The Colonel Al Byrne Award recognizes local individuals who share the late Colonel’s belief that all youth should be provided the facilities and adult leadership to experience athletic training and competitive individual and/or team sports. They also believe, as the Colonel did, that those youth that participate will learn skills and obtain values that will help them succeed in their later life endeavors. The award recipient has also demonstrated a commitment to these beliefs by sharing his or her time, talents and, in many cases, personal resources with no recognition required or desired. The award is voted on by the past presidents of the association and is a tightly held secret until the winner is revealed the night of the annual All Sports Association Awards Dinner each February.
The All Sports Association was started by Colonel Al Byrne, who believed the youth in Northwest Florida should have the coaching, leadership, and facilities needed to participate in sports. The Colonel Al Byrne Award was established to honor those who share his beliefs and who put those beliefs into action.
Dalton Threadgill and his wife Peggy moved to Destin in 1963 from Scottsboro, Alabama, where he coached high school football. He came to Destin to teach math and science at Destin Elementary School.
Dalton started building a baseball field from scratch his first summer in Destin, with the first games played in the spring of 1964. The Destin Little League Baseball program was officially chartered in the 1972 season, with Dalton serving as President for the first 15 years. The current Destin Little League park is named in his honor.
Dalton also started the first Destin little league football team, the Destin Dolphins. Dalton did more than coach — he was an umpire for baseball, a referee for football, the bus driver, … he did it all.
At the 55th All Sports Association Awards Banquet, we honored Dalton Threadgill with the Al Byrne award. Dalton’s son Ron accepted the award for his father, who died in 1988.
2019 George Goodall
2018 Ray Chavez
2017 Todd Gatlin
2016 Sherman Moon
2015 John Watts
2014 Brian and Kathy Haugen
2013 Bill Shirah
2012 Rev. James T. Ross
2011 Ralph Duncan
2010 Fred Carley
2009 Bob Lynn
2008 Tom Brassell, Don Pattison
2007 Rube Manasco
2006 Sam Brunson
2005 Paul Martin
2004 James C. “Jimmy” Campbell
2003 Mary Jane Ross
2002 Huburt “Rocky” Bates
2001 Bull Cochran
2000 James Campbell
1999 Bruce Ravan
1998 Charles Morgan, John Shortall
1997 Judge Alfred Ben Gordon, Jr., Kathleen A Ravan
1996 Ralph Frangioni
1995 Al Beedie
1994 Hiram Cook
1993 Leven Lord
1992 Bill Roberts, Jr., Pud Hutcheson, Robert Taylor
1991 Ray Deal, George Palmer
1990 Buddy O’Neal, H.A. Bruner, Jay Farris, Arthur Mikel
1989 Julius Rice, M.L. Hayden
1988 Michael Woodham
1987 Louis Woodham, H.P. Pat Campbell, Bill Preston, Sr., Gene Thomas
1986 Grady Smith
1985 Dr. Eddie Zant
1984 Ron Balicki
1983 O.R. Bailey
1982 Joe Etheridge
1981 Houston Harrison
1980 Jerry Brigante
1979 Rev. Talmadge Smith
1978 Buddy Elliott
1977 Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth
1976 Bettye Campbell
1975 Hal Wyatt
1974 Buck Smith
Through the efforts of our annual banquet & summer golf tournament, we help fund numerous worthwhile sports organizations & charitable causes. Our primary beneficiaries are the Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, Special Olympics Florida- Okaloosa, Eleanor J. Johnson Youth Center and Okaloosa Walton FCA.
