50 Greatest North Carolina Sportspersons (From 1999)

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NORTH CAROLINA (From December 27, 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated -- Archived (Link contains the other 49 states as well): The 50 greatest sports figures of the century from each of the 50 states​

​

1. Michael Jordan His Airness

2. Richard Petty Seven-time Daytona 500 champ

3. Buck Leonard Heart of Homestead Grays dynasty

4. David Thompson N.C. State basketball great

5. John Lucas Basketball and tennis All-America

6. Dale Earnhardt Alltime NASCAR money leader

7. Catfish Hunter Won 20 or more from 1971 to '75

8. James Worthy Seven-time NBA All-Star

9. Sonny Jurgensen Redskins Pro Bowl quarterback

10. Ray Floyd In 1992 won on PGA and Senior tours

11. Enos Slaughter Averaged .300 over 19 seasons

12. Gaylord Perry Cy Young winner in both leagues

13. Bobby Bell Eight-time All-AFL linebacker

14. Charlie Justice 4,883 yards of offense at UNC

15. Hoyt Wilhelm Pitched in 1,070 games, 1952 to '72

16. Phil Ford North Carolina's leading career scorer

17. Dominique Wilkins NBA All-Star nine times

18. Charlie Sifford First black man to win PGA event

19. Carl Eller Six-time All-Pro defensive end

20. Jim Beatty First sub-four-minute indoor miler

21. Bob McAdoo Led NBA in scoring three times

22. Roman Gabriel NFL MVP with Rams in 1969

23. Al Dowtin Wake Forest golf coach, 1920s hoops star

24. Sam Jones Helped Celtics win 10 NBA titles

25. Dwight Clark Caught The Catch in 1981

26. Lou Hudson 20.2 career NBA scoring average

27. Dale Jarrett 1999 Winston Cup champion

28. Wes Ferrell Six-time 20-game winner

29. Walter Davis An NBA All-Star six times

30. Bobby Jones One of basketball's top defenders

31. Wimpy Lassiter Greatest nine-ball player ever

32. Walt Bellamy Hoops All-America at Indiana

33. Smokey Burgess Five-time All-Star catcher

34. Prince Nufer Dixon Star swimmer of 1930s, '40s

35. Cedric Maxwell MVP of 1981 NBA Finals

36. Kathy McMillan Long jump silver in Montreal

37. Mike Caldwell Struck out 36 in 18-inning HS game

38. Lee Petty 1954, '58 and '59 NASCAR champion

39. Junior Johnson Won 50 Winston Cup races

40. Floyd Simmons UNC's best all-around athlete

41. Meadowlark Lemon Fixture of the Globetrotters

42. Buck Baker Winston Series champ 1956 and '57

43. Andrea Stinson Thrice N.C. State's top hoops scorer

44. Brad Daugherty NBA Cavs' career scoring leader

45. Harvie Ward Jr. Twice won the U.S. Amateur

46. Ned Jarrett NASCAR pioneer won 50 races

47. Buck Williams 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year

48. Francis Rogallo Father of Hang Gliding

49. Charlie Sanders Lions Pro Bowl tight end

50. Walter (Teepot) Frye Slick-fielding HS shortstop
 
Growing up I had, however, heard of this guy - he came to my school when I was maybe in the third grade or so and gave an inspirational talk. He was pretty phenomenal too. Lettered in four sports at Carolina.


I also remember Charles Waddell, a 3-sport letterman at Carolina.

nsjonline.com

100 in 100: Moore County’s Charles Waddell, 3-sport standout | The North State Journal

North State Journal’s 100 in 100 series will showcase the best athlete from each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. From Alamance to Yancey, each county will feature one athlete who stands above the rest. Some will be obvious choices, others controversial, but all of our choices are worthy of being r
nsjonline.com nsjonline.com
 
donbosco said:
Growing up I had, however, heard of this guy - he came to my school when I was maybe in the third grade or so and gave an inspirational talk. He was pretty phenomenal too. Lettered in four sports at Carolina.


I also remember Charles Waddell, a 3-sport letterman at Carolina.

nsjonline.com

100 in 100: Moore County’s Charles Waddell, 3-sport standout | The North State Journal

North State Journal’s 100 in 100 series will showcase the best athlete from each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. From Alamance to Yancey, each county will feature one athlete who stands above the rest. Some will be obvious choices, others controversial, but all of our choices are worthy of being r
nsjonline.com nsjonline.com
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Yeah, Albert Long was a FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) speaker. I heard him speak at school assemblies and Boy Scout events. But when he came out hard for Jesse Helms in 1972, I was shocked that anyone who professed to be a Christian could support Jesse Helms. Boy was I naive. Albert Long was my personal initiation to the fact that there was an entire segment of Christianity that spit on everything Christ taught.
 
donbosco said:

NORTH CAROLINA (From December 27, 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated -- Archived (Link contains the other 49 states as well): The 50 greatest sports figures of the century from each of the 50 states​

​

1. Michael Jordan His Airness

2. Richard Petty Seven-time Daytona 500 champ

3. Buck Leonard Heart of Homestead Grays dynasty

4. David Thompson N.C. State basketball great

5. John Lucas Basketball and tennis All-America

6. Dale Earnhardt Alltime NASCAR money leader

7. Catfish Hunter Won 20 or more from 1971 to '75

8. James Worthy Seven-time NBA All-Star

9. Sonny Jurgensen Redskins Pro Bowl quarterback

10. Ray Floyd In 1992 won on PGA and Senior tours

11. Enos Slaughter Averaged .300 over 19 seasons

12. Gaylord Perry Cy Young winner in both leagues

13. Bobby Bell Eight-time All-AFL linebacker

14. Charlie Justice 4,883 yards of offense at UNC

15. Hoyt Wilhelm Pitched in 1,070 games, 1952 to '72

16. Phil Ford North Carolina's leading career scorer

17. Dominique Wilkins NBA All-Star nine times

18. Charlie Sifford First black man to win PGA event

19. Carl Eller Six-time All-Pro defensive end

20. Jim Beatty First sub-four-minute indoor miler

21. Bob McAdoo Led NBA in scoring three times

22. Roman Gabriel NFL MVP with Rams in 1969

23. Al Dowtin Wake Forest golf coach, 1920s hoops star

24. Sam Jones Helped Celtics win 10 NBA titles

25. Dwight Clark Caught The Catch in 1981

26. Lou Hudson 20.2 career NBA scoring average

27. Dale Jarrett 1999 Winston Cup champion

28. Wes Ferrell Six-time 20-game winner

29. Walter Davis An NBA All-Star six times

30. Bobby Jones One of basketball's top defenders

31. Wimpy Lassiter Greatest nine-ball player ever

32. Walt Bellamy Hoops All-America at Indiana

33. Smokey Burgess Five-time All-Star catcher

34. Prince Nufer Dixon Star swimmer of 1930s, '40s

35. Cedric Maxwell MVP of 1981 NBA Finals

36. Kathy McMillan Long jump silver in Montreal

37. Mike Caldwell Struck out 36 in 18-inning HS game

38. Lee Petty 1954, '58 and '59 NASCAR champion

39. Junior Johnson Won 50 Winston Cup races

40. Floyd Simmons UNC's best all-around athlete

41. Meadowlark Lemon Fixture of the Globetrotters

42. Buck Baker Winston Series champ 1956 and '57

43. Andrea Stinson Thrice N.C. State's top hoops scorer

44. Brad Daugherty NBA Cavs' career scoring leader

45. Harvie Ward Jr. Twice won the U.S. Amateur

46. Ned Jarrett NASCAR pioneer won 50 races

47. Buck Williams 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year

48. Francis Rogallo Father of Hang Gliding

49. Charlie Sanders Lions Pro Bowl tight end

50. Walter (Teepot) Frye Slick-fielding HS shortstop
Click to expand...
I remember this list when it was released. Now that it's 25 years later, I wonder how the list would be different if done today.

Specifically, I'm curious how Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. would be ranked. And how Dale, Jr. would be considered.
 
I was friends with Jim Beatty’s kids in high school.

Would have liked to see Julius Peppers on the list.
 
SnoopRob said:
I remember this list when it was released. Now that it's 25 years later, I wonder how the list would be different if done today.

Specifically, I'm curious how Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. would be ranked. And how Dale, Jr. would be considered.
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In 1999, Dale, Jr. wouldn't sniff the list. In 2025, Dale, Jr. wouldn’t sniff the sniffing of the list.
 
Luke Appling is a pretty significant omission from the original list. HOF shortstop from High Point who played 20 seasons in MLB (1930-1950). Seven time All-Star, two time AL batting champ, career average of .310, over 2700 hits.

Edited to add further context that he missed more than a full season for military service during WWII. Also his career WAR was over 77. Enos Slaughter who was pretty high on the list had a career WAR of 57.
 
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fourheels said:
Also, while he wasn't known as an athlete, Howard Cosell was born in Winston-Salem and could be considered a highly significant sports figure for his broadcast work.
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Surprised Ray Floyd is number 10 as a Golfer. … like golf in Nc is mostly for snowbirds in Moore County
 
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fourheels said:
Also, while he wasn't known as an athlete, Howard Cosell was born in Winston-Salem and could be considered a highly significant sports figure for his broadcast work.
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Agreed, but I do remember that a large number of sports fans really disliked him back in the day for his broadcasting style and way of talking. When the whole "Who Shot JR Ewing" mania was happening when JR was shot on "Dallas" back in 1980 and people were waiting for the next season's first episode to reveal the shooter, I remember that one comedian joked that the shooter must have been Howard Cosell, because he was the most hated man on TV before JR came along.
 
It's cool that three, Buck Leonard, Phil Ford, and Buck Williams, are from my hometown of Rocky Mount.
 
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donbosco said:

NORTH CAROLINA (From December 27, 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated -- Archived (Link contains the other 49 states as well): The 50 greatest sports figures of the century from each of the 50 states​

​

1. Michael Jordan His Airness

2. Richard Petty Seven-time Daytona 500 champ

3. Buck Leonard Heart of Homestead Grays dynasty

4. David Thompson N.C. State basketball great

5. John Lucas Basketball and tennis All-America

6. Dale Earnhardt Alltime NASCAR money leader

7. Catfish Hunter Won 20 or more from 1971 to '75

8. James Worthy Seven-time NBA All-Star

9. Sonny Jurgensen Redskins Pro Bowl quarterback

10. Ray Floyd In 1992 won on PGA and Senior tours

11. Enos Slaughter Averaged .300 over 19 seasons

12. Gaylord Perry Cy Young winner in both leagues

13. Bobby Bell Eight-time All-AFL linebacker

14. Charlie Justice 4,883 yards of offense at UNC

15. Hoyt Wilhelm Pitched in 1,070 games, 1952 to '72

16. Phil Ford North Carolina's leading career scorer

17. Dominique Wilkins NBA All-Star nine times

18. Charlie Sifford First black man to win PGA event

19. Carl Eller Six-time All-Pro defensive end

20. Jim Beatty First sub-four-minute indoor miler

21. Bob McAdoo Led NBA in scoring three times

22. Roman Gabriel NFL MVP with Rams in 1969

23. Al Dowtin Wake Forest golf coach, 1920s hoops star

24. Sam Jones Helped Celtics win 10 NBA titles

25. Dwight Clark Caught The Catch in 1981

26. Lou Hudson 20.2 career NBA scoring average

27. Dale Jarrett 1999 Winston Cup champion

28. Wes Ferrell Six-time 20-game winner

29. Walter Davis An NBA All-Star six times

30. Bobby Jones One of basketball's top defenders

31. Wimpy Lassiter Greatest nine-ball player ever

32. Walt Bellamy Hoops All-America at Indiana

33. Smokey Burgess Five-time All-Star catcher

34. Prince Nufer Dixon Star swimmer of 1930s, '40s

35. Cedric Maxwell MVP of 1981 NBA Finals

36. Kathy McMillan Long jump silver in Montreal

37. Mike Caldwell Struck out 36 in 18-inning HS game

38. Lee Petty 1954, '58 and '59 NASCAR champion

39. Junior Johnson Won 50 Winston Cup races

40. Floyd Simmons UNC's best all-around athlete

41. Meadowlark Lemon Fixture of the Globetrotters

42. Buck Baker Winston Series champ 1956 and '57

43. Andrea Stinson Thrice N.C. State's top hoops scorer

44. Brad Daugherty NBA Cavs' career scoring leader

45. Harvie Ward Jr. Twice won the U.S. Amateur

46. Ned Jarrett NASCAR pioneer won 50 races

47. Buck Williams 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year

48. Francis Rogallo Father of Hang Gliding

49. Charlie Sanders Lions Pro Bowl tight end

50. Walter (Teepot) Frye Slick-fielding HS shortstop
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Franklinton’s Henry Bibby and Columbus’s Tony Waldrop likely should have been on the 1999 list.
 
05C40 said:
Yeah, Albert Long was a FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) speaker. I heard him speak at school assemblies and Boy Scout events. But when he came out hard for Jesse Helms in 1972, I was shocked that anyone who professed to be a Christian could support Jesse Helms. Boy was I naive. Albert Long was my personal initiation to the fact that there was an entire segment of Christianity that spit on everything Christ taught.
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Yeah I actually heard this guy speak too when I was about 16 so late 80s at a local Methodist church. I think at the time he was preaching about the horrors of rock music and did some completely staged bullshit where the power went out and he claimed Satan caused it. Walked out of there rolling my eyes. I was already a major skeptic of organized religion and he certainly exacerbated it.
 
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