Friday Night Lights Shine on HOF Trio

By Gordon Pynes

Friday night at Rabbit Stadium, three former Atlanta athletes will be honored by induction into the Atlanta Athletics Hall of Fame (HOF) Class of 2024. Shortly before kickoff of the Rabbit-Sabine game, Richard “Bull” Johnson, Duncan Thompson and Lady Rabb Melissa Waddell will be formally inducted. Each had outstanding high school and college sports careers before entering the coaching ranks.

Prior to the induction ceremony, a reception for family and friends of all three will be held from 5:15-6:15 in the Atlanta High School cafeteria. Then the ceremony will be down on the field at 6:30 prior to the 7 PM kickoff. Framed in glass plaques will be presented on the field and are replicas of the black granite ones that will have been mounted on the Stadium’s left entry wall.

“Bull” Johnson led the Rabbits to its first District championship in 1941. He then went to Baylor and at the end of World War II was the Bears Co Captain playing center.  Twice, he was selected as an All-SWC center and gained All-America mention. He was selected to play in the 1947 East-West Shrine Bowl in San Francisco. Following his last season at Baylor, Johnson was drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears and the All-America Conference Buffalo Bills. “Bull” passed on the pro chance and earned his Master’s degree at Sul Ross in Alpine. He entered the coaching ranks there, prior to being hired in 1955 as Atlanta’s head coach. After five seasons he became a teacher and administrator for his hometown school system. Johnson passed away in 1982. 

Duncan Thompson starred at end for the Rabbits in 1945-46 and was team Co Captain. He went on to Arkansas, but when Atlanta teammate “Mule” Kennamer suffered a severe knee and left for home, Duncan soon followed. The Arkansas coaches brought him back, but he again returned to Atlanta. One year out of football, he joined the Tyler Junior College Apaches. Then it was on to East Texas State in Commerce. There he earned All Lone Star Conference honors and played twice in the Orlando Florida based Tangerine Bowl. Also drafted by the Chicago Bears, he chose to coach. After successful stints at Longview Spring Hill and Linden, he took over at Texarkana College. Duncan quickly turned a very down program around, and in his second year led the Bulldogs to the National Junior College Championship. Thompson then received an offer to become a gasoline distributor and he took the opportunity. He continued as a very successful local businessman until his death in 1997.

A three sport star for the Lady Rabbs in the early 1990’s, Melissa Waddell certainly deserves her spot in the HOF. A sparkplug in Volleyball, Basketball and Softball, she left her mark in all three sports. Making the varsity teams as a freshman in the court sports, she was a key player when Atlanta began the softball program her junior year. Playing shortstop and pitcher, she was a Lady Rabb leader for that first team. Melissa earned a scholarship to play volleyball at Hill College in Hillsboro but chose to stay closer to home and attend East Texas Baptist University. There she walked on and made both the Volleyball and Softball teams. Graduating in 1999, Waddell began a coaching career that led her to success in four East Texas schools. Last spring she was hired to return to the Lady Rabbs as the Volleyball coach. Now after 25 years in coaching, she returns home and will no doubt improve the Lady Rabbs program. At the same time, she enters the Atlanta HOF in the class of 2024.

The HOF is funded through donations from Rabbit alums and supporters of Atlanta Pride. The HOF seeks to carry on the storied sports tradition that Atlanta has. You may donate by check to Atlanta Athletics HOF and mail to P.O. Box 637 in Atlanta. You can also donate via online at the Atlanta ISD website under Athletics to the HOF.