This is the second class of inductees for the Hall of Fame. The induction banquet is 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 17 in the University Center Annex at UNC Pembroke.
“We have representation from Maxton, Red Springs, Lumberton, St. Pauls and Pembroke in this class,” said Abdul Ghaffar, chair of the hall’s board of directors. “Again this year, it was difficult to select this group from among so many great players, coaches and contributors in the history of sports in Robeson County. This is an outstanding class, without a doubt. We also have a fantastic pool of worthy nominees left for future classes.”
The newest class includes:
• Hampton ‘Hamp’ Coleman – From Red Springs, Coleman pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers and for several minor league teams. Before that, he led his American Legion team to the national finals in Montana, pitched for Red Springs High School and the Red Robbins, a semi-pro team out of St. Pauls. After two years at UNC-Chapel Hill, he began his professional career with the Boston Red Sox organization. While playing for the triple A Louisville Colonels, the Brooklyn Dodgers bought his contract. He pitched their triple A team to the Mini-World Series in 1951 and won it in 1952. While playing summer ball in Cuba, an automobile accident ended his career.
• Pauline Bullard Locklear graduated from Prospect High School in 1951. She attended Pfieffer College and was their starting forward during the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons. Locklear was the first (known) Lumbee athlete to play collegiately somewhere other than at UNCP. She was one of the first persons of color to play college sports at an all-white institution in North Carolina. This was four years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional sports and just prior to the Brown v. Board decision.
· Roy Vaughn built one of the most extraordinary coaching records in Robeson County. In 1971, he took over a struggling athletic program at Maxton High School. In just five years, he won the state championship in basketball in 1974 and football in 1975. Vaughn’s first football team in Maxton was 0-10. His second was 10-0 in the regular season, outscoring opponents 325-57. In 1975, Maxton won the state championship by a score of 86-8 over North Duplin High School. That remains a state record for points scored in a championship game. Vaughn was named state Coach of the Year. He also coached track and was athletic director.
·Ruffin McNeill was named head football coach at ECU on January 21, the same day he was voted into the Robeson County Sports Hall of Fame. McNeill excelled in three sports at Lumberton High School. After participating in the annual East-West All-Star Game, he played defensive back for East Carolina University. Lettering all four years, McNeill was captain for two years. He started his coaching career at Lumberton High School and went on to coach at Clemson, North Alabama, Austin Peay, East Carolina, Appalachian State, Fresno State and finally at Texas Tech from 2000-08, where he became assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. This January the interim head football coach at Texas Tech, coach McNeill led the Red Raiders to a win at the 2010 Valermo Alamo Bowl. The game earned a 5.6 television rating making it the most-watched college bowl game in ESPN history as the rating translates into nearly 5.6 million households.
·Lee Vernon McNeill is former Olympian from St. Pauls. Standing just 5’4", he rushed for more than 4,500 career yards for St. Pauls High School. On the track, McNeill won both the 100 and 200-meter state championship in 1984. Moving on to East Carolina University, he became a three time all-American. McNeill teamed with Carl Lewis, Harvey Glance and Robeson County Hall of Fame member Lee McRae to win the 4x100 relay in the Pan American Games. In 1985, he defeated Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis in the semifinals of the 100-meter run at the USA outdoor track and field championships. He placed second in the final, outrunning both a world record holder and a NCAA champion. Ultimately, McNeill was a member of the 1988 Olympic team that competed in Seoul, South Korea.
·Robert ‘Greasy’ Graham is an icon in St. Pauls sports history. He will be inducted as a “special contributor” to Robeson County sports. Along with fellow Hall of Fame member Joe Brisson, Graham was ‘Mr. Baseball’ for more than 40 years in the community. Graham, a tireless volunteer for the recreation department, was also a Bronze Star recipient in World War II. After the war, he came home to work for Burlington Mills as a mechanic, earning his nickname. After work he devoted his life to the youth of the town. There is a baseball field named in his honor.
For information about the Robeson County Sports Hall of Fame, contact Abdul Ghaffar at (910) 671-7827.
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