About Inductee

Fred Hammonds is a native of Huntsville and graduated from Joe Bradley in 1951. Fred was an all around athlete participating in football, basketball, baseball and track. He made the all-county team as a freshman in basketball. Fred was also all-county and all-district in basketball his senior year. It was off to the Army upon graduation from high school. Fred was to continue his athletic career as a Special Forces Trooper at Ft. Bragg, NC. He played basketball and baseball in the Army. After his Army career, he played one season of amateur baseball with the Caterpillar team of Peoria, Illinois. He led the Peoria team to the State Championship of Illinois. After this year Fred was offered a professional baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles, but returned to Huntsville to work with the telephone company instead. In 1955 and 1956, Fred played with the Parkers and they finished 4th and 6th in the nation respectively. Freds best lifetime sport has been tennis. He has won several Southern Tournaments in the seniors division and has been state champion four times. He is currently ranked 6th in the South and 2nd in the state in the tennis senior division (2003). Fred is also an accomplished bowler. He has won many tournaments through the years. Fred remembers, Charles Smith (deceased), a high school buddy, as putting him on the road to athletic success. Charles was a senior when Fred came to high school as a young freshman. Charles sort of took Fred under his wing and encouraged him to develop his abilities. When Charles graduated, he willed Fred his athletic ability and that greatly touched Fred and he never forgot it. Fred is retired from BellSouth. He and his wife, Vivian, have one daughter, Pamela Gayle Singer.