With stories of contributions made to Atmore and the world, six local natives were inducted into the Atmore Hall of Fame during a ceremony and banquet held Saturday night.

Charlotte Boyle, vice-chairman of the Hall of Fame committee, said the event was one of the best attended since the first inductions in 2006.

“We had an overflowing crowd,” Boyle said. “There was a lot of interest in this year’s inductions and we actually ended up turning people away. Everyone who attended seemed to be pleased with the event.”

HOF Chairman Lou Vickery said the evening was an enjoyable one with plenty of humor and interesting stories.

“It was just a wonderful event all around,” Vickery said. “There was a lot of humor involving some of the stories about some of the inductees and some very interesting commentaries on their lives.”

Vickery said the selection committee had a difficult job when selecting those nominees to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for the 2010 event.

“I want to thank the committee for a job well done,” Vickery said. “They did a thorough job in evaluating all of the nominees for the honor. Each year, we have 20 nominations with five candidates in each of four categories. It takes nine out of 13 possible votes to have a nominee selected for induction. To have six nominees be inducted speaks highly about their qualities and what they mean to the Atmore area.”

The six individuals honored as the newest members of the Atmore Area Hall of Fame were J.F. “Red” Vickery, Don McNeal, Woodrow McCorvey Jr., Cornell Torrence, Hugh Rozelle and Mary Hodnette.

Categories considered for nominees include business and medicine; government and public service; education, theatre and ministries and coaches and athletes.

“We always seem to have a lot of nominees in the coaches and athletes division,” Vickery said. “That is a great thing and speaks highly of the talent that can be found in this area.”

Vickery said 20 nominees are on each year’s list of candidates for the honor.

“We do carry over some of our nominees,” Vickery said. “We keep a person’s name on the nominee list from year to year to make sure we have 20 names on the overall list.”

Vickery also said those who may desire to place a person up for nomination shouldn’t be limited to Atmore residents.

“This is the Atmore Area Hall of Fame and not just for Atmore,” Vickery said. “Our area includes the outlying communities of McCullough, Nokomis, Walnut Hill, Canoe and just all around us. We do have a couple of nominees on the list already for next year from the Walnut Hill area. We are happy to include as many from this area as possible. And when we consider a nominee, we look at more than just what they’ve accomplished here at home. We also take a look at what they may have done going on to other locations and doing great things that make us proud.”

Vickery served as master of ceremonies for the event and introduce those who announced the names of inductees and bestowed the honor upon each one.

James Barnett presented the HOF plaque to members of the family of J.F. “Red” Vickery to open the evening’s presentation. Others on the platform presenting or relating information concerning the inductees include Larry Forney, Floyd Adams, Mavis Torrence, Dr. Ullysses McBride and Ralph Foster.

During the induction of Hugh Rozelle, Dr. Ullysses McBride recited a toast often made by Rozelle among his friends.

“May I live a thousand years, may you also too,” McBride quote, “But I would like to die a day before, because I could not bare to live without you.”

Hugh Edward Lee Rozelle, grandson of the late judge, joined in the toast and accepted the honor on Hugh Rozelle’s behalf.

The event was held at The Club on Hwy. 21 for the first time at that location. Boyle said the facility was a wonderful venue for the induction ceremonies.

“We would like to thank Don and Ann Gordon for the use of The Club,” Boyle said. “It is a lovely setting for the event and we are thankful to them to have been able to use the facility.”

Members of the Hall of Fame Committee include Floyd Adams, James Barnett, Charlotte Boyle, Sherry Digmon, Larry Forney, Bob Jones, Billy C. Madison, Dr. Ullysses McBride, James “Peanut” McDonald, Randy Nichols, Lucy King Swift and Mavis Torrence. Hall of Fame founder and committee chairman is Lou Vickery.

The honorees included:

• J.F. “Red” Vickery — a football star at Escambia County High from 1938-1941. He was offered scholarships from 12 colleges before he chose to attend the University of George. He played in the 1941 Rose Bowl, after which, he joined the military. After being one of only two survivors in a battle on the USS Colorado in the Marianna Islands, Vickery returned to his home. In 1952 he was elected as circuit clerk for Escambia County and served for many years. He also served as recreation director for the City of Atmore.

• Don McNeal — who played football at the Escambia County High School and at Alabama. He was a member of the Tide during 1978 and 1979 when the team won national championship titles He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1980 and played in two Super Bowls with the team. He retired at the end of the 1989 season and is now active in the community with associations that assist youth and adults. He serves as a drug-rehab counselor, teacher, coach, lay pastor and speaks at various functions.

• Woodrow McCorvey Jr. — was a football star at Escambia County High School and Alabama State University. After graduation, he went on to coach at the University of Alabama from 1990 to 1997 where he was a member of the staff in 1992 as the Tide won the National Championship. He also coached at the University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee and Mississippi State University.

• Cornell Torrence — who spent nearly 40 years as a football and basketball coach. He was also a health and driver’s education teacher. He took a lead role in establishing a health center in Atmore and has served for years as the director of the summer recreation program at Houston Avery Park. He is past-president of the Progressive Civic Recreation Club and taught held and physical education to inmates at Atmore prisons. Torrence currently serves as a councilman with the City of Atmore.

• Hugh Roselle –  Began his work with the U.S. government at the age of 18. He dedicated his life to the government by completing two years of pre-legal and four years of law school at night. He served in the U.S. Army and came home to serve in the Alabama Legislature from 1959 to 1961. He was a member of the Escambia County Bar Association serving as president and serving in a variety of offices for a number of organizations and clubs throughout his career. He described himself as a country lawyer for most of his professional career.

• Marty Hodnette — who was an educator in Escambia County for 41 years, taught English and was the senior class advisor at Escambia County High School for most of those years.