One of the best teams ever loses one of its best players ever: Southwest and Georgia great Terry Fair passes away (with video); Update with photos, reactions

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Terry Fair ran the courts of Macon and Georgia throughout his high school and college basketball career.

          And that high school career in particular was one of legend at Southwest under never-forgotten head coach Don "Duck" Richardson.

          A little less than a year ago, during the GHSA state championships, Fair and his old Patriots teammates got together for the first time in decades at the Macon Coliseum for a reunion.

          Those involved became even more grateful for that visit on Friday morning with the news that Fair had died at the age of 59.

          Macon-Bibb coroner Leon Jones said  Fair died Thursday from natural causes.

          Fair was among several former Patriots still living in Macon and Central Georgia, including Henry “Hook” McCarthy, who passed away on Jan. 17.

          Southwest's team of 1978-79 was of legend, in the city and state and nation, being the last team in the state to go undefeated in the highest classification.

          Fair went on to a stellar career at Georgia, and continued his career internationally.

          The Sports Report previewed the reunion and covered the gathering, sitting down with the major players on that team, Fair, Bobby Jones, and Michael Hunt.

Hugh Durham knows how huge Fair was for the Bulldogs

Crean sees Fair’s impact daily

Bulldog teammates remember a leader

Terry Fair photo gallery, from UGA