Famous Sports Figures from Little River County
Helen Parker
Helen Parker
Mrs. Parker was born in Okolona, Arkansas. She began her teaching and coaching career in 1947 at Ashdown High School. She was the coach of the Ashdown Pantherettes basketball team for 35 years.
Honors she has won:
- 1957: State Championship
- 1968: State Championship
- 1969: State Championship
- 1970: State Championship
- 1972: Head Coach of the South All-Star Basketball Team
- 1981: Outstanding Coach in Girls Athletics
- 1982: Outstanding Coach in Girls Athletics
- 1978: Outstanding Coach in Volleyball
- 1979: Outstanding Coach in Volleyball
- 1980: Outstanding Coach in Volleyball
- 1981: Outstanding Coach in Volleyball
- 1982: Distinguished Service Award from the National Federation of High School Coaches Association
- 1983: Curtis King Award from the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame
- 1994: Ashdown High School Gym officially named “Parker Gym” after Helen and her husband, Coach Buddy Parker
- 2001: Inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
Special Thanks to Marietta Humphrey for helping me with this, and for sending the picture and newspaper article. Thanks Marietta!
Earnest Rhone
Earnest Rhone was born in Ogden, Arkansas. He graduated from Ashdown High School in 1971, and from Henderson State University in 1975.
Honors:
- 1971: All AIC
- 1972: All AIC
- 1972: All AIC
- 1973: All AIC
- 1974: All AIC
- 1974: ALL DISTRICT
- 1974: NAIC ALL-AMERICAN
- 1975–1984: Linebacker for Miami Dolphins
- 1982: Defensive Captain for Miami Dolphins
- 1983: Super Bowl: led tacklers with 14
- 1985: Super Bowl
- 1988: Inducted into NAIA HALL OF FAME
Hazel Walker
Hazel Walker was raised in Oak Hill Arkansas, outside of Ashdown. She played basketball while attending Ashdown High School.
Honors:
- 1934: Tulsa Business College Stenos: AAU National Championship
- 1937: Lewis-Norwood Flyers: AAU National Championship
- 1938: National Free Throw Champion
- 1939: National Free Throw Champion
- 1940: National Free Throw Champion
- 1940: Lewis-Norwood Flyers: AAU National Championship
- 1940: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- 1941: Lewis-Norwood Flyers: AAU National Championship
- 1942: Most Valuable Player: AAU National Tournament
- 1943: National Free Throw Champion
- 1944: International Free Throw Champion
- 1945: International Free Throw Champion
- 1945: National Free Throw Champion
- 1946: National Free Throw Champion
- 1946–1949: Three seasons with the ALL-AMERICAN RED HEADS
- 1949–1965: HAZEL WALKER’S ARKANSAS TRAVELERS
- 1959: Inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame
- 2001: Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
