The Swansea High School Athletic Department and Lexington 4 Hall of Fame Committee are proud to announce the Class of 2024 inductees into the Lexington 4 Athletic Hall of Fame: Coach Phil Williams, Brette Simmons, Dr. Tommie Mack Granger, Anthony Salley, and Stanley Myers.
The Lexington 4 Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce the addition of the Tiger Tenure Award that will be awarded to individuals who have given time and effort through volunteerism to the Swansea High School Athletic Department. We are also excited to announce the inaugural recipient of the Tiger Tenure Award is Dr. William Granger.
Phil Williams – Coach Phil Williams only spent 5 years of his 40 year teaching and coaching career in Lexington School District Four; however, the mark he left during his tenure was undeniable. From 1976 until 1981, Williams served as the Strength Coach, Head Wrestling Coach, Defensive Coordinator for the Football team, and Head Track Coach. As the defensive coordinator, Williams helped lead the football team to four Region Championships, a Lower State Championship, and an overall record of 37-12. As the head Wrestling Coach, he led the team to a 59-10 overall record, including 49-1 in the last 50 matches he coached. Under his leadership, Swansea won the team State Championship for three consecutive years in 1979, 1980, and 1981. He also had 17 wrestlers win individual state championships and multiple runner-up finishers. Two of those state champions were also named Most Outstanding Wrestlers for the entire state. After leaving Swansea, he served as Head Football and Wrestling Coach, Athletic Director, and Strength Coach at multiple schools in North and South Carolina winning two more state championships in wrestling and coached three more state runner-up teams in football. He also coached six state record holders in the State Strength Meet. He is a member of the South Carolina Strength Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Williams also served for 35 years in the South Carolina National Guard earning the rank of Full Colonel. He was also inducted into the Palmetto Military Academy Hall of Fame.
Brette Simmons – A member of the class of 1974, Simmons was a four sport athlete, excelling in Football, Basketball, Baseball and Track and Field. He was a three year letterman in football earning All-Region honors in 1972 and 1973. He was also selected to the 1972 and 1973 All-State team. In 1973, he was selected to the North-South and Shrine Bowl All-Star teams. Simmons was named the 1973 Class A Lineman of the Year. He was also a three year letterman on varsity basketball in 1972, 1973, and 1974 where helped lead the team to the 1974 Conference Championship. He was named All-Conference in 1973 and 1974. In the spring, Simmons was a three year member of the varsity baseball team. As a senior in 1974, he joined the track team and qualified for the State Track Meet in the High Jump. After high school, he attended Furman University where he was a four year letterman as a Tight End. He was a two time All-Southern Conference player and a two time All-Southern Conference Academic Team member. He was the 1978 Southern Conference Jacobs Blocking Trophy Winner. Simmons is a former college football coach, spending 1987-1999 at North Carolina State University. He is a published author of the book, Man in the Gap, highlighting the coaching career of Doug Bennett.
Dr. Tommie Mack Granger – A member of the class of 1980, Granger was a two sport athlete, excelling in football and wrestling. In football, he was a varsity letterman in 1977, 1978 and 1979. During his tenure on the varsity football team, he helped lead the Tigers to the 1977 and 1979 Region Championships. In the winter, he was a four year letterman on the varsity wrestling team, where he helped lead the 1978 team to a State Championship runner-up finish and the 1979 and 1980 teams to State Championships. He won two individual state championships. He was the 126 pound champion in 1978 and the 138 pound champion in 1980. He finished second place in 1979 in the 132 pound weight class. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the State Individual Tournament twice (1978 and 1980). He was also team captain of the 1980 State Championship team. After high school, Granger attended The Citadel and wrestled for two seasons. As a junior, he moved to a full academic scholarship to focus on becoming a Thoracic surgeon.
Anthony Salley – A member of the class of 1993, Salley was a two sport athlete, excelling in baseball and football. He lettered in football for three years (1990, 1991, and 1992). As an All-Region defensive end, Salley helped lead the football team to a Lower State Championship in 1991 and a State Championship in 1992. Baseball, however, was where Salley dominated. He was a four year letterman in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993. He earned a spot on the Region IV-AA All-Region team all four years. He was named Region IV-AA Player of the Year in both 1992 and 1993. He was selected to play in the 1993 North-South All-Star game where he earned MVP honors. After high school, he was a 4 year letterman and starting pitcher at Wofford College from 1994-1997, where he is still the career strikeout leader. Salley was drafted in the 24th Round of the 1997 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays where he played for three seasons.
Stanley Myers – A member of the class of 1994, Myers was a three year letterman in football. As the starting quarterback, he led the team to a Lower State Championship in 1991 and State Championships in 1992 and 1993. The team posted a 39-6 record with Myers as the starting quarterback. He was an All-Region selection in 1992 and 1993. During his senior season, he was named Class AA All-State and was a member of the 1993 North-South All-Star Team. Stanley attended The Citadel and was a four year letterman, starting in 43 out of his 44 career games. He is the only player in school history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 2,000 yards. After college, Stanley served our country for 25 years, including 20 years in the South Carolina Army National Guard. Myers was the first African American appointed to serve as a military judge in the South Carolina National Guard. Myers was also a partner at the Moore, Bradley, Myers Law Firm.
Dr. William Granger – After graduating from Olanta High School as the Salutatorian in 1953, Granger attended The Citadel and graduated in 1957. After graduating from MUSC and completing his medical residency, Dr. Granger and his wife, Ann, moved to Swansea and began their medical practice in downtown Swansea in early 1962. Upon arriving, he immediately began volunteering his medical services to Coach Doug Bennett and the Swansea Tiger athletic program. Dr. Granger served as the team doctor for 33 years until his untimely death in 1994. In the 1994 Swansean Annual, Dr. Robert Maddox wrote the following: “Through his excellent medical care, Dr. Granger made a major contribution toward five Football State Championships and eight Wrestling State Championships. His dedication to athletics touched the lives of the entire Swansea family. His presence will always be felt in the minds and hearts of the many who loved him.” Dr. Granger was proud to have all three of his sons (Bill, Tommie Mack, and Andy) participate in athletics during their years as Swansea Tigers.
