Veteran journalist and Lebanon resident Joe Biddle is a member of the 2013 three-member class of the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame.

A native of Johnson City and a US Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War, Biddle joins John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel, and the late Harold Harris of the Knoxville News Sentinel who will be inducted July 11-12 in ceremonies scheduled at Lebanon's Cumberland University.

Biddle currently writes weekly columns for the Main Street Media family of newspapers including: The Wilson Post, The Gallatin News and The Hendersonville Standard as well as WKRN-TV and The Williamson Herald.

"This honor is long overdue," said Tommy Bryan, sports editor of The Wilson Post. "Joe is one of the icons of sports journalism in the Southeast. We consider it a privilege to have Joe's work on our pages."

Biddle attended East Tennessee State and worked for the Johnson City Press-Chronicle and Daytona Beach News Journal before he returned to Tennessee in 1979 -- first working for the Nashville Banner before moving to The Tennessean in 1998 after the Banner folded.

Biddle was a four-time Tennessee Sports Writer of the Year by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters.

He has been a Harris Poll voter in Tennessee since its inception and is state chairman for Heisman Trophy voting. He also served in Vietnam in the Air Force.

Biddle has covered 25 Super Bowls and Masters, approximately 20 Final Fours, 20-plus Sugar Bowls and a number of national championship games, as well as two Olympic Games (1984 and 1996), two Ryder Cups, almost a dozen Kentucky Derbys, the World Series and the Daytona 500.

BLUE League basketball results from games played Saturday, Jan. 5 at Winfree Bryant Middle School, Lebanon.

Girls -- Carroll Oakland 22, Castle Heights 1
scoring:
CO: Allissa Mulasky 11; Rebecca Brown 1; Morgan Jones 2; Aaron Grace Lester 6
CH: Kathryn Sanchez 1

Girls -- Coles Ferry 20, TXR 6
scoring:
CF: Anne Marie Heidebreicht 14; Honesty Weir 2; Carrie Moscardelli 2; Amari Vaught 2
TXR: Kaylee Baker 2; Makenzie Mohr 4

Girls -- Sam Houston 18, Byars Dowdy 11
scoring:
SH: Malley McElihiney 2; Ali Davis 4; Samaya Rhodes 8; Courtney Allen 4
BD: Autumn Calvo 1; Breanna Buhler 2; Marquaja Nunley 2; Kaylyn Tarpley 4; Delisha 2

Boys -- Carroll Oakland 23, Castle Heights 10
scoring:
CO: David Greene 10; Colin H. 2; Gaven Reasonover 2; Michael Sells 4; Carson Boles 3; Peyton B. 2
CH: Dawson Allen 2; Luke Bradshaw 2; Wyatt Simmons 2; Jackson Painter 2; Justin Burch 2

Boys -- Coles Ferry 34, TXR 10
scoring:
CF: Mark McDearman 2; Dorian Champion 8; Brady Chappell 2; Malcolm Logue 7; Garrett Pope 2; Will Burress 4; Luka Saller 8; Jordan Carter 1
TXR: Preston Creswell 4; Mason Loftis 2; Dalton Height 1; Ian Roberts 1; Elijah Williams 2

Boys -- Byars Dowdy 36 Sam Houston 28
scoring:
BD: Jeremiah Hastings 13; Edmund Stewart 11; Braden Wilson 3; Will Seats 2; Jackson Carson 7
SH: Chase Birdwell 4; Polo Phillips 14; Jamar Kinard 10

FRIENDSHIP CHRISTIAN 54, WHS 41
LEBANON -- Senior Kaitlyn Teeter exploded for 22 points Friday night to lead Friendship Christian to a 54-41 win over Watertown at the Bay Family Sportsplex.

Deja Jones added a double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds) as the Lady Commanders improved to 8-3 overall and 1-0 in District 8A.

Watertown slipped to 8-8 overall, 0-2 in the league despite 17 points from Alicia Jennings and eight from Bobbie Staats. The Tigerettes struggled at the line, hitting on just 12-of-26 attempts (46 percent).

Friendship Christian will entertain Red Boiling Springs Tuesday, Jan. 8 while Watertown will visit Pickett County.

LEBANON 63, STATION CAMP 56
LEBANON -- Madison Sloan and Abby Wright each chalked up 20 points Friday night as Lebanon High held off Station Camp 63-56 at Campbell Brandon Gym.

The Devilettes (8-8 overall, 3-1 in District 9AAA) overcame some shaky free throw shooting down the stretch to hold off the stubborn Bison -- who trailed LHS 38-28 at intermission.

Morgan Bruce and Kelsey Yarbrough each had six points for Lebanon. SCHS placed three players in double figures, including: Savannah Keele (16), Kia Perry (15) and Janasia Williams (11).

LHS will host Gallatin Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

WILSON CENTRAL 52, GALLATIN 34
GLADEVILLE -- Rachel Bean's double-double (13 points, 17 rebounds) helped lead Wilson Central to a 52-34 home victory Friday night over Gallatin.

The Lady Wildcats improved to 6-8 overall / 2-2 in District 9AAA with the win. Hannah Brewer and Hailey Averitt each scored 11 points for WCHS in the win.

WCHS will visit Station Camp Tuesday, Jan. 8.

BEECH 53, MT. JULIET 41
SHACKLE ISLAND -- Mt. Juliet slipped to 10-6 on the season, 3-1 in District 9AAA following Friday night's 53-41 loss at Beech.

The Lady Bears couldn't overcome a slow start after falling behind 13-7 in the first period and 18-14 at intermission. Sally McCabe had 17 for MJHS in the loss while Karly Dyer knocked down three 3-pointers to finish with 10 points.

Mt. Juliet will host Hendersonville High Tuesday, Jan. 8.

EZELL-HARDING 40, MJCA 23
ANTIOCH -- Ezell-Harding rolled past visiting Mt. Juliet Christian Academy 40-23 Friday in a East-Middle Regional tilt. The Lady Eagles led 21-12 at intermission and 33-16 after three periods. Lauren Wankel and Lynzee Ethridge each had six points for MJCA in the loss.

The Lady Saints will visit Donelson Christian Academy Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Former Cumberland University baseball standout Luis Martinez has been claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers by the Baltimore Orioles. Martinez, 27, is a career .272/.362/.364 hitter in six Minor League seasons in the San Diego Padres' (2007-11) and Rangers' (2012) systems.

Last year for Triple-A Round Rock, Martinez batted .270/.350/.386 in 65 games, and he also appeared in 10 big league games, going 2-for-18. He was selected by the Padres in the 12th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

Martinez was the catcher on Cumberland's 2007 NAIA World Series team and was the first Bulldog to make it to the Major leagues in 2011 with San Diego. 
 
The move puts the Orioles' 40-man roster at capacity and gives the organization four catchers: Matt Wieters, Taylor Teagarden, Luis Exposito and Martinez. Martinez, along with all members of the 40-man roster, will be in big league camp.

CU HOSTS BETHEL MONDAY
LEBANON -- E.J. Perry’s potential game-tying deep three-point shot was on-line but short, giving Georgetown College an 88-85 win over Cumberland Saturday afternoon at the Dallas Floyd Recreation Center.

In a game whistled for 42 fouls and 65 free throws between both teams, the outcome came down to the final moments. With 42 seconds left in the game, Lester Gude put back a Charles Stewart miss to give CU (6-7, 2-4) a one-point advantage. GC’s Corey Washburn answered on the other end with a layup to put the Tigers in control, 86-85. Stewart again took it to the rack but the ball would barely roll out while Washburn grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Washburn hit the front end of the double bonus to give his team a two-point lead with 23 to go.