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Why East Nashville football great Jacob Phillips is already in the hall of fame

mike organ, nashville tennessean
·4 min read

Just six years after becoming East Nashville's first Mr. Football, Jacob Phillips is in the school's sports hall of fame.

Because of the many firsts Phillips has accomplished, the hall of fame board decided to make him the hall's earliest and youngest inductee ever. He turned 24 in April.

In fact, the process began before this year, but COVID-19 and scheduling conflicts with Phillips, who now plays for the Cleveland Browns, made this the soonest they could get him in. The initial plan was to induct Phillips in 2021.

"Jacob has done things as an athlete at East High School that really hadn't been done before," said Ricky Cole, who is in the school's hall of fame and on the hall of fame board. "You're talking about an All-American and Mr. Football here who went on to LSU when they won the (2019) national title. With all that he did here and all that he did after leaving here we've been thinking, 'Lets go ahead and get him in.'"

To further honor Phillips the board made him the only member of the 2023 induction class. He was enshrined Saturday at the East High Alumni Building.

The Tennessean named Phillips to its High School All-Decade 2010-19 Team in May.

Phillips was the No. 1-ranked inside linebacker in the country and No. 61 college football prospect overall, according to the 247Sports Composite in the Class of 2017. He was No. 4 on The Tennessean's Dandy Dozen top college prospects list.

After leading LSU in tackles in his junior and senior seasons, Phillips was selected by the Browns in the third round of the NFL draft and became a starter during the 2022 season.

Nate Bargatze will drive pace car in the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway

Local comedian Nate Bargatze, who set the attendance record at 19,365 at Bridgestone Arena in April, will be the honorary pace car driver for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 25.

“There is no better entertainer out there than Nate Bargatze to take part in our remarkable event to bring fans from Middle Tennessee − and across the country and world − together right here at Nashville Superspeedway,” Nashville Superspeedway general manager Matt Greci said.

Bargatze, an Old Hickory native who has 10 appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," is currently on his "The Be Funny Tour," with stops coming up in Las Vegas, Sioux City, Iowa and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Along with Bargatze's cameo at the Ally 400, Parker McCollum will perform the pre-race concert and Old Dominion will a serve as grand marshal.

Father Ryan 2023 Hall of Fame class announced

The 1964-65 Father Ryan boys basketball team, which advanced to the state tournament, is in the school's 2023 sport hall of fame class.
The 1964-65 Father Ryan boys basketball team, which advanced to the state tournament, is in the school's 2023 sport hall of fame class.

Father Ryan announced its 2023 Sports Hall of Fame class, which included six athletes, two teams a one contributor.

The athletes are Marty Graham (golf, 1954), Rachel Derrick Jones (basketball, 1999), Bill May (football, basketball, 2002), Ellen Mullins (volleyball, 2010), William Wehby (football, 1947) and Frank Wilk (football, 1935).

The teams are the 1964-65 boys basketball and 2002 baseball. The 1965-65 basketball team, which featured Irish great Willie Brown, won the district and region titles and advanced to the state tournament. The 2002 baseball team won the Division II state championship.

The contributor is Jim Langdon (class of 1954), who spent more than 50 years coaching and teaching history at the school.

Former Vandy trainer John Norwig retires after 32 years with the Steelers

John Norwig, whose career began at Vanderbilt, announced his retirement as Pittsburgh Steelers trainer Monday.

Norwig, the son-in-law of former Tennessean deputy sports editor Jimmy Davy, spent 32 seasons with the Steelers. He worked under three head coaches − Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.

After graduating from Penn State in 1979, Norwig went to work at Vanderbilt, where he became the head athletic trainer and remained until leaving for Pittsburgh.

Station Camp's Macauley Bailey named softball All-American at Carson-Newman

Macauley Bailey, who played softball at Station Camp and is now at Carson-Newman, was named an All-American and freshman of the year.
Macauley Bailey, who played softball at Station Camp and is now at Carson-Newman, was named an All-American and freshman of the year.

Former Station Camp softball standout Macauley Bailey, now at Carson-Newman, was named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association national freshman of the year and made the All-America first team.

Bailey, a catcher, became Carson-Newman's first-ever All-American designated player, its fourth freshman All-American and its 22nd overall.

Bailey also was all-region and the South Atlantic Conference player of the year, freshman of the year and made the all-tournament team. She helped lead he Eagles to a 31-18 record and the NCAA Southeast Regional.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why East Nashville's Jacob Phillips is already in the hall of fame