2007 Inductees

2007 Inductees

Joanne Arnold Tribue – A 1978 graduate of Antioch High School who excelled in volleyball, basketball and track. Tribue was the 1977 state track champion in the 80-yard low hurdles and set a national record. In basketball, she was selected All-District, All-Region and All-NIL during her junior and senior years. Tribue attended Austin Peay State University, where she was twice selected OVC Track Woman of the Year, and was named All American in the hurdles. In basketball, she held the school record for most blocked shots. Tribue is a teacher at Hunters Lane High School and serves as the head basketball, track and cross country coach.

Pam Chambers Compton – A graduate of the 1976 class at Madison High School, Pam Chambers Compton played basketball and ran track. In basketball, she received All-City and All-State recognition and was a member of the 1976 Junior Olympic Championship team. In track, she was the 1975 state champion in the 80-yard low hurdles and set a national record. In 1976, she was the state runner-up in the same event. She attended Tennessee Technological University, and received numerous awards, including All-OVC, OVC Most Valuable Player and All-Region. Her team won the OVC championship in 1978. The school retired her #21 jersey and placed Compton into its own Hall of Fame. Today, Compton is a teacher and former coach at Franklin High School.

Jimmy Davy – A 1951 graduate of North High School, Jimmy Davy was a member of North High’s state baseball championship team in 1949 – the first baseball state championship won by a Nashville City Schools team. Davy was also editor of the school’s newspaper, The North Star. After graduation, Davy attended David Lipscomb University and earned a degree in English. He served in the military, earning several awards for his writing. Davy worked for The Tennessean for 45 years and retired in 1998 as a senior writer in sports. During his career, he received numerous awards for his sports writing, including Tennessee Sports Writer of the Year in 1977, The National Best of Gannett Sports Series Award in 1985 and Lipscomb’s prestigious Avalon Award for professional creative excellence in 1999.

Jinx Demetros Cockerham – Jinx Cockerham is a 1966 graduate of Hillsboro High School who received All-City and All-Nashville basketball honors in school. She was the NIL Most Valuable Player, The Tennessean Player of the Year and was selected to the All-Decade Team. After graduation, Cockerham attended Middle Tennessee State University and accepted a teaching and coaching position at Father Ryan High School. As a volleyball coach, she was voted Coach of the Year four times, selected to coach the Tennessee All-Star matches five times, named the A.F. Bridges Coach of the Year in 2002 and the National Federation Coach of the Year in 1993. She coached her teams to four state volleyball championships. In basketball, she was voted Coach of the Year in 1997-1998, Optimist Club Coach of the Year in 1993 and coached her team to 519 wins.

Greg Gaines – A 1976 graduate of DuPont High School, Greg Gaines was an outstanding high school, college and professional football player. At DuPont, Gaines was an All-NIL and All-State player and a two-time AAA Player of the Year. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he was selected to the All-Academic Team in 1978. The Seattle Seahawks drafted Gaines and he was a five-year starter who received numerous team awards. He completed his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989. Since ending his playing career, Gaines has been a high school coach, a scout for the Los Angeles Rams and was director of pro personnel for the San Diego Chargers.

Roger Jones – Roger Jones graduated from Pearl-Cohn High School in 1987, having lettered in football and track. He was an All-District football player and a National Scholar-Athlete Award winner. In track, he earned numerous medals and was a school MVP for two years. After high school, he entered Tennessee State University and was a walk-on football player. He became the school’s starting cornerback for three years. Jones received a free agent tryout with the Indianapolis Colts in 1991 and later signed a contract with Tampa Bay. He played in the NFL for seven years with Tampa Bay, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans. Currently, Jones is head track coach and assistant football coach at Pope John Paul II High School, leading both teams to success.

Don McIlhenny – A 1952 graduate of Hillsboro High School, Don McIlhenny was a standout football player. He received numerous awards, including All-Nashville, All-State and All-Southern, and was the NIL’s Most Valuable Player. McIlhenny attended Southern Methodist University, where he was named Freshman and Sophomore of the Year for the Southwest Conference. After graduation, McIlhenny was the 26th pick in the NFL draft, selected by Detroit. He later played for the Green Bay Packers and, in 1960, was awarded to the Dallas Cowboys in the expansion draft. He became that team’s first running back. He finished his playing career in 1961 with the San Francisco 49ers. McIlhenny played for Vince Lombardi’s and Tom Landry’s first teams, and played for Curly Lambeau, the storied Green Bay coach. McIlhenny played in the opening game at Lambeau Field.

J.B. Proctor (posthumous) – A 1945 graduate of Cohn High, J.B. Proctor was a standout in football, basketball, baseball, golf and tennis. Proctor was the 1945 winner of the William Hume Award for the city’s top scholar-athlete in football. He received numerous awards and captained Cohn to it first NIL championship. In baseball, Proctor was offered a professional contract with the Little Rock Travelers. He was the top golf player in school and in 1947 won the Junior Title Golf Championship. He was also an accomplished tennis player. He played three outstanding years of football with the University of Tennessee before completing his college football and baseball with equal success at Middle Tennessee State University. He is a member of the MTSU Hall of Fame.

Cornelis Ridley (posthumous) – Cornelius Ridley joins the MNPS Hall of Fame for his coaching at Pearl, Maplewood and Whites Creek high schools. As a coach, Ridley had a win-loss record of 684-171 and received numerous honors and awards. He coached his teams to multiple district, regional and state championships. He received the Nashville Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, the Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators Award in 1999, the Civitan International President Award in 1994 and the 100 Black Men Forerunner Award in 1995. Coach Ridley was inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. After retirement, he served as a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education.

Maxie Gene Runion (posthumous) – Maxie Runion graduated from Cohn High School in 1947. He received All-City, All-State and All-Southern recognition in football. The Cohn Tigers won three state city football championships and set the longest win streak in Nashville history during his playing career. In basketball, Runion was All-Nashville for two years. In baseball, he hit .400 in his senior year and was twice selected All-Nashville. Runion signed with the University of Tennessee, but during his freshman year switched to MTSU, where he had outstanding college football and basketball careers. He was named All-Conference, All-American and captain of the Blue Raider football team and was inducted into the MTSU Hall of Fame in 1977.