Bristol Central High School

Garry Pearson, a Bristol native, played basketball and football at both Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central. When he graduated from Bristol Central in 1978, he held the state record for career rushing yards of 5,054 and was the first state athlete to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season with 2,153 for the 1977 Rams. He was later selected by the New Haven Register to their All-Time All-State offense team.

He went on to become a two-time All-American and three-time All-Yankee Conference pick in football at UMass, where he set 12 school records. He was ranked first in New England in single-season and career rushing, as well as all-purpose yards. He was the lone New England player to win three NCAA statistical titles; kick-off returns, all purpose yards and rushing. He  won numerous honors, including being named the Outstanding Senior Football Player in New England and sharing the George Butler Lowe Award with Doug Flutie of Boston College.

He later was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1982 NFL Draft. He went on the injured reserve after injuring his knee during practice after Seattle’s second game. He went on to finish his career with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL. Garry Pearson died in 2010 at the age of 46