Athens Review, Athens, Texas

Sports

October 9, 2008

CARDINAL HALL OF FAME: Leon Spencer

Special to the Review

The first class of the Cardinal Hall of Fame at Trinity Valley Community College is scheduled to be inducted Saturday, at an 11:30 a.m. luncheon in the Student Union Ballroom. Today’s featured profile of a member of the class is Leon Spencer (men’s basketball):

There is no way to separate the name of HCJC/TVCC sports from Leon Spencer.

Spencer served as men’s basketball coach and athletic director for more than 40 years before retiring in 2005 as the winningest coach in Texas junior college basketball.

Spencer ended his career in 2006 with a record of 809-492.

Spencer came to Trinity Valley Community College in 1957 on a basketball scholarship. In his childhood days at Harmony High School near Gilmer, he had spent a little time on the court but also loved football.

His freshman year he played both sports, but decided to stick with football his sophomore year.

After HCJC he moved on to East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce;), where he was named the team’s MVP as a senior.

He returned to HCJC as a coach in 1964 and the head boys basketball coach and an assistant football coach.

Over the years, Spencer wore a variety of hats, including dorm director, biology lab instructor and teacher of physical education classes.

“My main reaction (to being inducted into the hall of fame) was – after I saw the slate of people who were being inducted along with me – if it weren’t for a lot of those people I would not be inducted,” said Spencer

“As the athletic director, I served a dual role all those years, so those people who worked so hard like Kurt Budke and Connie Russell were all a part of helping me gain whatever success I had.”

Spencer said there were many highlights in his career, but of all the decades, the 1982 year stands out the most.

“That was the year that Stan Cloudy was there. That year was 33-3. We had gotten so close to nationals so many times, it was a relief to get to go to nationals in 1982,” said Spencer.

That year, the team took third place, coming closer to a national title than any other team in Cardinals basketball history.

Other highlights in his career include the years 1995 and 1999, when Spencer and the Cardinals again made nationals bids.

Then there was one year when the Cardinals almost made a fourth nationals bid.

“There were no many exciting nights and great games,” said Spencer. “I remember one regional championship where we went four overtimes during the third of a three-game series. We lost that game to San Jacinto. We didn’t go to nationals that year, but it took three-and-a-half games to decide who would.”

“That’s the only big disappointment I have, that we never won the national title.”

Spencer has coached numerous All-American, All-Region and All-Conference players. He took the Cardinals to more than a dozen conference championships and three regional titles.

Spencer was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Basketball Coaches Hall of Game in 1996.

He also led teams at events such as the National Sport Festival, the USA International Cup Team and the World University Games in Mexico.

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