Sources |
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 10 Apr 2004.
Vella Watson Roberts obituary
- [S73] Rawlings Funeral Home, Book 2, 2 Dec 1974.
Wesley Caton Roberts obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 9 Aug 2009.
Remembering Roberts
By COBEY HITCHCOCK, Sports Writer
chitchcock@themountainpress.com
In 1970 Gary Roberts was named the Bears' MVP and defensive player of the year.
SEVIERVILLE - Former Sevier County High School athletic great Gary Roberts may be slated for induction in to the SCHS Hall of Fame soon, but the event is nearly 40 years in the making for the 1971 grad.
Even though its taken so long for this HOF recognition to arrive, Roberts couldn't be happier about it.
"It's such a big honor for me," he said. "My father (W.C. Roberts) would have been very proud. He sacrificed a lot to get me where I am today."
But despite earning such top team honors in his SCHS playing days as Most Valuable Player, Best Defensive Player, Most Athletic and Mister Sevier County High School to name a few, Roberts credits his former coaches and gridiron compatriots for his most recent recognition.
"You've got to have great coaches and great players around you for you to accomplish anything in the sport," he said.
Roberts wasn't just a prep gridiron stud, however. He was a three-sport athlete playing football, baseball and basketball throughout his high school career.
"But, I reckon I got inducted (into the HOF) for football," said Roberts. "Because football was my main thing."
But how good do you have to be at football if you once hit four consecutive home runs in a single baseball game, only to slump a bit the next day by hitting just three more over the fence?
Good enough to be the first-ever starting sophomore for the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.
What, Roberts wasn't good enough to start as a freshman?
"Back then, you couldn't play as a freshman by rule," Roberts explained.
Roberts went on to a stellar season that year, playing strong side linebacker against several SEC powerhouses on a Golden Eagles squad that finished the season as one of the top five defensive units in the nation.
In fact, one of Roberts' former enemies on the football field is now one of his favorite college football teams.
"I'm a big football fan every Saturday, and I like the Volunteers," chuckled Roberts. "But I am sort of an Alabama fan, too. It's sort of a toss up."
Although he hates to admit he's an Alabama supporter living in Vols country, his reason goes back to his college days and the experience of lining up against the Alabama program coached by the Crimson Tide's legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.
"And I played against a lot of greats (from Alabama) back then," said Roberts. "John ("Hog") Hannah, E.J. Junior, Woodrow Lowe, Ozzie Newsome and Johnny Musso ... I got to play against the great ones, you know."
Things continued to go well into Roberts' junior year at Southern Miss. He fully expected to trade his Golden Eagles uniform for a professional jersey in just a short couple of years, that is until a knee injury put a halt to his playing days.
"If it wasn't for that (knee), I would have been playing pro," said Roberts. "But back then, when you hurt your knee bad, there really wasn't much they could do for you."
To add to the dilemma, Roberts' father got sick not long after, so Roberts never thought twice about his decision to return home to help take care of the man who had always taken care of him.
"He'd always done so much for me," said Roberts. "He was a great man."
Although his playing days were through, Roberts involvement in the game was really just beginning. He went on to become the defensive coordinator for the Austin-East Roadrunners for 10 productive seasons, helping to coach 65 players to a college scholarship, including 10 college football All-Americans and eight eventual NFL players.
"But I just don't think coaching was in the cards for me," said Roberts, who moved past the game football but not sports in general.
"I've been teaching physical education the past 34 years, currently at Inskip Elementary School in Knoxville," said Roberts. "I'm about ready to retire, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet."
In his career at SCHS, Roberts not only several sports, but also several positions on the football team, including linebacker, defensive end, offensive guard, fullback, tailback and tight end.
"I played a lot of different positions, but linebacker was the main one, I reckon," he said. "That's what I went to college to play."
Roberts was coached at Sevier County by the legendary Bears coach Jim Bates, father of Robert's fellow SCHS HOF inductee Jeremy Bates and current defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Jim is like a brother to me," said Roberts. "We still call each other and stay in touch with each other. He's been a big influence for me, and he helped me get recruited by Southern Mississippi."
Although Roberts doesn't really have a favorite professional team, he currently cheers on the Buccaneers because of his former high school coach.
"I have to go for Jim," laughed Roberts. "And he changes jobs like a gypsy, so I have to root for whoever he's with."
Roberts still takes time from his busy schedule to watch some Sevier County home football games.
"Because I'll always be a Sevier County Bear at heart," he said. "We had some good seasons back in the day. We were pretty good."
One of Roberts' fondest high school memories come from a 7-3 year, but two of those losses came against teams that eventually met each other in the Tennessee State Football Championship Game.
Roberts said he plans to attend the HOF dinner to be held 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug.22, at the SCHS gymnasium, and he will address the crowd to thank former players and coaches.
For more information on the banquet, or to purchase tickets, contact Bob Barnes at 654-4337 or Nancy Hewitt at 453-4666.
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