Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

CONTRIBUTED BY CY PETERS

Its the first annual Carter County Sports Hall of Fame high school football banquet to be held at Elizabethton High School Saturday.

Eddie Brown played football at the University of Tennessee before going pro.

Brown attended Marion County High School in Jasper and graduated in 1970. At the University of Tennessee, he was a safety and punt returner. In 1973, he was team captain as a senior and was a first team All-America selection by Football News.

Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the eighth round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Washington Redskins during the 1975 season, and was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection during the 1976 and 1977 seasons.

In 1976, he led the National Football League in punt return yardage with 646 yards and was second in yards per return at 13.5. He also had a 71-yard return for a touchdown that season.

In 1977, he led the NFL in punt returns with 57. On October 9, 1977, his 11 punt returns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set an NFL single-game record.

Brown returned to professional football in 1983 with the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League. He had six interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, that season. He played for the USFL’s Arizona Wranglers in 1984 and had two interceptions.

Brown was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Brown 11 punt returns set in 1977 is still a record today.

Along with Brown, County Mayor Patty Woodby will be attending as willTimothy Adkins, and the world famous Jarfly Dugger.

Jenny Grindstaff will presented the Unaka Ranger players, Ric Anderson will present Happy Valley, Kim Birchfield will present the Elizabethton players. Rob Fritts, the voice of Bulldog Country, will present the Bulldogs, and Joe Sluder will hand out the Highlander awards.

Receiving awards will be Andrew Little, Bronson Norman, Landon Babb, Devin Ramsey, Caleb Lydick, Jamol Blamo, Drew Smith, Landon Ramsey, Marcus Shomaker, Conor Jones, Collin Morgan, Levi Lunsford, Morgan Lyons, McKinley Kuhn, Chance Point, Tyler Thompson, Ashton Hardin, Ryan Crumley, Andon Winters, Austin Bently, Seth Birchfield, Caleb Sluder, Chase Shell, Maverick Simerly, Dylan McCellan, Gage McKinney, Jake Isaacs, Bryson Rollins, Jake Roberts, Cade Russell, Trenton Taylor, Conner Johnson, Owen Slagle, Eli Williams, Blake Stewart, Bradley Cannon, and Nate Stephens.

The banquet starts at 5pm with a meal. Admission is 15.00 for adults and 12.00 for students. Reserve tickets are requested and you can reserve on line at www.carterhalloffame.com. You may also contact Rob Fritts, Jamie Combs, Joe Sluder or Charles C.Y. Peters to reserve tickets.