Irons Trophy given to high school track athletes

Mountain Brook High School's most outstanding long distance track athletes have won the Col. George V. Irons Distance Trophy recently awarded at the school's annual banquet at the Birmingham Country Club.

The trophy is given in honor of George V. Irons, Sr., who broke distance records throughout the south as captain of the University of Alabama Distance Team in the 1920s. The Col. George V. Irons Distance Trophy is awarded to the top distance track athlete who has excelled in scholarship, leadership and citizenship.

Recognized as the "South's premier distance runner" in 1978, Irons was inducted into the prestigious Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He is the only University of Alabama track athlete and the only distance athlete ever inducted in the Hall of Fame's 50-year history.

Irons was Phi Beta Kappa honor graduate, Rhodes Scholar nominee and earned his doctorate at Duke University. He served as head of the history and political science department at Samford University for 43 years. An anti-aircraft artillery commander in World War II, Irons rose to the rank of colonel and served 33 years reserve duty.

In 2002, for his contributions as educator, civic leader and record-breaking champion athlete, he was inducted into the Alabama Men's Hall of FME. He is the only individual who is a member of both the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Men's Hall of Fame.

William L. Irons, George Irons’ son, presented this year's trophies to Charlie Slaughter and Mary Allison Anderson at Mountain Brook High School's annual track and field banquet at the Birmingham County Club on May 16.

Submitted by William L. Irons.