By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          When the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame gathers in February to induct its latest class, the Macon City Auditorium will echo with barks and tomahawk chops.

          The University of Georgia and the Atlanta Braves each will have three alums join the hall, along with a former Atlanta Falcon and ex-Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, as well as a high school baseball coaching legend and a longtime voice of Atlanta pro sports.

          The class includes two members with major Central Georgia ties.

          Hall of Fame weekend is Feb. 21-22, 2025 in Macon, with the golf tournament at the Brickyard and jacket ceremony on Friday, and the FanFest and ceremony on Saturday.

          The Hall expanded the class to 10 members this year.

          Theron Sapp was born in Dublin and grew up in Macon, playing at Lanier High and helping the Poets to the 1953 state title game. He then went on to Georgia, and lives on in Bulldog lore.

          Terry Holder grew up in Cochran and graduated from old Cochran High in the 1960s, helping the Royals to basketball state titles during a multi-sport career. He coached at Putnam County, Perry, and Wilkinson County before moving to Evans, where started on a hall of fame baseball coaching career that ended at Greenbrier.

          UGA is also represented by Courtney Kupets-Carter (gymnastics) and Jeff Wallace (tennis).

          Pitching coach Leo Mazzone, pitcher Tim Hudson of Columbus, and outfielder Marquis Grissom are the former Atlanta Braves going in.

          Dennis Scott was a shooting whiz at Georgia Tech in from 1987-1990, helping the Jackets to four straight NCAA Tournaments and earning ACC player of the year honors.

          Terance Mathis, currently the head football coach at Morehouse in Atlanta, was part of some of the Atlanta Falcons’ best seasons during his stint there from 1994-2001.

          Bob Rathbun has been an Atlanta Hawks play-by-play man for the Atlanta Hawks for nearly 30 years, and the Atlanta Dream for several years during a career spanning several networks and sports.