Renowned coach Gary Adams headlines 2023 Bessemer City Sports Hall of Fame class

The Bessemer City Sports Hall of Fame will induct its 2023 class as part of a banquet July 28 at the First Wesleyan Church of Bessemer City.

Nationally-renowned coach Gary Adams leads this year’s class, joined by legendary sports figures in Lewis Carpenter, Shanara Mintz and Eric Nichols. Gardner-Webb football coach Tre Lamb is to serve as the event’s keynote speaker.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with a meet-and-greet, with dinner to follow at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Bessemer City’s city hall annex and the Allan Farris Community Center.

A LOOK AT THE 2022 CLASS: Phillip Crosby and coaching legends headline Bessemer City 2022 Sports Hall of Fame class

GOING OUT ON TOP: Longtime Bessemer City basketball coach Danny McDowell steps down

Here’s more on this year’s inductees:

Gary Adams

A 1965 graduate of Bessemer City High, Adams became a coaching legend at Crescent High School in Iva, South Carolina.

From 1977 until his retirement in 2019, he led Crescent to 1,048 wins, 19 SCHSL state titles and 33 consecutive region championships. Adams also served as the school’s basketball coach from 1977 through 1996, coaching the Tigers to 235 wins and a pair of state titles (1983, 1986).

Adams was previously inducted into the Gaston County Sports, National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and the SCHSL halls of fame.

Lewis Carpenter

A history teacher by day, Carpenter served a multitude of roles for Bessemer City High athletics, including as a coach, football athletic trainer and the baseball team’s public address announcer.

Carpenter led the Bessemer City softball team from 1982-85, leading it to 58 wins during his tenure. He guided the Yellow Jackets to their first playoff berth in 1982 and their first league championship two years later. As the school’s girls basketball coach, he guided the Yellow Jackets to 76 wins and five postseason appearances in six seasons.

Carpenter died in 2018. Fortunately, he’d received his flowers well before then, Bessemer City High naming its baseball press box in his honor in 2001.

Shanara Mintz

Mintz is considered one of the most accomplished athletes in Bessemer City High history.

A 2002 graduate, she won three individual state track titles. In 2000, she claimed NCHSAA 1A gold in the shot put with a then-record throw of 40 feet, 6 ¾ inches. Two years later, she won 1A state titles in the shot put and discus events with throws of 43 feet, 4 ¾ inches — still a 1A state meet record — and 118 feet, ½ inch, respectively.

Mintz also was a three-time all-conference performer, in addition to earning field events MVP at the 2002 Gaston County track meet. She helped the Bessemer City girls track team to its first league title in 2000 and a runner-up finish at the 2002 1A state meet.

Eric Nichols

Nichols graduated from Bessemer City High in 1979, but not before making a mark.

In 1978, Nichols became the school’s first 1,000-yard rusher. He followed with a strong spring, helping the Yellow Jackets to the 1979 Southern District 7 2A title and a spot on the all-conference team. In addition, he excelled as a member of the Gastonia American Legion Post 23 baseball team, which went on to win the Area IV championship.

After playing football and baseball at Lenoir-Rhyne, he returned to fulfill multiple coaching roles within the Bessemer City community. Nichols led Bessemer City Junior High football to 53 wins and two Gaston County titles, along with 112 wins and two county championships. He later served as Bessemer City football coach from 1996-98 and from 1999-2014 as its boys track coach.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Renowned coach Gary Adams leads 2023 Bessemer City Sports HOF class