Leon Ricketson graduated from North Georgia in 1965 and was the first athlete from North Georgia to receive an All-American honor. During his four-year baseball career, Ricketson caught every game for the Saints, except two, when he took the mound and had a 1-1 record. Ricketson had a career batting average over .320 and at the end of his freshman year, he was approached to sign a professional contract with the San Francisco Giants, but opted to return to school. In 1964, he was named a Second Team NAIA All-American and received District 25 honors. During his junior and senior seasons, the New York Yankees approached him with a contract starting at the Triple-A level, however Ricketson chose to finish his military career.
