Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame - Class of 1999
Lester Craft - Class of 1999
Lester
R. Craft, class of 1953 and Neon, Ky., native, is remembered as
one of the finest football coaches in the history of Georgetown
College. His 1965 team finished unbeaten and untied and remains
the last unbeaten team in school history. In 12 seasons at the
helm of the Tiger program, Craft engineered 48 victories – the
most by any Georgetown coach before him, and second on the
current all-time win list at GC. Perhaps a more telling
achievement for Craft, however, is the loyalty his players
continue to feel for him, even today. While a student athlete at
Georgetown, Craft was a center and linebacker for the Tiger
football team from 1949-52. He also served as president of
Optimist International in 1986-87.
Charlie Grote - Class of 1999
Charlie
Grote, Class of 1959, is one of five Georgetown College athletic
alumni to be inducted into the NAIA’s Hall of Fame (Class of
1994). Grote, a native of Pikeville, Ky., was a star guard on
the Tigers basketball teams from 1955-59 when Georgetown won
four conference championships and participated in two NAIA
National Tournaments. In his NAIA Hall of Fame Induction
congratulatory letter from then NAIA president and chief
executive officer James Chasteen, Grote was told he was being
honored not just for his athletic achievement, but the highest
ideals of intercollegiate athletics and fine moral character he
exemplified. He presently resides in Louisville.
Harry C. Lancaster - Class of 1999
Harry
C. Lancaster, Class of 1932, is perhaps the most renowned
athletic alumni of Georgetown College. He was Adolph Rupp’s
chief assistant coach for 24 years which included UK’s first
four NCAA National Championships and runners-up finish in 1966.
In addition to his duties with basketball, Lancaster also served
as baseball coach for the Wildcats from 1948-1965. In 1968, he
was named Athletics Director at UK where he served for eight
years. The Paris, Ky., native served as president of the student
body, was a three-time All-Conference selection and two-year
captain of the football team and the basketball squad while at
Georgetown.
Duke Owens - Class of 1999
Duke
Owens, class of 1959, started the legacy when he became the
first NAIA All-American, in any sport, for Georgetown. His
athletic success was carried over to Georgetown College after he
achieved high school All-American status at Garth High in
Georgetown. Captain of the Tiger football team, Owens garnered
his trend-setting honor as a guard in 1958. He has also served
as president of the G Club.
Cecil Tuttle - Class of 1999
Cecil
Tuttle, Class of 1964, is one of five Georgetown College alumnus
enshrined in the NAIA Hall of Fame (Class of 1973). The Mt.
Sterling, Ky., resident led Georgetown’s basketball team to the
NAIA National Tournament in 1961, 1962, and 1964 as one of the
best guards to wear a Tigers uniform. A three-time NAIA All-
American and NAIA All-Tournament Team member as a freshman,
Tuttle finished his career as the second all-time leading scorer
at Georgetown. Years later, his 2,340 points still rank fourth
on the list. In his four seasons on the court, his teams
compiled an 87-30 record. After college, he garnered AAU
All-American honors six times while playing with Goodyear and
Marathon Oil.
