Leatherwood, Teague Among Alabama Sports HOF Class Of 2021

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Tuscaloosa Police officer and Olympic gold medalist Lillie Leatherwood will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2021, headlining a list of three inductees with west Alabama connections as the only one born in Tuscaloosa.

Leatherwood, 56, holds the distinction of being the University of Alabama’s first female Olympic gold medalist as a member of the United States’ 4x400-meter relay team at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. The Tuscaloosa native also won a silver medal in 1988 as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team at the Summer Olympics in Seoul.

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During her time at the Capstone, Leatherwood was named SEC Female Athlete of the Year in 1987, won silver in the 400 meters at the World Indoor Championships, and won bronze in the 4×400-meter relay at the World Outdoor Championships. According to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, her UA school records in the 200 meters and 400 meters have stood since 1987.

“I am truly honored to receive this award along with the other inductees,” Leatherwood said.

The decorated track star entered her career in public service at TPD in 1993, where she was first assigned to the department’s Police Athletic League in 1995. She became director of the athletic and educational program that pairs at-risk youth with officers in 2013.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley called Leatherwood an inspiration and a mentor to so many kids in Tuscaloosa over the last 25 years.

“Her induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame will be well-deserved,” he said.

GEORGE TEAGUE

Another name familiar to Tuscaloosa residents in the Class of 2021 is former Crimson Tide safety George Teague, who played a key role on the 1992 national championship squad.

The Oscoda, Michigan native recorded 14 career interceptions over four years for the Tide and in 1992, he was named first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American.

The most notable moment of his entire career, though, would come on one of the sport's biggest stages during the 1992 Sugar Bowl against No.1 Miami, when he stripped the ball away from a Miami receiver who was sprinting for the end zone.

The iconic play would change the course of the game and the Crimson Tide went on to win 34-13 and claim the National Title.

At the end of his college career, Teague was selected 29th overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 1993 NFL Draft, going on to become a member of the 1993 All-Rookie Team. During his nine-year NFL career, he played with the Packers, Cowboys and Dolphins.

HAL BAIRD

Fayette native and former Auburn University baseball coach Hal Baird, who is the winningest coach in the program's history, was also announced as a member of the Class of 2021, rounding out the inductees with west Alabama connections.

Baird, 71, played college baseball at Eastern Carolina as a pitcher, where he recorded 105 strikeouts in the 1970-71 season. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and also played for the Kansas City Royals. In 1977, he returned to ECU as an assistant and was named head coach in 1980.

During his time leading the Pirates, Baird accumulated a 145-66-1 record, three NCAA Tournament appearances, and two ECAC-South championships. He would return to his home state in 1985 as the head baseball coach at Auburn, where he coached until 2000, achieving a 634-328-0 record.

Baird also led the Tigers to three NCAA Regional titles, an SEC Western Division Championship, an SEC Tournament Championship, and two College World Series appearances in 1994 and 1997. Coaching the likes of Bo Jackson, Tim Hudson and Frank Thomas, Baird saw 10 of his players earn All-American honors and 51 selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

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