Blue Cross Salutes Gayle
Hatch as one of Louisiana’s All Time Greatest Athletes
Hatch graduated from Baton Rouge’s
Catholic High in 1957, where he was a record-setting, MVP award winning,
All-State, All-American athlete excelling in basketball, football and
track. In 2010 Hatch received the
Legends Award at the Finals of the State Basketball Tournament. Hatch averaged 35.5 points adn22.5
rebounds throughout the 1957 State Basketball play-offs, setting a record
double/double that still stands today.
Hatch’s 37 points and 24 rebounds in the state playoff semifinals
is still the best double/double in the history of Louisiana high school
basketball.
At Northwestern State College
in Natchitoches, Louisiana Hatch set numerous school records in basketball,
some of which still stand today.
One of those records came in a 44 point, 18 rebound game against a
powerhouse team, Kentucky Wesleyan.
Hatch hit an amazing 18 out of 21 field goal attempts (85.7%). This set a field-goal record for 20
attempts or more that still stands as a Louisiana State College record and also
ranks as one of college basketball all-time best.
In 2012 Hatch was named to
Northwestern State University’s All-Century Team. (1912-2012). He was
also honored by Dale Brown who established a basketball scholarship in the name
of Gayle Hatch. He is a member of the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame
and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.