NSA Hall of Fame: Tom Devlin (2001)
CATEGORY: Director
YEAR INDUCTED: 2001
Tom Devlin sat nervously in an armory in Knoxville, TN talking with Hugh and Eddie Ray Cantrell in the early spring of 1986 about the NSA. The Chattanooga gentleman was hired after that first meeting and hasn’t looked back since. He became the first full time Tournament Director in the state of Tennessee. Two years later Tom was appointed Region 4 Director, a position that Tom held until 1994. In 1990 Tom was appointed the Georgia State Director as well as holding the Regional Director position. Tom was the State Director in Georgia until 1998. Along with his other duties as Region 4 and Georgia State Director, Tom was appointed to the Board of Directors and was given the title of Vice President, a title and position along with still being at the helm of Tennessee, that Tom still holds as of this writing in October 2002. Tom’s invaluable knowledge of softball in the south has made Tom one of the most successful and most respected directors in the history of NSA. His Fast Pitch World Series Tournaments in Chattanooga have been among the most successful in the history of the game. His wit as well as his wisdom, in and around the softball scene in Tennessee and throughout the south is legendary.
In 1990 Tom Devlin received the prestigious 110% award, which is the 2nd highest award given annually at the National Convention. Tom won the award again in 1991 making him a two-time winner and the only back-to-back winner of the award in history. In 1992 Tom was voted the Regional Director of the year for his outstanding work in Region 4, which comprised the states of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. In 1993 Tom received the Board of Director of the Year award, in his first full year as a board member.
In November 2001, Tom Devlin became the eighth Director to be inducted into the NSA Hall of Fame.
