Sports and Entertainment
Showing results: 1 to 15 out of 30
David McClure Brinkley (1920-2003) Encyclopedia
Newscaster David McClure Brinkley helped pioneer the two-anchor format on NBC and revolutionize the format of the Sunday news interview programs with his ABC series, This Week With David Brinkley.Bull Durham Tobacco & the Durham Bulls Encyclopedia
The Durham Bulls, North Carolina’s premier minor league baseball team, played their first game in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists. Durham attorney William Bramham helped organize the team and popularize minor league baseball in North Carolina. The Durham Bulls is named after the Bull Durham tobacco-advertising icon, and as of 2012, the Bulls are the Class-AAA affiliate team of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.Josephus Daniels (1862 - 1948) Encyclopedia
Josephus Daniels was a prominent journalist and newspaper editor from North Carolina. He purchased the Raleigh News and Observer in 1894 and became a leading “New South” political commentator. He was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to serve as Secretary of the Navy during World War I. He later served as ambassador to Mexico under President Franklin Roosevelt.Dueling Encyclopedia
Many modern-day Americans consider dueling to be a senseless act of violence, but for many Southerners and North Carolinian gentlemen, the act was many times a defense of honor.Dale Earnhardt (1951 - 2001) Encyclopedia
One of the greatest American stock car drivers of all time, Dale Earnhardt was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The son of Ralph Earnhardt, Dale continued the racing legacy, and it lives on today with his son, Dale Earnhardy, Jr., and the company Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI). Known as the Intimidator for his aggressive driving style, Earnhardt won seven NASCAR titles, rivaling fellow North Carolinian driver, Richard Petty.Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990) Encyclopedia
Born in Johnston County in 1922, Ava Lavinia Gardner became one of Hollywood’s most popular starlets in the 1940s and 1950s. She attended Rock Ridge High School and Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), and in 1939 her big break in film occurred. While visiting her sister in New York a photographer took several pictures of Gardner who later sent them to the MGM talent office. MGM signed Gardner to a seven-year contract and her acting career began. Gardner appeared in several classic films including The Killers, One Touch of Venus, and the classic musical, Show Boat.Andy Griffith (1926 - 2012) Encyclopedia
Born on June 1, 1926 in Mount Airy, Andy Griffith studied at UNC-Chapel Hill where he majored in music. Griffith worked as a teacher for several years before starting his career as an actor, starring in the play No Time for Sergeants, a Broadway show that opened in 1955. Five years later, Griffith starred in his most famous role as Sheriff Andy Griffith in The Andy Griffith Show. Griffith starred in several other television movies and shows, including Matlock before his retirement to Dare County. The actor died on July 3, 2012 from heart complications.O. Henry (1862 - 1910) Encyclopedia
More commonly known as O. Henry, the North Carolina-born author was famous for his “O. Henry Endings” and popular short stories in the early-twentieth century. Born in Greensboro in 1862, O. Henry’s early childhood and adolescence greatly influenced his literary style and voice. Some of his famous works include “The Gift of the Magi”, “The Ransom of Red Chief”, and “Memoirs of a Yellow Dog.”Highland Games Encyclopedia
North Carolina was once the largest settlement area for Highland Scots who brought the Highland Games with them upon settling in the state. The Highland Games are Scottish sporting events, including tossing heavy objects and bagpipe playing, rooted in Celtic tradition. North Carolina’s largest Highland Games event occurs each July at MacRae Meadows at Grandfather Mountain.James “Catfish” Hunter (1946 - 1999) Encyclopedia
One of North Carolina’s most prolific baseball players, Jim “Catfish” Hunter excelled on the baseball mound from his young days in Hertford to his last professional years with the New York Yankees. Catfish was known for his precision pitching, and he won five World Series during his 14 year career in the major leagues. The all-star pitcher retired in 1979 to his family home in Perquimans County, and he passed away in 1999 after battling Lou Gehrig’s disease.Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice (1924-2003) Encyclopedia
Possibly the best football player to graduate from UNC and one of the best football players to play intercollegiate ball, Charlie Justice, played for the Washington Redskins before recurring injuries prematurely ended his professional career.John McLendon (1915-1999) Encyclopedia
Protégée of basketball inventor James Naismith, John McLendon was born in Hiawatha, Kansas. At the University of Kansas, McLendon changed the pace of the game from a crawl to a fast-paced, high-action event by implementing the fast break method of basketball. Fast break basketball emphasized teamwork, speed and agility. Although he is credited with improving basketball, McLendon was not permitted to play on Kansas’s varsity team because of his race