March 21, 2019
TIFTON—Sidney White, a Sylvester native who played football for the Georgia State College for Men, has been named as a posthumous selection for the Athletics Hall of Fame at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
White passed away at the age of 90 in 1999. He played football for the Georgia State College for Men Rams who defeated the University of Miami in 1931 and 1932. In 1931, he scored a total of eight touchdowns against Troy, Fort Benning, Oglethorpe, Florida’s freshman squad, and Parris Island.
Georgia State College for Men (GSCM) was the name of the four-year college that became ABAC in 1933. Under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Orion Mitchell, the Rams were a powerful football team in their time.
On Oct. 16, 1931, GSCM defeated the University of Miami 13-12. The Rams also defeated Fort Benning (Artillery) 38-0, Alabama State Teachers 28-0, Fort Benning (Tank) 20-0, Oglethorpe “B” 21-0, and Florida “B” 20-0. GSCM lost to Howard 31-0, Parris Island Marines 25-12, and Stetson 28-0.
According to research conducted by Tifton Gazette Sports Editor Becky Taylor, White scored twice against Troy, twice against Oglethorpe, and one touchdown apiece against Florida and Parris Island.
The 1932 edition of GSCM football ran roughshod over its opponents, rolling up a 7-1 record. The Rams defeated Miami for the second year in a row in 1932 by a score of 19-6. They also thumped Fort Benning 40-0, Alabama Teachers 19-0, Stetson 33-6, Parris Island Marines 20-13, Statesboro Teachers 27-0, and Appalachian Teachers College 32-0. GSCM’s only loss was to the University of Florida freshmen by a 20-15 score.
Tickets to the 6 p.m. dinner on April 5 in ABAC’s Gressette Gym are $40 per person. Tickets can be purchased from the ABAC Athletics Office at (229) 391-4930. The deadline to purchase tickets is March 27. There will be no tickets sold at the event.
White’s coaching resume includes a 20-year stint at Warner Robins where he led the girls’ basketball team to the state tournament 17 straight years including a state title in 1965, the school’s first state championship in any sport.
According to White’s obituary, he also taught more than 4,000 students in driver’s education classes at Warner Robins High. White also coached in Wrightsville, McRae, Americus, and Worth County.
ABAC Athletics Director Alan Kramer said the 2019 Hall of Fame class includes the 1968-69 men’s basketball team, former softball standout Jenny McCarthy, former tennis star Lisa English, former basketball player and college basketball coach Alfred Barney, and former baseball player and high school coach Terry Mixon.
The Athletics Hall of Fame dinner is a part of the 2019 ABAC Homecoming celebration. For more information on Homecoming, interested persons can visit the web site at www.abac.edu/homecoming.
###
