FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Trip Durham, Executive Director tdurham@ncsportshalloffame.org December 19, 2023 THE NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS HALL OF FAME REVEALS MILESTONE CLASS OF 2024 The 60th Induction Celebration will be held this May in Charlotte RALEIGH, N.C.—The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors is honored to announce its 2024 induction class. The new members, listed alphabetically are Randolph Childress, Sheila Ford Duncan, Caroline Lind, Bob McKillop, Jim Nantz, Pettis Norman, Shea Ralph, Don Skakle, Steve Smith Sr., Marilyn "Que" Tucker and Ron Wellman. The group of 11 will be enshrined during the 60th annual Induction [...]

Hall Pass Spotlight: Jim "Catfish" Hunter NCSHOF MEMBER (Class of 1974) By HELEN ROSS The nickname was a figment of the imagination of Charlie Finley, the master showman and owner of the Oakland Athletics. But no matter what you called him – Jimmy, when he was growing up in Hertford, North Carolina, or Catfish when he pitched for the A’s and New York Yankees --  Jim “Catfish” Hunter was one of the best of his generation. Courtesy of MLB.com Hunter finished his career with 224 wins, including the American League’s first perfect game in 46 years, and [...]

Hall Pass Spotlight: Dave Bristol NCSHOF MEMBER (Class of 2006) By HELEN ROSS Truth be told, Georgia Tech didn’t really have a chance. Yes, Dave Bristol was a talented football player -- good enough to garner a scholarship offer from the Yellow Jackets. But when the Cincinnati Reds, the team he grew up listening to on WCKY Radio, came calling, there was really no hesitation. Bristol wasted no time in signing that minor league contract and promptly embarked on 44-year odyssey in baseball that saw him manage the Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants. He also [...]

Hall Pass Spotlight: 2023 Induction Ceremony  By Helen Ross The 15 individuals highlighted below were all honored during the 59th annual induction celebration recently at the Raleigh Convention Center, receiving their NCSHOF Hall of Fame medallions in the process. “This year’s class joining the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame once again reflects the great variety and rich sports heritage which the Hall highlights for our state,” said Dr. Jerry McGee, president of the Hall’s Board of Directors.  “This group and their collective accomplishments in specific areas, from great athletes to highly successful coaches to special contributors, create another [...]

Hall Pass Spotlight: Buck Baker NCSHOF MEMBER (Class of 1992) By HELEN ROSS Two things you probably didn’t know about Buck Baker, one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. First, his given name was Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. and second, he started out driving a relatively sedate city bus in Charlotte, not a souped-up stock car. According to his son, Buddy, who was also an accomplished NASCAR driver, the nickname stuck because he was “wilder than a buck rabbit.” His father honed his skills behind the wheel like many drivers of his generation, running moonshine and outracing the law. Baker started [...]

Hall Pass Spotlight: Charlotte Smith NCSHOF MEMBER (Class of 2015) By HELEN ROSS The tweet Charlotte Smith posted recently couldn’t have been more apropos to the day. It read “2-23-23 = 2 people wore #23 at UNC. Do you know who they are?” Fans of North Carolina basketball almost certainly do. One was her idol, Michael Jordan, the basketball legend who hit the game-winner in the Tar Heels’ 1982 NCAA title game against Georgetown. As a young girl growing up in Shelby, N.C., Smith wanted to “be like Mike” even though her uncle is N.C. State’s great David Thompson [...]