Blue Devil standouts inducted into 2024 Hall of Fame Class

WM enshrines another crop of athletic standouts

By BILLY WOODS

Special to the Times

Five new star athletes were inducted into the ninth class of the West Memphis Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Lehr Arena.

The induction ceremony, included former boys basketball star Tim Harrell, football standout Harold Lewis, girls basketball star Amber Gean, coach and multi-sport athlete William Long and Billy Holmes, a three-sport standout for West Memphis High School in the 1950s.

Tim Harrell

Harrell was a standout player on the Blue Devils’ legendary 1979-80 basketball team that went 30-0, winning the Class AAAA state championship and the Overall title. Harrell went on to star for Central Bible College, where he was a three-time NAIA All-American. He was the third-leading scorer in the nation his senior year, averaging 25.4 points per game and he holds the CBC school record for most points in a game with 54.

Harold Lewis

Lewis was a standout linebacker for the Blue Devils from 1974-76, and was a sophomore on the West Memphis team that played in the state championship game against Texarkana in 1974. He later signed a football scholarship to play for

See SPORTS, page A3

Five former athletes were inducted into the ninth class of the West Memphis Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 7 at Lehr Arena. Former boys’ basketball star Tim Harrell, football standout Harold Lewis, girls’ basketball star Amber Gean, coach and multi-sport athlete William Long and Billy Holmes, a three-sport standout for West Memphis High School in the 1950s were this year’s inductees.

Photos courtesy of WMSD SPORTS

From page A1

the University of Central Arkansas.

Amber Gean

Gean, daughter of Ron Gean, who was inducted in the 2023 Hall of Fame class as a coach, led the Lady Devils in scoring two straight years for head coach Shelia Burns. She later went on to star in college at Delta State University.

William Long

Long was an outstanding athlete for the Blue Devils, starring in football and track as well as the local American Legion baseball team. Long’s specialty was the pole vault in track and field and he later went on to compete for Guy Kochel’s Arkansas State University track squad, with a personal best vault of 16 feet, 6 inches. While at ASU he was a teammate of U.S. Olympian Earl Bell.

Later, Long did it all as a coach in the West Memphis School District. He began his coaching career as the head football coach at West Junior High, then moving up as an assistant coach under Grafton Moore. He also assisted Joe Nooner on the Blue Devil track squads.

He ended his career as a softball head coach, leading the Lady Devils to four state tournament appearances, and he also assisted as volleyball coach.

Billy Holmes

Holmes earned all-state status in football, basketball and track and field. But his specialty was as a left-handed starting pitcher. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and spent a few years in their minor league organization.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are $25 each or $250 per table and can be purchased by calling West Memphis Athletic Director Mike Dobbins at 870-4504126 or by calling the West Memphis School District administrative office at 870-735-1915.