Gerry Ledbetter

Gerry Lee Ledbetter was born to Horace and Edna Ledbetter in Albertville, Alabama, on November 29, 1946. He, and his younger brother, Ted, grew up in Boaz where Gerry began participation in recreation league baseball in 1954. Gerry has fond memories of playing baseball, football, and basketball with his brother, neighborhood friends, and schoolmates. His love for sports of all kinds was born and nurtured in his own backyard season after season with friends who lived nearby and who were willing to provide fun and competition. Gerry attended Boaz Elementary School and Boaz Jr. High before graduating from Boaz High in 1965. He is a 1969 graduate of Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education.

During his high school years, Gerry played football, basketball, and baseball for the Boaz High School Pirates. During his sophomore and junior years as a member of the BHS Football Team, Gerry played cornerback and running back before moving to tight end and defensive end as a senior. His senior year, 1964, the Pirates defeated the Albertville Aggies 14-6 for the Pirates’ first victory over the Aggies in 21 years. Hall of Fame Coach Billy Hudson remarked in the newspaper that both Gerry and Gerald Thomas played an outstanding game in defeating the Aggies.

Gerry played forward on the Pirates’ Varsity Basketball Team during his junior and senior years. The highlight of his senior year was playing in the State Tournament which was held in Tuscaloosa. The Pirates’ record that year was 26 wins and 8 losses. They joined two other Marshall County teams, Douglas High and DAR High, in the 1965 State Basketball Tournament.

Gerry played for Coach Venoy Jolley on the Boaz High School Varsity Baseball Team from the 9th through the 12th grades. He played outfield as a freshman and played first base and pitcher during his sophomore through senior seasons. The highlight of his career as a left-handed pitcher was an 8 inning no-hitter against Guntersville his junior year. During the summers, Gerry played for American Legion Post 94 in Albertville for Coach Bobby Martin. The team made two appearances in the American Legion State Tournament with Gerry leading the state in hitting with an average of .545 during the summer of 1965.

Gerry initially signed a baseball scholarship with Auburn University, but later decided to follow Coach Bobby Martin and several of his teammates to play for Jacksonville State. At JSU, Gerry and teammate Jeff McCool were the first Gamecock Baseball Players to be named to the NAIA Little All-American Team. As a center fielder playing for Hall of Fame coach Ray Wedgeworth, the Gamecocks advanced to the Alabama Collegiate Conference Tournament three times. Gerry was named to the All-Alabama Collegiate Conference Team three years. In his Little All-American year, he excelled on defense in center field and batted .406 for the season. Gerry hit .320 or better each of the four years he played at JSU. This is believed to be a record.

Upon graduation from JSU, Gerry taught and coached at Sardis High School. He coached football, baseball, basketball, and track for two years and then moved to Cleburne County High School for one year where he coached football, basketball, and baseball. Desiring to move back closer to his roots, he took a teaching and coaching job at Douglas High School in 1972. He coached there until 1992. His Douglas High School Varsity Boys Basketball Team won the Area Tournament 4 years and finished in the finals 3 additional years. He also coached football and initiated a new varsity baseball program while at DHS.

In 1992, Gerry became the Head Baseball Coach at Snead State Community College. During his tenure at Snead, he has had 8 players sign professional contracts and over 130 players to sign 4-year scholarships. He has been involved in sports camps and numerous community service activities as the leader of the Parsons.

Gerry has been married to his wife, Carolyn, for 42 years. They have two sons, Stephen and Luke. Stephen lives in Orange Beach, Alabama, while Luke and his wife, Misty, lives in Boaz. The joy of Gerry and Carolyn’s life is their four-year-old grandson, Dalton. Gerry attends Boaz First Baptist Church where he and Carolyn teach a two- and three-year-old children’s Sunday School Class.