About Inductee

Look through the Huntsville Times sports section archives from the basketball months of 1953 through 1955, and youll be hard pressed to find a days edition without the name John Paseur. John dominated the high school basketball courts of the 1950s with such an impact that some 50 years later, he is still regarded by those in the know as one of the greatest to play the game in Madison County history. John was born just across the line in Marshall County but moved to Owens Cross Roads at the age of two. John quickly became known as a competitive and exceptional athlete. Once told by an old coach that he would be too short to make an impact on the basketball court, he quickly proved him wrong. Under the direction of legendary Coach Ferrel Tabor, he led his Owens Cross Roads Middle School team to consecutive county championships in his eighth and ninth grade years. He was destined from the start of his high school career to play on the varsity basketball team at New Hope High School, earning All-County and All-District honors in each of his three years. As a senior, John led his team with a 33 point per game scoring average and was recognized as Madison Countys Most Valuable Player. In the finals of the 1955 Madison County Championship game, John launched a game-winning shot from half court, as the last seconds ticked down, to defeat Hazel Green 64-62. He went on to lead New Hope over Valley Head to win the District Eight Championship. John was also known for his accomplishments on the baseball diamond, starting all three years at shortstop. During his senior year, New Hope defeated the Huntsville Parkers. The Huntsville Parkers remembered the kid from New Hope and later in the year asked him to join their team. Following high school, John was offered more that 25 baseball and basketball scholarships. He opted to play basketball his freshman year at David Lipscomb College. In 1956, he was invited to the Boston Red Sox spring training camp, but instead continued his college basketball career at Snead State. In the mid-60s, he played professional basketball for the short-lived Huntsville Chargers team. John retired as a manager at Thiokol.