Dennis Payne: Marietta Umpires Association

Payne was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2020.

Dennis Payne's impact on high school sports in Georgia can't be measured. The longtime umpire and member of the Georgia High School Association spent more than 40 years as an ambassador for high school sports.

Payne passed away February 25, 2019. He was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2020.

Born February 27, 1946 in Pell City, Ala. to William and Edith Payne, he played football for the University of Georgia from 1962-64. He worked for many years on the railroad as an engineer for CSX Transportation.

Payne later went on to provide valiant service in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1972.

After retiring, he spent more than 40 years involved in amateur sports. He began his career as an official in baseball, basketball and football in 1972.

Payne, with the help of David Hudson, started the Marietta Umpires Association in 1986 after having noticed a lack of umpires during the 1985 season.

He was hired as an Associate Director for the Georgia High School Association in 2001 where he was a sports coordinator for football, baseball, wrestling and swimming. He retired after the 2014 football season.

"He was a first-class individual and a very good person," said former Georgia Dugout Club Executive Director Harvey Cochran, who formed a friendship with Payne when he was head baseball coach at North Cobb.

"Dennis had a lot of integrity and he did a lot of good things for high school baseball."