Dr. Richard "Butch" Ferguson
Richard “Butch” Ferguson was born on September 30, 1948, the son of Dr. Richard M. Ferguson, Jr. of Fort Payne. Doc Ferguson was an outstanding football, basketball and tennis player at Etowah High School who received a grant-in-aid to play football for Auburn after flying 35 B-17 missions over Germany in World War II. Butch has a sister, Patricia, and a deceased brother, Ron, who was an outstanding football player and wrestler for the Wildcats. Butch and Ron were both Eagle Scouts.
Butch started playing junior high football and basketball as a fifth grader for Coach Ray Crawford at Williams Avenue School in Fort Payne. He played for the FPHS Wildcats from 1962-65 under Hall of Fame Coach Vernon Wells. Butch was a nose guard on the 1964 AAA State Championship team and in 1965 played both offensive and defensive guard on a team that gave up only 23 points and shut out every Northeast Alabama Conference opponent to win the NEAC Crown. Butch was selected as Honorable Mention All-NEAC. These were the glory days for Fort Payne football with over 20 of Wells’ Wildcats receiving scholarships. However, Butch was not one of those, but he was accepted into the Aerospace Engineering program at Auburn with the goal of working in the space industry.
After helping Coach Wells with the freshmen during spring training, Butch enjoyed the coaching so much that he completely changed his plans for college and enrolled at the University of Alabama as a walk-on football player for legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. He experienced college football the next three years as a member of the Scout Team. However, during his senior year in 1969, Butch was moved up to the second team and saw some action. He played offensive guard in Coach Bryant’s 100th win vs. Clemson and was later moved to the defense as nose guard and linebacker, where he was one of the game captains in the Homecoming Game against the University of Miami. Butch won his varsity letter that year, was inducted into the A-Club, earned a BS in mathematics, was on the Dean’s List and was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
After graduation in 1970, Butch married Teresa Elliott of Birmingham. The couple moved to LaFayette, Georgia, where he served for two years as assistant football and head wrestling coach. In 1973, Coach Wells asked Butch to join him at Albertville High School as offensive coordinator and Head Track Coach. From 1973-79, the Aggie staff that also included Ronnie Little, Dennis Hicks and Bob Duke, led the Aggies to 4 Marshall County Football Championships, and the Track Team won 5 County and 2 Region Championships. The Aggies’ first Cross Country team won the Region Championship. Ferguson helped to coach HOF inductees Paul Teague, Hamp Moore, Rod Rudolph and Board Member Gil Bruce. He received 8 Coach-of-the-Year Awards; sponsored the FCA and Letterman’s Club and was President of the Marshall County Coaches and Athletic Directors Association in 1976-77.
Since turning in his whistle in 1979, Ferguson has served as Marshall County’s Vocational Counselor and as Principal and Athletic Director at Douglas High School, working with HOF inductee and board member John Allen, and former board member Robert Sloman. In 1989, he earned a Doctor of Education degree from BAMA to become Dr. “Coach” Ferguson, and has since served as Principal and AD at DAR High School and as Marshall County’s Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and Athletic Director. In 2002, he was among Alabama’s first class of Certified Athletic Administrators and authored an article in the NIAAA Journal extolling the heroic actions of the 9/11 heroes brought about by lessons learned from athletic participation. He also helped to initiate new football programs at DAR and Brindlee Mountain High Schools and was on the initial Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors, serving as Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President. Butch still enjoys working with The Boy Scouts of America and has received the Whitney M. Young Award for Service to Youth, the Spirit of Freedom, the Fred Kings Friend of Youth and The BSA Community Service Awards. He is also the Area Director for the People to People Student Ambassador Program and enjoys leading students in international educational travel programs. Butch also enjoys playing golf, working out at the Powerhouse Gym and attending UA football games and team reunions.
Butch and Teresa have been blessed with three children, Kristy, Lee and David, and four grandchildren, Max and Kate Parker, and Ethan and Tiger Ferguson. Their greatest joy has been the close relationship that they have experienced through involvement in their physical, mental and spiritual development.