Panola College to Induct Six into Athletic Hall of Fame
Six Panola College alumni will be inducted in the 2008 Hall of Fame in ceremonies scheduled for 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 8 in the Panola College Ballroom. This year’s honorees include Jacke Davis, baseball player and coach; William J. Defee, football coach; Ron Gideon, baseball player; Rudy Jaramillo, baseball player; Aroid Neal, basketball player, and Peggy Pope Stapleton, basketball player.
“The inductees have reached some of the highest pinnacles in their respective sports. It is a privilege that Panola College had an opportunity to be a part of their lives,” noted Don Clinton, Vice President of Student Services and Athletic Director.
Jacke S. Davis
Jacke S. Davis came to Panola College in the fall of 1981 after nine years at Carthage High School. In 15 years at Panola College, Davis compiled a record of 501 wins and 292 losses, eight conference championships, and nine trips to the NJCAA Regional playoffs. Coach Davis was selected as the conference “Coach of the Year” on eight different occasions, and served as the President of the Texas-New Mexico Junior College Baseball Coaches Association for four years. Coach Davis’s players excelled as a team and individually. He coached seven NJCAA All-Americans, three NJCAA Academic All-Americans, and five Major League ball players. Thirty-eight of his players were drafted in the MLB Amateur draft and 118 signed with universities all over the United States. Davis resigned as baseball coach in 1996 and remained Athletic Director until his retirement in 2000. Davis was a Carthage High and Baylor University graduate, where he lettered in football and baseball and was selected to the NCAA All-American Team for baseball. Davis played professional baseball for several years, including one year in the major leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies.
William J. “Bill” Defee
William J. “Bill” Defee started his career at Panola College in 1948 as the assistant football coach. At mid-term in the winter of 1948, Coach Defee took over the reins as the Athletic Director, head football, head baseball and basketball coach. His 1949 baseball team won the conference championship. His football teams won back-to-back state championships in 1949 and 1950, earning Defee recognition as Coach of the Year for both years. In 1949, Coach Defee led the Ponies to the first and last Gas Bowl Championship. Seven of the footballers went on to play for the legendary Coach Catfish Smith of East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce and helped take the Lions to two Tangerine Bowls. Several other players went on to other universities to play football, and 2002 HOF inductee Wendall Swann, a receiver for Coach Defee, made the jump to the NFL to play for the Washington Redskins. Coach Defee resigned from his position at Panola when the football program was canceled in 1951. In 1986, he was inducted into Texas A&M Commerce University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Rudy Jaramillo
Rudy Jaramillo played baseball at Panola College in 1971 and 1972 for Hall of Fame Coach Bill Griffin, winning back-to-back conference championships. Jaramillo was selected to the All Conference team and to the NJCAA All Region and All-American teams after he led the country in RBIs. To complete his sophomore season at Panola, Jaramillo signed a scholarship to continue his education and baseball career at the University of Texas. In 1973, he helped the Longhorns to the NCAA College World Series. The Texas Rangers drafted and signed Jaramillo to a professional contract in 1973. He played in the Rangers organization four years before an injury ended his playing career. Rudy remained in professional baseball as a minor league coach until he got the call to the major leagues as the hitting coach for the Houston Astros. From 1990-93 he coached future Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Coach Jaramillo has been the Texas Rangers batting coach since 1994. As the longest tenured big league coach in the Rangers’ history, Jaramillo has had the opportunity to coach four League MVPs, 17 silver sluggers and numerous all-stars. Recognized as one of the best hitting instructors in baseball, he was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2005, Baseball America honored him as “Coach of the Year,” and in 2007 he received the South Texas Lifetime Achievement Award.
Peggy Pope Stapleton
Peggy Pope Stapleton graduated from Carthage High School in 1977 and signed to play basketball at Panola College for Hall of Fame Coach Mary Ann Ottwell. In two years at Panola, Stapleton became an integral part of a great tradition as Panola made history in the NJCAA. She was an All Conference player both years at Panola and helped lead the Fillies to back-to-back NJCAA National Championships in 1977 and 1978. Her sophomore year, she was selected to the All Region team and to the NJCAA All-American team. Stapleton signed with Texas A&M University where she was selected to the NCAA All-American team. She also became the Aggies all-time leading rebounder, and set a single season scoring record that still stands today. Upon graduation from A&M, she was drafted and played professionally with the Nebraska Wranglers from 1980–81. In 2000-2002 she coached in the WNBA with Detroit Shock. She has been the head women’s basketball coach at Carthage High School since 2000. In 2003, she was inducted into the Texas A&M University Hall of Fame.
Aroid Neal
Aroid Neal played basketball at Panola College in 1978 and 1979 for Coach Andy Russo. As a two-time All Conference player, Neal led the 1979 Ponies to their first ever NJCAA National Tournament as Region XIV Champs. Neal received several individual honors including All Conference, All Region, Conference MVP, Texas All-Star Team, and NJCAA All-American. Neal continued his education and basketball career at Louisiana Tech University and led the Bulldogs in rebounding in 1980 and 81. He was selected to the All Southland Conference team both years. In 1981 he was selected to the Louisiana All Star Team. Now residing in Dallas, Neal works with the Dallas Independent School District as an instructor with at risk children. His main passion of art has him very involved with many programs throughout Dallas and he serves as the Art Director for the City of Dallas.
Ronnie Dwayne Gideon
Ronnie Dwayne Gideon, a 1982 graduate of Hallsville High School, played for Hall of Fame inductee Coach Jacke Davis and the Ponies in 1983 and 1984. In two seasons Gideon helped the Ponies to a Conference Championship in 1983 and two trips to the NJCAA Regional playoffs. He was twice voted the MVP for the Panola team and the MVP for the Conference. In 1983, he was a unanimous selection to the Texas Junior College Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Team. In 1984, Gideon led the NJCAA in homeruns with 18. He became only the third athlete in Panola’s history to be named twice as an NJCAA All-American. In 1984, after signing a scholarship to play at the University of Texas, Gideon opted to sign a professional contract with the Philadelphia Phillies when he was drafted in the MLB amateur draft. Gideon played six years in the minor leagues with the Phillies and New York Mets. In 1990, he began his coaching career in the Mets organization. He coached in the Colorado Rockies organization from 1996-2004. In 2005, the Rockies moved him to the front office as the Field Coordinator, where he remains today.
Tickets to the Hall of Fame Banquet are available for $25 and reservations must be made by calling 903-693-2017.