Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics

Pat Shores has the unusual distinction of being a member of two college sports hall of fames.  Shores is a charter member of the Maryville (Tenn.) College Hall of Fame, where he made his mark as an athlete, while his contribution to Lenoir-Rhyne's tradition is as a coach in three different sports.  The Hickory resident earned 10 varsity letters at Maryville and was an all-state end in 1925.  He was also a superb baseball player and played 19 summers of either semi-pro or minor league baseball, getting a brief shot at the majors with the Boston Red Sox in 1926.  He also played with the old Hickory Rebels and was that team's business manager for seven years.  After five years at Hickory High School, Shores came to L-R in 1932 and proceeded to coach football, both men's and women's basketball, baseball, serve as athletic director and direct the intramural program.  His Bear gridders posted a 40-34-12 mark under his tutelage and he won over 100 games in both basketball and baseball at L-R.  Shores served 40 months with the United States Navy during World War II and then went on to a long and productive career in the textile industry.