Third in a five-part series

By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

In the early 1960s, the only field Harry Richardson was used to working on was his family farm in Sand Valley.

Little did he know back then that his future would be shaped on the football field.

The coaches at Cherokee County High School saw the potential of that young, country strong farm boy. They began to mold Richardson as a freshman into a standout tailback who left his mark.

By his sophomore year in 1961, Richardson had established himself a vital part of head coach G.B. Beasley’s 9-0-1 Warrior team that gave Cherokee County its best season in a decade. That year, the Warriors rose as high as No. 3 in the state football rankings.

But Richardson wasn’t just a good football player. He was an overall talented athlete.

Richardson not only served as a football team captain who earned all-county honors as a senior in 1963, but he was also an all-tournament selection in basketball and a solid baseball player. The latter two sports led to scholarship offers from Southern Union, but football was where Richardson’s future was destined.

“I ran into a boy named Truett Chambers who played at Samford,” Richardson recalled. “He came to me and said ‘Harry, you need to come to Samford.’ He said ‘Come down next week. We’ll have tryouts.’ I said ‘Okay, I’ll be there if I can find a way.’”

As luck would have it, Richardson found a way to make those tryouts.

“Coach Buddy Knapp had gotten word that I didn’t have a way to go. He came down to see me and said ‘Harry, I’m going to take you to Birmingham,’” Richardson said. “He came and got me and took me down there.”

Richardson had his ride, and he made the most of his tryout.

“The coach ran me through some drills, and at the end of the practice, he said ‘Harry, we’ll look forward to seeing you in the fall,’” Richardson said.

Richardson earned the nickname the “Stomper from Centre” while playing at Samford. He was the leading scorer for Coach John Lee Armstrong’s 1968 Bulldog squad, and had the team’s longest run from scrimmage of 60 yards – a school record at that time.

Upon graduating in 1969, an up-and-coming professional football team named the Cincinnati Bengals come calling, but Richardson decided to return to Centre. He married his high school sweetheart Joan, and began a career in education while raising a family.

Richardson’s remarkable athletic career is one of five being formally recognized by the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday at Richard Lindsey Arena at 6 p.m.

Richardson joins Cherokee County High School’s Lauren Millsaps Coursey, Cedar Bluff’s Tyrone Moore, Cherokee County High School’s Sam Fife, and Spring Garden’s Ricky Austin as the Class of 2026.

The Hall of Fame will also recognize five high school teams of distinction Saturday night. Football teams being honored are the 1959 Cedar Bluff football state champions (10-0), the 1967 Cherokee County Warriors (9-1-1, first AHSAA all-classification playoffs), and the 1975 Gaylesville Trojans (11-1).

Richardson said he’s thankful Coach Beasley took a chance on a young country boy all those years ago. He’s also thankful to his Warrior teammates through the years.

“Coach Beasley did a good job with us,” he said. “We had those country boys who just didn’t quit. We had some boys who were really tough.”

That toughness on the football field shaped who Richardson is. He took that toughness with him to Samford, where he played for three years. He started at tailback as a freshman following injuries to two starting players, and the rest is history.

“I enjoyed playing (at Samford),” Richardson said. “We had some good blockers and some good football players. We played a pretty tough schedule. My last year I led the team in scoring, and I was proud of that. I thought that was really something to be proud of.”

Something else Richardson is proud of is helping the future of the Bulldog football program following his graduation in 1969.

“I was doing my practice teaching (at Shades Valley), and I ran into my coach. I said ‘Coach, we’ve got a quarterback at Centre who can play,’” Richardson recalled. “He kind of just passed it off, but two days later, a sporting goods dealer brought him a film of Shorty Trammell. He completed 12 out of 14 passes to B.T. Law, and Coach made a beeline down to Shades Valley. He said ‘Harry, if I can get you out of practice teaching, will you go with me to Centre?’ I said ‘Sure, Coach, I’ll be glad to go with you.’”

The duo went to Centre to see Warrior football coach Bobby Joe Johnson and Trammell. Soon after, Trammell received a scholarship to Samford, where he led the Bulldogs to the Division II national title in 1971.

Richardson furthered his education by earning his master’s degree from Alabama-Birmingham. He became a teacher and coach at Centre Middle School and Cherokee County High School.

During his teaching tenure, Richardson developed a greenhouse program for special needs students at the Cherokee County Vocational School, where they built their skills for employment.

Following his retirement in 2000, Richardson continued to be an active member within the community by becoming a respected fishing guide on Weiss Lake.

Richardson, now almost 80 years old, said he “couldn’t be prouder” of his induction into the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame.

“I was tickled to death (to receive the call),” Richardson said. “That’s something I’ll always remember.”