Mike Little

Mike Little was a three-year letterman at Albertville High School where he played fullback under Coach G.B. Beasley from 1963-1965. Since 1965, there have been no unbeaten or one loss Aggie football teams. The 1965 Aggie gridmen had an 8-1-1 record. That same year, Little was selected to the North Alabama Conference Team and honorable mention All-State.

Mike was listed in the Albertville yearbook as “Most School Spirit.” As a member of the school’s golf team, he won the Marshall County High School Golf Championship in 1966. A three-sport athlete, he also participated on the Aggie track team.

Little was fortunate to play on two bowl teams at Jacksonville State. Jim Blevins was head coach when the Gamecocks played and won the Space City Classic in Huntsville in 1966. Albertville native Charley Pell took over Gamecock football in 1969 and was coach of the unbeaten champions of the 1970 Orange Blossom Classic in Miami.

At the start of the 1970 season, Mike was the only remaining player from the 1966 squad. He was married and the father of a son Mike, Jr. There was a redshirt year in 1967 due to knee surgery. He picked up the nickname “old man” and was elected permanent captain by his 1970 teammates. The 21-7 victory over Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic closed out a fantastic season for Charley Pell and his men at 10-0. On its third possession, Jacksonville’s Mike Little banged over from the one for the first score before a crowd of over 31,000 in the 38^th Orange Blossom Classic and the Gamecocks’ first time on national television.

Coach Pell thought so much of the youngster from Albertville that a couple of years later he invited him back as featured speaker at the football banquet. Little’s teammates at Jax State from 1966-1970 included Boyce Callahan, Doc Lett, Herb Winches, Gary Godfrey, Bubba Long and Terry Harris.

Little had assistant high school coaching jobs at Jacksonville, T.R. Miller and Saks. His first wife Shirley Ann Runyan had passed away. In 1974, Mike and his new wife Susie Diane Garner accepted positions at Saks. In 1977, he became a fulltime assistant principal and no longer coached. His second son Nicholas was born in 1975.

In 1982, Little was hired as principal of DAR Elementary School, where he stayed 10 years. Mike and Susie helped found the New Life First United Methodist Church in Grant. In 1992, Little transferred to Boaz Elementary School as principal. One year later, he became principal of the new Boaz Middle School, where he stayed until his retirement eight years later.

During those years serving as an administrator, he was officiating basketball and football. Highlights of his officiating career include the 1990 AHSSA Boys State Basketball Tournament, the 1996 inaugural Super Six football state championship at Legion Field in Birmingham, and the 1997 Final Four state basketball championships.

Today, Thomas Michael Little is a grandfather to three and a citizen of Albertville, where he is involved in church, community and civic affairs.