More than half a century later, G. Cecil Pruett has a lifetime of unforgettable memories from his hometown.

“We played Cullman, Fairview and all of the county schools, and we had a lot of great games,” said Pruett, a 1956 graduate of Holly Pond High who went on to serve as mayor of Canton, Ga., for 12 years. “Several of the guys I played with at St. Bernard, I played against them in Cullman County.

“It was a really great time.”

Now Pruett has another memory of his hometown. The former basketball standout at Holly Pond and St. Bernard is being inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame with its 2010 class. The induction ceremony will be held Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Cullman Civic Center.

During his playing days, Pruett had the chance to learn the game of basketball from two hall-of-fame coaches. At Holly Pond, Pruett stood out for Felton Easterwood, a 2001 inductee into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame.

After graduating from Holly Pond, Pruett accepted a scholarship to play at St. Bernard for Charles Richard, a 2000 inductee into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame.

“He was a winning-type player, one we depended on to get the job done,” said Easterwood. “He was a good scorer, a good defensive player and a good team player.

“He was basketball savvy.”

After his playing days ended, Pruett went on to make quite a name for himself in Georgia.

Following a successful business career, Pruett entered politics, serving the mayor of Canton, Ga., from 1995-2007. During that time he also served on the board of directors of the Georgia Municipal Association, which represents more than 300 cities across the state.

Pruett has also served on a variety of boards and committees, and was instrumental in the development of the Canton YMCA, which was named the “G. Cecil Pruett Community Center” in his honor.

His daughter Darla was even named Miss Georgia in 1990.

A leader in organizing the Cherokee County (Ga.) Sports Hall of Fame, Pruett knows exactly how much it means to be inducted into its counterpart back home.

“I’m surprised but I’m certainly proud,” he said. “It’s something I had not expected but I’m proud because of the relationships and great leadership I experienced at Holly Pond and St. Bernard.”

• Mike Cummings can be reached by email at michaelc@cullmantimes.com or by phone at 734-2131, ext. 258.