Shelton State Athletics Inducts Bobby Sprowl into Hall of Fame

Shelton State Athletics is thrilled to annouce the indcution of Bobby Sprowl into the Hall of Fame on June 21. 

During his 35-year career, Sprowl has won more than 1,200 games, sent more than 300 players to four-year schools, had 30 players drafted in the Major League Draft, had three former players play Major League Baseball and won 18 Alabama Community College Conference regular-season championships, eight ACCC Region XXII championships, eight South District championships and taken eight teams to the NJCAA World Series.

He is also a three-time Hall of Fame Coach.

In 2010 he was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches (AlaBCA) Hall of Fame alongside Joey Lloyd (Pleasant Grove High School), Randy Nolen (Dadeville High School) and Bobby Pierce (Troy University). Sprowl and Pierce were assistant coaches under former Alabama head coach Dr. Barry Shollenberger from 1990-94.

In 2024, Sprowl was inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place the night before the 2024 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

This summer, Sprowl will be inducted into the Shelton State Athletics Hall of Fame. The school's Hall of Fame was created in 2023 and Sprowl was a part of the second class that included former Humphrey Lee (former Dean of Students, Athletic Director and assistant softball coach), Barry Mohun (former Athletic Director and men's basketball coach), Susan Mohun (former Athletics Coordinator and bookkeeper), Madonna Thompson (current women's basketball coach), and Lori Westbrook Wyatt (former softball player and assistant softball coach).

Along with two Hall of Fame inductions, the Sprowl and the Bucs have been on a magical ride the last five seasons. During that time, Shelton State has won 198 games (39.6 wins per season), four ACCC/Region XXII championships, four South District Championships and made four trips the NJCAA World Series, including a program record three straight trips in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Overall, Sprowl has compiled a 1,232-726 (.630) record as head coach of the Bucs. The 1,232 wins rank seventh among active NJCAA head coaches. He is also ranks 21^st on the all-time wins list for NJCAA baseball coaches. Sprowl is one of 13 head coaches in the state of Alabama to win 1,000 or more games.

Sprowl has been involved in 88 percent of the school's baseball games (1,958 of 2,213) and 88 percent of the program's total wins (1,231 of 1,381).

In 2025, Shelton State posted a 48-14 overall record. The 48 wins are the second-most in program history. The Bucs finished with a 27-9 ACCC record en route to the school's 18^th ACCC regular season championship. The Bucs defeated NW Shoals, Coastal Alabama South and Wallace State Hanceville to win the school's eighth ACCC/Region XXII championship. Shelton State then faced No. 2 LSU Eunice in the best-of-three South District Championship. The Bucs took two of three from the Bengals, including an 8-6 come-from-behind win to clinch a berth in the NJCAA World Series.

Shelton State's pitching staff was among the nation's best. The Bucs led the nation with a 3.14 ERA and finished second in opponent's batting average (.231) and seventh in shutouts (9). Defensively, Shelton State set a school record with a .977 fielding mark and finished second nationally with 40 double plays.

In 2024, the Bucs posted 43 wins, including a school-record 28 ACCC victories. Shelton State led the ACCC with 17 triples, 637 hits and 938 total bases. The Bucs ranked second in the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, doubles, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, hit batters and extra base hits.

As a team, Shelton State pitchers led the conference in wins (44), saves (15), innings (482.2), strikeouts (446), WHIP (1.45) and ERA (4.48). The Bucs also allowed the third-fewest runs (305) and walks (223).

Shelton State defeated Nunez College, Southern Union and Delgado (twice) to win the South District championship.

Sprowl was named to the University of Alabama All-Century Baseball Team in 1993. In addition, he is a 7-time Alabama Community College Conference Coach of the Year winner.

The former University of Alabama and Major League left-hander took over as the Bucs head coach in the fall of 1995. He replaced Jack Kubiszyn, who guided the Bucs to a 20-21 record during the program's inaugural season in 1985. Kubiszyn was a former All-SEC basketball and baseball standout for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He became one of Tuscaloosa's most successful businessmen after he retired from sports.

Sprowl made an immediate impact leading the Bucs to 138 wins in his first four seasons. The 1988 team posted a 39-9 overall record, setting a then-school record for wins. The Bucs were a perfect 20-0 in ACCC play in 1988, the only team in school history to post a perfect conference record. The team featured two NJCAA All-Americans, shortstop Russ Davis and pitcher Randy Vaughn.  Davis, who became the first former Buc to play Major League Baseball, set the single-season school record with 14 home runs. Vaughn posted an NJCAA leading 0.82 ERA in 1988. In 1989, Sprowl led the Bucs to another 39-9 record, including a 16-5 mark in ACCC play.

After a five-year stint as pitching coach at The University of Alabama (1990-94), Sprowl was named head coach of the Bucs for the second time after the 1994 season.

Since then, the Bucs have played in the ACCC State Tournament 28 straight years, winning the championship in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Shelton State advanced to the NJCAA Tournament all seven seasons, finishing as the national runner up in 2008.

Sprowl guided the Bucs to back-to-back 40-win seasons in 2000 and 2001. The 2000 team posted a 40-16 overall record, including an impressive 26-2 mark in ACCC play. The 2001 team went 40-18 to match the school record with 40 wins. The 2001 team turned in a 23-4 ACCC record, giving a Bucs a 49-6 combined ACCC record in 2000-01.

Shelton State had a school record four straight 40-win seasons from 2006-10. The Bucs went a combined 181-74 (.710) during that span and played an unprecedented three straight NJCAA World Series in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Shelton State racked up a then-school record 46 wins on the way to the program's first trip to the NJCAA World Series in 2007.  The Bucs made played their first-ever NJCAA World Series game on May 26, 2007 against Spartanburg Methodist, losing 15-7 in the tourney opener. Shelton State rebounded with a 10-9 win over powerhouse Iowa Western on May 27 for the program's first win at the national tournament.

Shelton State won a school record 49 games en route to a runner up finish at the 2008 NJCAA World Series. The Bucs went 3-2 in their second visit to Colorado, opening with two straight wins over Johnson County and Iowa Western. Shelton State then lost to Grayson County 13-2 before rebounding to beat Hagerstown. Grayson County won the NJCAA title with a 13-2 win over the Bucs.

Shelton State made its program record third straight trip to the 2009 NJCAA World Series. The Bucs won the ACCC State Championship with a school-record 27 conference wins. Shelton State opened with a 16-6 win over Iowa Western, before losing the next two games to eventual national champion Howard College and Western Nevada.

After a two-year hiatus, Shelton State returned to the NJCAA World Series in 2012, giving the Bucs four appearances in six years to the national tournament. Shelton State suffered a 16-6 loss to Gordon State in the first round, marking the Bucs first loss in program history in the tournament opener. The Bucs bounced back with wins over Polk State and Jefferson College, before being eliminated by San Jacinto.

Sprowl won his 1,000^th game at Shelton State with a 9-0 win over Lawson State on March 30, 2019.

In the milestone win, the Bucs snapped a scoreless tie with four runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore shortstop Garrett Farquhar had a two-run single in the inning. The Bucs scored five runs in the fifth to take a 9-0 lead. Freshman John Marc Mullins and sophomore Colby Smelley both had two-run singles in the frame. Freshman Britt Sparks tossed six scoreless innings for the win.

Shelton State was back in the national tournament in 2021, after an eight-year absence. The Bucs opened the tournament with a 13-7 win over Walters State. Shelton State belted five home runs in the win, outhomering the NJCAA's top home run hitting roster. In the eighth inning, Colby Smelley, Griffin Carroll and Walt Bailey hit back-to-back homers to lift the Bucs to the win. The Bucs dropped the next two games against San Jacinto and Cowley College to finish a tie for fifth place.

Shelton State (34-22, 25-7 ACCC) won the ACCC North Division championship in 2022. The Bucs sent nine players to four-year schools off the 2022 roaster and Drake Logan (Chicago White Sox, 19^th round) was the highest drafted junior college player in the state.

He notched his 1,100^th all-time win with an 11-5 victory at Birmingham Southern on April 13, 2022. The Bucs overcame an early three-run deficit and scored six runs in the seventh inning for the milestone win.

In 2023, Sprowl directed Shelton State to its sixth ACCC State Championship (Region XXII) and the school's sixth trip to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

After a second-place finish in the ACCC Northern Division, Shelton State posted a 4-1 record en route to its second state championship in the last three seasons. The Bucs defeated Bishop State, Wallace State-Hanceville and Wallace-State Dothan (twice) to win the title.

The Bucs had two come-from-behind wins and two extra-inning wins in the 10-team tournament. Shelton State blasted Wallace-State Dothan 15-3 in the championship game.

Shelton State made it back to Grand Junction for the second time in three years and opened the tournament with a 6-5, 10-inning win over No. 2 seed Johnson County. The Bucs then dropped a tough 6-5 decision to No. 3 seed Wabash Valley and then fell to Gaston College to finish tied for sixth at the NJCAA World Series.

A native of Tampa, Sprowl graduated from Chamberlain High School before he moved to Tuscaloosa to attend the University of Alabama. He played for the Crimson Tide in 1976-77. He was second team All-American and consensus All-SEC selection in 1977. He led the NCAA with 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings and finished the season with 118 strikeouts, which still ranks second on the UA single-season strikeout list.

He was drafted in the second round of the 1977 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. As the No. 39 overall pick of the draft, Sprowl was the first SEC player selected in the draft. He was also the eighth college player taken in the draft.

Sprowl spent eight seasons in professional baseball with the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles. He made his Major League Debut on Sept. 5, 1978 against the Baltimore Orioles at Municipal Stadium in Baltimore. Despite a solid effort in his debut, Sprowl was outdueled by future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer 4-1 in his debut. Later that season, the Red Sox dropped a one-game playoff to the New York Yankees for the AL Eastern Division championship. The Yankees posted a 5-4 win in the Bucky Dent's famous three-run home run on Oct. 2, 1978 at Fenway Park. Sprowl was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for Bob Watson on Jun3, 13, 1979. He played three seasons with the Astros and was a part of two NL Western Division championships. He played his final MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 3, 1981. In 1983, he was traded from the Astros to the Baltimore Orioles.

During his professional career, Sprowl was the teammate of seven different Hall of Famers, including Dennis Eckersley, Carlton Fisk, Joe Morgan, Jim Rice, Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton and Carl Yastrzemski. He also played alongside MLB Executive Bob Watson and future MLB managers Bruce Bochy, Phil Garner, Butch Hobson, Art Howe and Dave Roberts. Other teammates were Fred Lynn, Joe Niekro, J.R. Richard and Luis Tiant.

Following his playing days, Sprowl returned to Tuscaloosa and was named the head coach at Shelton State Community College following the inaugural season in 1985. He served as the head coach from 1986-89, leading the Bucs to a 138-45 (.000) mark, including back-to-back 39-win seasons in 1988 and 1989. 

In 1990, Sprowl joined Dr. Barry Shollenberger's staff at the University of Alabama as assistant coach and pitching coach. The Crimson Tide posted a 42-20 record and finished second to Florida State in the NCAA Atlantic Regional in Tallahassee. UA right-hander Ben Short, who also played at Shelton State, led the nation with 14 saves in 1991.

After five years at his alma mater, Sprowl returned to Shelton State as head coach in 1995 and the rest is history.

Sprowl is married to the former Teresa Gibson and the couple has two grown children, Trevor and Graceson. Trevor played at Shelton State (2012-13) and was on the 2012 NJCAA World Series team. He is currently an assistant coach for the Bucs and serves as first base coach during games. Graceson is a graduate of the University of Alabama and works closely with the Shelton State baseball program with administrative duties, including planning team functions and events. Sprowl has another son, John Mark Sprowl, who also played baseball for his father at Shelton State.

 The 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Martin Campus Atrium. Tickets for the ceremony are $75 each or $500 for a table.  Tickets may be purchased by visiting Shelton State Community College Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony. Cocktail attire is requested for all guests.