Fannin County Sports Hall Of Fame Class of 2024
By Mike Harper
The Army Cadets from West Point, New York, ruled the sport of college football during the mid-1940s. The Cadets won national championships in 1944 and 1945 and shared the top spot with Notre Dame in 1946. The only blemish on their records during these years was a 0-0 tie against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in 1946. On an individual level, Army produced Heisman Trophy winners in 1945 and 1946. The 1945 winner was Felix ‘Doc’ Blanchard, a bruising, powerful running back who gained most of his yardage between the tackles earning him the nickname of ‘Mr. Inside’. His teammate, another running back named Glenn Davis won the Heisman at the end of the 1946 season. Davis, a smaller, fast runner earned most of his yardage on breakaway runs outside the ends. Pundits gave Davis the nickname of ‘Mr. Outside’.
The 2024 induction class of the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame includes a modern version of Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside in the person of one young man, Seth McClure. Although the details of his accomplishments differ from those of Blanchard and Davis, the moniker certainly applies to him throughout his career in athletics at Fannin County High School from 2005 through 2009. In the late fall and winter months, Seth performed in the Fannin gym for the Fannin County High School basketball team. When spring arrived, he took his skills outdoors and was as a formidable force as a pitcher and shortstop for the Rebels baseball squad.
Seth McClure grew up in the Sugar Creek area of Fannin County playing all sports for teams generally coached by his father. He has a sister and a brother, Tyler, also an outstanding athlete, who is two years his junior. He played Rec League basketball and was recruited to play ‘travel’ baseball during his youth. Seth’s biggest challenge as he approached his high school career came during the months between his 8th grade year and the beginning of his high school years. Already a strapping 6-footer, Seth grew an astounding six inches in a very short period. The growth was so dramatic that he needed to undergo physical therapy to ensure that all of the bones, muscles, tendons and joints involved in the growth process stayed on the same page. The therapy paid off as he found himself transformed into a bigger athlete while maintaining his skill levels in basketball and baseball.
At Fannin County High School, Seth was a three-year starter in basketball and won four varsity letters in baseball. In basketball, he was named as the Best Defensive player as a junior in 2007-2008 and as his team’s Most Valuable Player as a senior. He was a key member of the 2007-2008 Rebel squad that won 22 games on their way to the first state tournament appearance in the history of Fannin County boys basketball. He was also selected to the ETC Tip-Off Tournament team during his senior season. On the baseball diamond, Seth logged time at shortstop and on the mound. He compiled a career batting average of .350 and was named to the all-region team in 2009. He says that he “learned a lot of baseball” from Fannin Coach David Lunsford. He was popular with his high school classmates and was honored as the ‘Best All-Around’ senior boy in the graduating class of 2009.
After completing his stay at Fannin County High School, Seth was awarded a scholarship to play baseball At Chattanooga State Junior College. He was recruited as a shortstop but was moved to the pitching staff shortly after his arrival at Chattanooga. The 2010 Tigers posted a record of 37-14 and advanced to the National JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. After splitting their first two games, the Chattanooga State squad was eliminated by Temple. Texas Junior College by the scant margin of 8-7. The loss prevented the Tigers from advancing to face the College of Southern Nevada in the next round. Southern Nevada was led by current National League star, Bryce Harper.
Seth played a supporting role as a freshman and came into his own in his second season of 2010-2011. His sophomore success earned him a spot on the TCCAA all-conference team. The West Georgia University coaches came calling and recruited Seth to travel south to pitch for the Wolves during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. In 2012 he made 13 pitching appearances including 11 starts. In 59 innings pitched, he posted an ERA of 4.25 and recorded 29 strikeouts. His best game was against Northern Kentucky when he pitched a complete game, had seven strikeouts and gave up only one run in an 8-1 victory for West Georgia. He appeared in 11 games in 2013 and had an ERA of 4.41. Seth developed shoulder problems in his second season at West Georgia and logged a lot of playing time at 3rd base in addition to pitching the Friday games in the three-game weekend series against conference teams.
Seth had several tryouts with professional teams after his college career and received an offer to play for an independent team in South Carolina. He decided to hang up his spikes, however, and settle down to raise a family in Fannin County. As of early 2024, Seth and his wife, Katlin have added three children to their nest, daughters, Kayden-Leigh, age 11, Kaisley, age 8, and son, Boone, age 5. Seth and brother, Tyler, whom he describes as his ‘best friend,’ have purchased adjacent lots to build their homes on Lebanon Road in Fannin County.