2017 Inductees

2017 Inductees. Ashland Baseball Hall of Fame at CP-1. The Ashland Baseball Hall of Fame at CP-1 was founded in 2015 to recognize those whose baseball experience in our area has taken them to a very high level, and has allowed them to be a positive example on the lives of those who follow in their steps. , J.D. Browne. A left-handed pitcher for Holy Family High School in the late 1950s,Browne was crafty on the mound. When his playing days were over, he coached many of the Ashland Tomcat players who were part, of the state championship dynasty era. , Edwin “Dale” Griffith. One of the most sought after and respected Southeast Regional Umpires. Dale’s 32-year career began at the age of 15 in Central Park. A keen knowledge of Baseball Rules and Regulations, Dale trained and equipped many young men to become umpires. , Bo Carter. He played on the 1967 and 1968 Tomcat state championship teams as a first baseman and pitcher, where he was undefeated in two seasons on the mound. Carter was 6-0 his senior season. He also played on the 1964 Little League state championship team. , Steve Hemlepp. An excellent catcher who was a member of all three Ashland Tomcat state championship teams from 1966 to 1968. He handled a stable of outstanding pitchers and came up with the big hit when it was needed. He was All-State as a senior. Hemlepp played on the first Little League state championship team in 1961. , John Thomas. Powerful hitter for the_Ashland Tomcats, Thomas was a catcher on the 1966 state championship team. He hit .419 as a junior and .371 with five home runs as a senior. He was part of the state championship teams in Little League (1961), Babe Ruth (1963) American Legion (1964). , Joe Conley. Determined athlete for all the Tomcats who was member of all three state championship teams in 1966, 1967 and 1968. Conley made the All-State team as a senior and made a game-saving catch. He later became an umpire who enjoyed a solid minor league career. , Tim Huff. Pitcher on the Ashland Tomcats 1967 and 1968 state champions and was the ace of the 1969 state runners-up. He outdueled Don Gullett in the regional tournament in ’69. He was part of the back-to-back Little League state championship teams in 1963 and 1964. , Jim Speaks. Hard-throwing right-hander who raised eyebrows with his blazing fastball. Speaks played for the Ashland Tomcats in the early 1960s and dominated on the C-1 field where scouts came to watch him throw. He had several tryouts with professional teams. , Kevin Gothard. An all-around star player in the late 1970s and early 1980s for the Ashland Tomcats whose high baseball IQ served his team well. He was the player the Tomcats wanted at the plate. Gothard later went on to be a two-year captain for the University of Kentucky. , John Mullins. An all-around athlete at Ashland, Mullins made the baseball team as a freshman in 1967. He playedon the ’67 and ’68 champion teams, the ’69 runner-up team and was the star player in 1970. Mullins played on back-t-back Little League state champions in 1963 and 1964. , Mike Smith. Gritty second baseman on the undefeated 1966 and 1967 state champion Ashland Tomcats. He was an All-State selection in 1966 who had onet of the best gloves on the team. Smith was also on the city’s first Little League state championship team in 1961. , Mike Gothard. A natural athlete and leader, this big catcher was known for his strong arm and big bat that produced some mammoth home runs in Central Park,Gothard was a star for the Ashland Tomcats in football and baseball in the mid 1970s. He went on to be a captain in football at Vanderbilt. , Nard Pergrem. A standout athlete as Ashland High School in the early 1940s, he once had a perfect season without an error at CP-1. He played baseball for Duke University and turned down a contract with Chicago White Sox to focus on his engineering degree and family. . This historical marker is in Ashland in Boyd County Kentucky