smith barrier

(1916-1989)

Smith Barrier, a University of North Carolina graduate, was a sportswriter and the Executive Sports Editor for the Greensboro Daily News and Greensboro Daily Record (now Greensboro News and Record) from 1941 to 1980. His career spanned four decades and included coverage of the Southern Conference from 1941 to 1953 and the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1954 to 1988. In addition to writing several books on North Carolina sports history, he also served as President of the Atlantic Coast Conference Sportswriters Association. Barrier covered the Final Four for 30 years from 1957 to 1987, and was influential in the decision-making process to bring the 1974 Final Four to Greensboro. Barrier was a charter inductee of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame and served as the organization’s president from 1970 to 1971. In 1980, Barrier was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Charlie harville

(1919-2002)

A graduate of High Point College, Charlie Harville began broadcasting minor league baseball on the radio in 1938. Harville is best known as a sports anchor at WFMY-TV Greensboro, 1949-1963, 1977-1988 and WGHP-TV High Point 1963-1977. Selected to host what is believed to be the first live local sports show broadcast in North Carolina, Harville’s career also included working for the ACC television network covering basketball and football as well as hosting a syndicated NASCAR radio show called Racing Roundup. For 30 years, Harville also called college football over the radio for numerous schools. Harville was a strong promoter of all sports, especially those not recognized by mainstream media such as wrestling. Harville is a member of the 1997 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame class.

dale morey

(1919-2002)

One of the most celebrated amateur golfers in state history, Morey won 261 tournaments in his career including two U.S. Senior Amateurs in 1974 and 1977. A Louisiana State University graduate, Morey was an All-American golfer in school and won three NCAA individual titles. Morey also made 9 holes-in-one; qualified for the U.S. Amateur 27 times; won the Western Amateur; played as Walker Cup Team Member in 1955, 1959, and 1965; played as World Cup Team Member in 1954 and 1966; and was Senior Golfer of the Year in 1974, 1977, and 1978. As a senior amateur, Morey was the No. 1 ranked player in America for six years. In 1980, Morey was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Morey served as Director, Vice-President, and President of the Southern Golf Association; became a member of their hall of fame in 1979; and finally, was elected by the Board of Directors to be a lifelong Director Emeritus in 1991.

jim paschal

(1926-2004)

A High Point native, Jim Paschal won 25 races and 12 poles on the NASCAR circuit from 1949, the first year of the sport, to 1972 becoming a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup driver. Paschal won the World 600 twice, the 1967 Charlotte Motor Speedway in addition to wins at Martinsville, Bristol and Richmond. Paschal competed in the first 18 Southern 500s from 1950-1967 and won 16 of 73 Grand American races from 1969-1972. Over his 23 year career, Paschal was in 421 races total. When he retired, Paschal was the 12th all-time winningest driver in NASCAR history. In 1977, Paschal was elected to the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame.

james b. “jim” staton, Jr.

(1927-1993)

Jim Staton was an All-American tackle at Wake Forest and played in the 1950 North-South College All-Star Game. Staton was drafted in 1951 by the Washington Redskins. Staton only played one year in the NFL before going to the Canadian Football League from 1952 to 1957 where he would play for three division-winning teams in Montreal. Staton was named all-CFL five times. In 1992, Staton was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

John e. “jack” jensen

(1931-2010)

Jack Jensen, a 1961 Wake Forest University graduate, played on the 1960-1961 ACC championship basketball team. After serving as the head coach for boys’ basketball at Elkin High School, Jensen joined Guilford College in 1965 and spent the next 45 years there as a teacher and as one of the most decorated coaches in the school’s history. Jensen coached four of the school’s five national championship teams; three of his golf squads won national titles (1989, 2002, and 2005); won 386 games in 29 seasons as the Quaker’s head men’s basketball coach; and guided the 1972-1973 team to the NAIA National Championship which was Guilford’s first in any sport. Jensen was a member of the NAIA, North Carolina Sports, Golf Coaches Association of America, and Guilford College Sports halls of fame. Jensen was the second person to coach two different sports to NAIA national titles and also earned national coach of the year. In 1990-1991, Jensen helped the Quakers transition from NAIA competition to the NCAA Division III ranks.

maxine allen

(1913-1995)

An alumna of Woman’s College, now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Maxine Allen ranked as the leading women’s bowler in North Carolina for more than two decades and was the nation’s top female duckpin bowler in 1952. She won numerous titles in her career including the prestigious United States Classic, the Dixie Classic and the National Duckpin Bowling Congress All Events Championship. Allen held more than 50 world records in duckpins for best scores in sets of consecutive games. Allen was a member of the 1962 National Duckpin Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, the 1972 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the 2001 UNC Greensboro Athletics Hall of Fame classes.

gerald austin

Gerald Austin, a public school administrator for 30 years, became one of the NFL’s most respected officials. Austin’s officiating career began when he was in 10th grade after being asked to help by his high school basketball coach. For nine years, Austin was a basketball and football official for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Austin had the honor of officiating the 1978 Liberty Bowl and the 1977 Orange Bowl before becoming an NFL American football official from 1982 to 2007. Austin officiated three Super Bowls, one as a side judge and two as a referee. Austin also served as a lecturer and coordinator of collegiate football officials for Conference USA. He was the recipient of the 2005 Art McNally Award, the NFL’s highest honor of sportsmanship. In 2007, Austin was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

marion kirby

After participating in the 1960 East West All-Star Game, Marion Kirby  played four years for the famous Clarence Stasavich at Lenoir Rhyne College. Kirby coached seven football seasons at Edenton Holmes where his team won three conference titles before becoming a legendary football coach at Page for 23 years. During his career, Kirby led the Pirates to four state titles, 14 conference titles and a state-record 50 straight wins in the mid-80s. In 1997, Kirby became the first football coach in Greensboro College history. Kirby served as the Athletic Director at Guilford College from 2001 to 2007. In 2000, Kirby was inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

curly neal

(1942-2020)

Curly Neal, a Dudley High School graduate, played on the 1961 state basketball championship team and later played college basketball at Johnson C. Smith averaging 23 points a game and leading his team to the CIAA title. In 1963, Neal joined the Harlem Globetrotters which he later turned it into a worldwide phenomenon. As a Globetrotter, he would become known worldwide for his dribbling and shooting skills, eventually playing for 22 seasons and appearing in more than 6,000 games in 97 countries. Neal later served as a motivational speaker for the Globetrotters becoming known as the “Ambassador of Goodwill.” Neal was part of the 2008 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame class. Neal received a Globetrotters “Legends” ring, and had his number 22 retired.

gene littles

(194-2021)

Gene Littles was an all-time leading scorer in High Point University basketball history as well as an NAIA All-American player. Littles went on to play in the ABA after opting not to play for the NBA New York Knicks in 1969. Littles played for the Carolina Cougars for five seasons (1969-1974) and was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1970, followed by one year with the Kentucky Colonels. After his playing career, Littles began coaching as an assistant with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. Littles served as the Head Basketball Coach at North Carolina A&T from 1977-1979 coaching the Aggies to two straight MEAC Tournament Championships. Littles served as the Head Coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 1990-1991.