Gaines, a former football player and 1971 graduate at Angelo State University, went on to a remarkable coaching career which was highlighted by leading Odessa Permian to the 1989 Class 5A State Championship – a year in which Wagner was a sophomore at Permian.

Gaines also coached at Petersburg, Denver City, Amarillo Tascosa, Monahans, Abilene High and San Angelo Central along with being an assistant at Texas Tech and the head coach at Abilene Christian for four seasons. He compiled a 127-93-5 overall record in the high school ranks before retiring last December.

"I'm really appreciative to the Angelo Clinic for this award, but more importantly for the service that they have given to coaches throughout the years," Gaines said. "It's a great honor to win this award for doing something that I really enjoyed for so long."

Past Legends of the Game Award winners are: Gordon Wood, Chuck Moser, Bum Phillips, Darrell Royal, Emory Bellard, Mike Campbell, Grant Teaff, Spike Dykes, Gene Stallings, Joe Golding, Morris Southall, Bill Yeoman, Hayden Fry, Jim Hess, Debo Clark and Jimmy Keeling.