For more than half a century Floyd Smith has been one of the biggest supporters of Salem Wildcats athletics.

Smith has been a boys basketball reserved seat ticket holder for 52 years. Smith has had the same seat in B.E. Gum Gym since the 1955-1956 season.

In addition to boys basketball, Smith has faithfully attended or followed all Salem Community High School sporting events.

Smith has been actively involved with the Salem Shriners for 50 years. Among his duties include raising funds for the Shriners Hospitals through the annual Salem-Centralia Shriners football game.

Since the late 1980s Smith has represented the Salem Shriners at the SCHS Fall Sports Awards Night where he has presented medallions to senior football players, cheerleaders and the coaching staff.

Smith helped start another Shriners tradition in 2000 when the Wildcats football team began making an annual visit to the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis prior to the start of the season.

Smith graduated from Patoka’s three-year high school in 1927 and Sandoval’s four-year high school in 1928. He later attended and graduated from the University of Illinois where he received a degree in agriculture. Smith has served as a farm advisor in both Marion and Clinton County.

He also had teaching stints in Indiana as well as Patoka and Sandoval.

Smith holds the distinction of being the oldest individual selected for the Hall of Fame. At the time of his selection Smith was 93.