Fred Lanford enjoyed a stellar coaching career, with the vast majority of his time spent in Caldwell County. A native of Woodruff, SC., and a 1965 graduate of Appalachian State University, Lanford began his coaching and teaching in Woodruff and won a pair of South Carolina state baseball championships there. Then in 1965 he moved to Hudson High School and then in 1977 to the consolidated South Caldwell, where he coached until his retirement in 2000. His teams earned 19 conference championships and the 1982 NCHSAA state 4-A baseball crown as he won 538 games against just 141 losses. In addition, he coached men’s basketball for 22 years and rolled up a mark of 327-220, earning three league titles. He is a member of the Caldwell County Hall of Fame and the Woodruff High School Sports Hall of Fame.