Ralph Horne

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University family mourns the passing of Sports Hall of Famer and basketball alum Ralph Horne ‘57 who passed away on Monday at the age of 89, two weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

Horne, who graced the Tusculum hardwood from 1953-1957, scored a school record 2,487 points during his stellar career. His teams compiled a 62-38 record, including an 18-7 campaign in 1955-56 where the Pioneers swept both the Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles. He earned All-SMAC honors three times and was selected to the SMAC All-Tournament Team on three occasions.

The Kingsport, Tennessee native scored a then school-record 692 points in his senior campaign, which are tied for the third-most in Tusculum history today. His point total that season ranked him 16th among all college scorers in the nation. Some of the noteworthy players listed ahead of him that season were Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Lennie Rosenbluth (North Carolina), Wilt Chamberlain (Kansas) and Elgin Baylor (Seattle).

Horne scored 650 points during the Pioneers' SMAC Championship run in 1955-56 while leading the conference with a Tusculum single-season record 27.7 points per game average. He scored a career-high 45 points against Bluefield in 1957 to break the previous school record. It was one of five 40-point games for Horne, which are the most in program history.

Horne graduated from Tusculum in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Following graduation, he earned a tryout with the NBA's Syracuse Nationals. He worked for 22 years as an executive with the Magnavox Corporation before moving onto private business.

He returned to his alma mater in 1988 where he served as an assistant on Coach Mike Hollowell's staff for 12 seasons with the Pioneers. During that time, he helped shape and influence the lives of numerous student-athletes, who have grown to become outstanding husbands, fathers and contributors to society.

Horne was a charter member of the Tusculum Sports Hall of Fame with his inaugural induction in 1981. In 2018, the University retired his basketball jersey No. 32, becoming the only player in program history to have this honor bestowed upon him.

In 1999, he was the recipient of the Tusculum Sports Benefactor Award, which is presented annually to an outstanding friend of the University in recognition of outstanding support of the athletic program.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Avery and Dora Smith Horne; wife: Billye Hutton Horne of 54 years; and a sister: Clara Horne Prevatt.

He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law: Pamela and Tony Maggio; a son and daughter-in-law: Douglas and Brenda Horne; special friend/partner: Jane Foster; siblings: Neta (Steve) Vance, Marge Larkins (Late, Oscar), Fred Horne (Rosamond), Stacy Overbay (Late, Don) and Betty Pleasant (Late, Mike).

Memorials may be made to Tusculum University Basketball or The First Baptist Church- Lottie Moon Fund.

The family wants to offer a special thanks to Danny and Kris Dye.

The family will receive friends from 1-3 pm Friday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home with the service following at 3:00 pm in the chapel. Rev. Dr. David Green and Rev. Joey Tillery will officiate.

Interment will be held at 10:00 am Saturday at Pine Grove Cemetery. Family and friends are asked to meet at 9:00 am Saturday at the funeral home to go in procession to the cemetery.

Pallbearers will be nephews and friends.

Honorary pallbearers will be the Tusculum University Men’s basketball team.

Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.