Alvin Crowder

Alvin E. “Bubby” Crowder was inducted into the Emory & Henry Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 for his collegiate athletic career as a catcher on the Wasps’ baseball team.

Crowder was a four-year starter on the E&H baseball squad. In addition to his catching and calling duties, Crowder was among the team’s leading hitters every season. In 1963, the team lost only three games en route to winning the Smoky Mountain Conference title. During the championship, Crowder led the team in hitting with an impressive .392 batting average and 18 RBIs. That 1963 team still holds one of the top five Team ERAs in school history at 1.95, which is the best the program has seen for the last 40 years.

Crowder was selected as a captain his senior year, and under his leadership the team lost only seven games in 1964 – five by a one-run margin. That year, teammate and standout pitcher Earl Hawkins, also a Hall of Fame member, fully credited his 6-0 pitching record to Crowder, who called every single pitch. In recognition of his contributions, Crowder was named Gene “Pappy Thompson’s All-Area’s Best Catcher.”

After graduating, Crowder continued his baseball career semi-professionally for the Marion Athletics before playing with the Saltville Alkalies. He worked for Smyth County Schools for 37 years before retiring, during which time he served as a teacher and administrator and coached football, basketball, and baseball. He was named the Southwest District coach of the Year in baseball four times.