About Inductee

Ralph Battle was one of a large number of outstanding football players produced by Huntsvilles J. O. Johnson High School in the 1970s-80s. A first-team All-City selection as a strong safety in both 1978 and 1979, he was later named a member of Johnsons All-Decade Team along with such Jaguar stars as Chris Martin, Donnie Humphrey, Mike Adcock, Karl Jordan, Ricky Skiles, Cedric Brownlee, Robert Malone, Clarence Johnson and Tim Huggins. After high school, Battle played defensive back at Jacksonville State University, lettering four years from 1979-83. He was an All-Gulf South player in 1980 and 1982, and made the roster of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984, playing in three games. Battle is one of six former Johnson players who played in the NFL. As a sophomore at Jacksonville, Battle played a memorable game against hometown Alabama A&M, intercepting two passes, including one for a 41-yard touchdown, and also blocking a punt in Jacksonvilles 29-28 victory at Milton Frank Stadium. The blocked punt set up the Gamecocks second touchdown and the second interception led to JSUs winning touchdown. Battle also tackled the A&M punter before he could get off a kick, and had eight individual tackles. For his performance, Battle was named Gulf South Defensive Back of the week. I had to play well, he said, so I could go home again. Said JSU coach Jim Fuller: Ralph played a super game. Im sure we wouldve come up a couple of touchdowns short without his big plays. Battle says his late parents, David and Katie Battle, were the biggest influences in his life as an athlete and a man. Growing up in a Christian home, I loved to play and compete, he said. I wanted to run the fastest, jump the highest, and throw the farthest. Winning was everything. But my desire to win was offset by something Id later learn at home. My father would tell me that winning didnt matter much. Its much more important to give total and complete effort, to be the best you can be. Work hard at everything you do. Then one day youll become a winner. Later in life, this attitude was reinforced by my coaches. Being the youngest of six children, there were always learning opportunities. It was the words of my father that made me a stronger athlete and person. My father motivated me to prepare hard for each game, and push myself beyond my expectations. Without my fathers impact on my athletic life, there would be no accomplishments. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Battle has also been an assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America since 2001, and he was executive director of Outreach Clinics, Inc. in 1999. He is now a neighborhood programmer for the City of Huntsvilles Recreation Services. Battle met his wife, Monica White Battle, while they were students in college.