Alma Hudgens 

Seattle Cavaliers

"First Lady" of the Cavaliers, Interim GM, Volunteer

1944-1984

From 1936 to 1982, Alma Hudgens was the great woman behind the great man.  As Elmo Hudgens built the Seattle Cavaliers semi pro franchise, Alma mended and laundered uniforms and volunteered behind the scenes giving the team very much a family atmosphere as she worked to take care of "her boys".

Dating back to the Lake City Boys Club, the team of Elmo and Alma, married in 1936, were involved with football.  Elmo drove the team bus, and seated next him near the door is Alma.  The "team mother" along with her daschund-cavalier mix lap dogs "Little Bit" and "Cindy", thus the nickname "Cavaliers".  The pups were often seen bounding amongst the "boot hill" Alma had created with her players' old football cleats.  Beginning in the mid-1960's with Elmo unwilling to simply throw away old worn out and ripped cleats, his wife and football partner began turning the old leather into flower planters.  Not only did it clear out space in their small garage littered with shoes and football gear, it started a hobby that her players wanted a piece of.  Once the hens-and-chickens rockery plants had taken root, she passed off the "pots" to the young men who wanted at least one for themselves.  Alma estimated in 1969, she had potted nearly 95 shoes.

When Elmo died on Valentine's Day, 1982 at the age of 69, Alma pressed on.  The team had just won the Northwest International League Championship in 1981.  Determined to continue the team her late husband loved, she kept recruiting players and managing the team in anyway she could.  She served as the interim General Manager through the 1982 and 1983 seasons as the Cavaliers struggled to find their footing without their giant leader.  Old veterans came out of retirement to help coach the new generation of players and help Alma keep the legacy alive.  Bob Tillman and Jerry Carson were instrumental in helping Alma through the 1982 season especially with league matters.  Alma would eventually hand off the Cavaliers to a new group of managers and the team would continue on into the 1990 season.

Alma passed away in 1994 at the age of 85 as one of the most beloved women of football by the men who played for her and the late great Elmo.

Alma giving a "pep talk" to 3-yr old Lance Jr., son of Cavalier QB Lance McGrath (1963)