two days before the event to cancel without having to pay the entire fee,” Walker said last week from his new home in Fort Worth, Texas. “So I decided to keep it on the books and see what else I might could do.”

“If nothing else, I was going to have Theismann come over to our house and have supper with a few invited guests,” Walker said, laughing.

A call to Schrivner triggered what proved to be the solution. Schrivner had been pondering the possibility of starting a sports hall of fame in Jackson, and Theismann was the big-name speaker who could be perfect to kick it off.

Schrivner and Walker asked my opinion and whether or not I would support the Hall of Fame effort on the sports pages. I agreed to do so, and the push began the moment we left Shoney’s.

In a matter of weeks, 65 local businesses had donated $11,000 to start the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame.

Walker was off the hook, and Jackson had a new institution to recognize and cherish local sports accomplishments. Schrivner was the Hall’s first chairman, and Walker was vice chairman. Jim Scott was treasurer, and Beverly Pearce was secretary.

The first board of directors included Schrivner, Pearce, Fred Baker, Frank Brasher, Dunk Demonbriem, Jack Hilliard, Harold Johnson, Tom Mapes, Buddy Patey, Leon Pearson, and Thurman Reynolds.

The first banquet and induction ceremony was Thursday, April 17, 1986 at the Civic Center. About 500 attended to hear Theismann and watch the ceremony for the five initial inductees – Eddie Crawford, Harry Johnsey, Roger Murray Sr. (posthumously), Tury Oman and T.R. White.

Forty-eight high school athletes and eight local college athletes were honored as their schools’ athletes of the year, and that tradition continues today, plus the presentation of 14 scholarships, a Distinguished Service Award and a Hometown Legends Award.

The Hall of Fame’s 40th banquet (COVID canceled the event in 2020) is Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. The inductees are Brett Barry, Kayla Beaver, Carita Cole, Davon DeMoss and Tarius Johnson. 

Terry Smith will receive the Billy Schrivner Distinguished Service Award, and the Legends Award goes to the 1996 Jackson Central-Merry girls basketball state championship team. The guest speaker is former Tennessee Vols radio voice Bob Kesling. Contact Beth Sedberry at bethsedberry@gmail.com for tickets.

Walker recently retired and moved with his wife Susan to Fort Worth to be near family. Their son Lee has been the women’s tennis coach at Texas Christian University for 13 years.

“That was really an experience 40 years ago, but it all turned out good,” Walker said. “Jackson has a great hall of fame.”