Gary Cooper - Baseball, 2023
A standout, three-sport athlete at Robert W. Groves High School, Cooper excelled in baseball, football and track. He was an All-City athlete in football and baseball. As a starting pitcher in baseball, Gary had a 19-3 record and threw three no-hitters. He dominated at the plate with a .454 batting average his senior year. Blessed with blazing speed, he was also a track star Groves. He competed in the 100, 220, and the 440 relay events, and he once ran the 100-yard dash in 9.7 seconds. After high school, Gary was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the third round. He played seven seasons in the minor and major leagues as a pinch runner and defensive specialist. In August of 1980 Gary was called up by the Atlanta Braves and was considered to be one of the fastest players in professional baseball.