Spencer Hagan Receives Tiny Bates Award
SACRAMENTO – The California Grid Club of Sacramento honored former Cal wide receiver Spencer Hagan as its recipient of the 2014 Henry J. “Tiny” Bates Award. Cal head coach Sonny Dykes presented the award during the Grid Club’s annual Tiny Bates Award Dinner on Thursday evening at the Lions Gate Hotel in North Highlands.
“I am so very honored to have received the Henry J. ‘Tiny’ Bates Award,” Hagan said. “The Sacramento Grid Club and president Gary Slavit were great hosts and created an infectious atmosphere of Cal spirit and tradition. Over the years I have given a lot to the University, but the great thing about Cal is that it gives back so much more in return. My thanks go out to coach Dykes, my teammates, the Sacramento Grid Club and my family for all the support because I know I would not be where I am or who I am without the investment of these people in my life.”
Hagan played both wide receiver and tight end for the Golden Bears before for four seasons (2009-12) before he was forced to retire from football in September of 2013 at the beginning of his fifth campaign with the program. Hagan, who received his bachelor’s degree from Cal in interdisciplinary studies in 2013, played in all 28 games possible off the bench during the 2010 and 2011 seasons as well as the first three contests of 2012 before the streak ended when he suffered the injury that would eventually end his career in the third game of 2012 at Ohio State. He contributed career totals of 12 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdown catches, with all of his receiving stats coming in 2011. Hagan served as a team manager for the football program in 2013 following his retirement.
Hagan prepped at Sacramento’s Capital Christian High School, where he finished with career varsity totals of 145 receptions and 2,629 receiving yards, both all-time school records. He earned first-team All-State honors by both Rivals and MaxPreps as a 2008 senior, while also being named second-team All-City by the Sacramento Bee
The Tiny Bates Award is presented by the Cal Grid Club to a Northern California/Sacramento area senior on the Cal football team that exemplifies outstanding performance and citizenship both on the field and in the classroom. Bates was one of the co-founders of the club in 1947 and a right end for the Golden Bears in 1916 and 1917 under legendary head coach Andy Smith. The award was established in 1968 in Bates' memory after his passing.