By TAMMIE TOLER
Princeton Times
— PRINCETON — Snow called off the Princeton Senior High School Tigers basketball game that was slated to accompany the latest round of Athletic Hall of Fame inductions, but organizers decided the ceremony must go on anyway.
The organization created to recognize PSHS’s most talented and dedicated athletes, coaches and supporters identified five new members to be listed among Tiger elite.
They were: Preston Crowe, Mike Eades, Dick Walthall, Carl Repass and Dr. Jeff St. Clair.
Crowe, recognized for his four decades of support for PSHS sports, was recognized as a huge supporter of many programs.
An Air Force veteran, Crowe played baseball and basketball while serving his country. Back home, he volunteered to keep the home game clock and play clock for 38 years, served as a football booster during the 1970s and ‘80s and assisted in securing PSHS weightlifting facilities.
Crowe and his wife of 49 years, Anne, continue to make Princeton their home.
Eades was inducted for his prowess on the court, but he lettered in basketball, baseball and cross country when he played at PSHS. Eades played in three state basketball tournaments, where the Tigers were victorious twice. He was a two-time defensive player of the year and scored All-State, All-Coalfield, All-Area and All-County honors during his high school basketball career.
Eades played college basketball at Lees McRae and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, before going on to serve 11 years as a Division I basketball official in the ACC and other conferences. He also officiated NCAA and NIT basketball tournaments and accepted the ACC Commissioner’s Award as Referee of the Year in 2006.
A three-year letterman, Walthall was also inducted for his outstanding work on the court. He was a member of the state championship Tiger team of 1948 and garnered a spot on the All-Tournament team of the same year. After graduation, Walthall worked as an educator for 37 years.
Recognition for the late Carl Repass was accepted Feb. 4, by his grandson, Chris Stinson. Repass was honored for his gridiron performances, but he was a two-year letterman in both football and basketball. Like Walthall, he was a member of the 1948 championship team and was an All-State honoree. He also played football at the University of Tennessee and the University of Louisville.
Dr. Jeff St. Clair was the diamond honoree of the induction, representing the baseball team. But like some of his fellow inductees, St. Clair excelled at basketball, baseball and cross country. He is a two-time state basketball champion, after playing in three tournaments.
A baseball team captain, St. Clair was named to the All-Area and All-Tournament baseball teams while fielding the Tigers team’s highest batting and fielding averages. He also ran his way to a position on the All-County cross country team.
St. Clair graduated eighth in his class and was a member of the National Honor Society before going on to become a licensed physician and a member of numerous medical, professional and charitable organizations.
— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.
