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< Back Anthony "Chuck" McSwain 2017 an All-American fullback and linebacker from Chase High School in Rutherford County, NC. McSwain attended Chase High School in North Carolina, where he was an All-American fullback and also played linebacker on defense. He lettered in basketball and track. His number 35 was retired by the school a couple years following his graduation. He accepted a scholarship from Clemson University and became a starter as a freshman, in place of an injured Lester Brown. He finished with 443 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns including 120 yards on 18 carries versus Duke University. He was named the conference's rookie of the year. In 1980, he was the team's second leading rusher with 544 yards, including 272 yards on 37 attempts (6.8-yard average) in the final three games. He gained a total of 2,320 yards as a running back with the Clemson Tigers, and was a member of the university's 1981 National Championship Team. McSwain was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft. In his first career pre-season appearance, he had a game to remember against the Miami Dolphins, scoring 2 touchdowns in less than 2 minutes (including a 37-yard touchdown run). It was the last preseason game, the last chance to make the team. The first and second quarter went by and McSwain was still on the bench, The third quarter rolled into the fourth with only two minutes remaining when Coach Landry finally put McSwain in for his final chance, With two touchdowns down, a screen play to McSwain would lead him to run 67 yards for a touchdown. Coach Landry walked up the McSwain and said, "Son, you were two minutes away from being cut. Congratulations, you are a Dallas Cowboy."

< Back Dr. Bob England 2018 A lifetime athletic contributor, England volunteers for Rutherford County athletic programs providing physicals and mentorship to students and families. He attended R-S Central, graduating in 1950. While in high school, England displayed natural leadership, was class president and was a member of the baseball team in the position of catcher for two years. After high school, he joined the US Air Force where he served as Staff Sgt. From 1951-1955. Following his military service, Dr. England attended Wofford College, where he completed his under-graduate degree in 1958. He completed his medical degree, graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina at Charleston in 1962. Dr. England settled into a long career, serving Rutherford County as a physician and sports medicine provider from 1964 to 2018. He also served as a member of the Rutherford County Board of Education from 1975 to 1994, 18 years as chairman. In addition, England served as a member of the NC House of Representatives from 2003-2011. For more than 21 years, Dr. England has covered the cost of sports physicals for Rutherford County student athletes, a savings to local families estimated to be more than $61,000. Upon hearing of being inducted into the Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. England said, "This honor gives recognition to a continuing career participating in sports and with athletes. I didn't score any touchdowns, hit any homeruns, or 'knock down' any 3-pointers; however, being a part of (the lives of) young athletes who did and those who went on to great success in sports. I felt like I scored!"

< Back Carolyn Dewberry Bratton 2019 Carolyn Dewberry Bratton excelled on local basketball courts during her prep and collegiate careers. She suited up for the Chase Trojans from 1974-78 and finished her time in Henrietta as the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder with 1,212 career points. She was also named as team MVP and an All-Conference selection. Bratton's production led to her induction into the Chase Athletics Hall of Fame. Bratton crossed county lines to play her college ball at nearby Gardner-Webb University. She played in Boiling Springs from 1978-1982 and put her name in the Runnin' Bulldog record book. During her four year career, Bratton scored 1,928 points which ranks third all-time in Gardner-Webb program history, topping the 30 point plateau twelve times. Her career mark of 923 rebounds is also good enough for third all-time in the GWU record books. In addition, Bratton averaged a double-double during her Runnin' Bulldog career. Her 22.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game average is a GWU program record that has stood for 41 seasons. Bratton garnered several record-breaking individual seasons at GWU on her way to a stellar career. As a junior in 1981, she average a school record 25.3 points per game. The next year, during her senior season, Bratton averaged 12.2 rebounds per contest, which is also a program record. GWU honored Bratton for her accomplishments on October 28, 1995 when she was inducted in the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame.

< Back Vincent Hamilton 2018 A graduate from R-S Central Class of 1980. Hamilton played basketball for Central from 1977-1980. During his high school career, he was All Conference each year, All District in 1978-79 and helped R-S Central win the State 3A Basketball Championship with an undefeated season in 1979. His basketball team uniform was retired in 1983. Hamilton was also a member of the Track and Cross-Country teams 1979-1980. In 1980, he won the FIBA World Cup Silver Medal, and in 1981, he earned the Olympic National Sports Festival Silver Medal. Hamilton attended Clemson University on an athletic scholarship from 1981-1985 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education. While there he was a member of the ACC All Legends Team, All ACC Rookie Team and was named ACC Player of the Week. In 1985, he was Clemson Athlete of the Year. He was selected for the Clemson Basketball All-Time Greats team, the Clemson Hall of Fame 2003, and the 2004 AIl ACC team. Hamilton was a 1985 NBA Draft Pick for the Indiana Pacers. He was named to the Continental Basketball Association All Star team/All Time Most Games Played. He was Team Captain of the CB World Champion Catbirds in 1990 and 1992, and his team uniform was retired in 1994. Hamilton was Director of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach for the LaCrosse Bobcats 1994-99. Hamilton continues to coach as Founder and CEO of HAMFAMOUS, a health, wellness and fitness company in LaCrosse, WI. "I believe all great life endeavors should have a redeeming social value. Being involved with sports has given me the honor of being in service to many people in all walks of life, from faith to health, education to sports, volunteering to business. Oneness is always the goal I've strived for - serving to bring people together to Oneness," said Hamilton.

< Back Keenan Carpenter 2023 Keenan Lee Carpenter could score the basketball and he proved it against all levels of competition. After scoring over 1,000 points in his high school career at R-S Central, Carpenter did the same at Anderson (SC) Jr. College before becoming a record-setter at Auburn and in the SEC. Carpenter developed his notoriety as a scorer on the hardwood for R-S Central. He scored over 1,000 points during his Hilltopper career while leading the Southwestern Conference in points as a Junior and a Senior in 1983 and 1984. As a result, Carpenter was named to the All-Conference team after both of those seasons. His career-high in scoring came on January 27, 1984 when Carpenter dropped 41 points against Rutherford County rival East Rutherford. At the conclusion of his Senior season, Carpenter was named to the All-Piedmont team, and he was selected to play in the East/West All-Star game where he led the West with a team-high 18 points. After spending one year away from basketball in 1985, Carpenter enrolled at Anderson Jr. College in 1986. That year, he was voted the Region X MVP and also earned first-team All-Conference honors In 1987. Carpenter had no sophomore slump as he scored a then career-high 43 points vs. Mercer. Carpenter also joined the 1,000-point club during that season on his way to repeating as league MVP and earning NJCAA All-American honors. After finishing his career at Anderson, he moved to the SEC and Auburn University where he played from 1988-89. He set scoring records for the Tigers, too. As a Senior in 1989, Carpenter scored a career-high 44 points vs. LSU including a then-program record eight three-pointers. Those exploits led Carpenter to be named SEC Player of the Week. That was far from Carpenter’s only monster game for the Tigers though, as he scored 30 points or more five times while at Auburn. Carpenter also scored 32 points against Ole Miss in 1989 and 33 points vs. the University of Florida as a Junior in 1988. Putting up those kinds of scoring numbers earned Carpenter many accolades. He was named one of Playboy Magazine’s Top-5 Players in the Nation in 1988. He also led the SEC in three-pointers made as a Senior in 1989, shooting at a 41 percent clip from beyond the arc. During his final season, Carpenter’s scoring average jumped from 4.7 points per game to 19 points per game (7th best in the SEC) and he was named 2nd Team All-SEC by United Press International. Carpenter also shot an impressive 81.7 percent from the foul line for his career. In all, Carpenter scored 667 points (11.2 ppg) during his two seasons at Auburn and was selected to the Tigers’ Centennial Team in 1999. Carpenter still resides in Auburn, Alabama where he owns a life insurance and credit repair company, Keenan Carpenter & Associates.

< Back Wendy Henson Stafford 2022 Wendy Henson Stafford was something of a prodigy in the pool even before a stellar career for CHASE High School and later Clemson University. She began swimming at the age of three after a near-fatal accident at a hotel pool led her parents to enroll Stafford in swimming lessons. Stafford showed such an affinity for the water, she joined the Forest City Swim Team and by the time she was eight, Stafford was setting pool and team records. At age nine, Stafford competed in the North Carolina Junior Olympics before transferring her club affiliation to the Rutherford County Swim Team and later to the YSSC Spartanburg SpartAquatics in South Carolina. During that time, she once again competed in the North Carolina Jr. Olympics in several events, ranking as the seventh best swimmer in the 10U age division. When she was 12, Stafford was chosen to attend the Olympic Training Select Camp in Colorado Springs. Stafford attended CHASE High School from 1991-1995 and swam under coach Rhett Oglesby and she never lost a race while swimming for the Lady Trojans. During her CHASE career, Stafford held NCHSAA records for the 100, 200 and 500 Meter Freestyle events, while also setting the state record in the 200 IM (Individual Medley). These accomplishments led Stafford to be named the 1-3A NCHSAA Swimmer of the Year all four seasons during her prep career. During that time, Stafford continued to excel for her club team in Spartanburg. She was an eight-time YMCA National Champion, setting National Records in the 100, 200, and 400 Meter Freestyle, and for also setting South Carolina State records in six different events. While in high school, Stafford earned a spot on the 18U U.S.A. National Team and was a three-time high school All-American. All those accolades led to Stafford earning a full scholarship to Clemson in 1995 and she found immediate success for the Tigers. Stafford earned 30 first place finishes for Clemson during the 1995-96 season, while also placing in the top four in six different events at the ACC Championships. She earned All-American status at the National Championships in the 200 Freestyle, along with many other honors. As a result, she was named as Clemson's Rookie of the Year and Swimmer of the Year. Stafford's success continued as a sophomore, nearly qualifying for the U.S.A. Olympic team in the 200 I EMS Freestyle, missing the cut by .02 seconds. She finished the season with the third fastest time in Clemson history in both the 100 and 200 Freestyle. As a junior, Stafford earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll and was named as the "Most Dedicated" swimmer on the team. Stafford concluded her junior season by once again competing at the National Championships. She finished her Clemson career by securing a Top 15 national ranking in the 500 Freestyle, in addition to a second-place finish at the ACC Championships in the 200 Freestyle and sixth place in the 100 Freestyle. After graduating from Clemson, Stafford entered the banking industry, but still found time to coach various clubs. Stafford and her family currently live in Powdersville, South Carolina where she founded the Powdersville High School swim team in 2018. "I feel lucky to have called Rutherford County my home," Stafford says. "It is an honor and privilege to be nominated. I hope by accepting this honor, others will be motivated to achieve their goals through hard work, perseverance and a positive attitude."

< Back Ray Rice 2022 Ray Rice kickboxing and Martial Arts career has taken him all over the world while earning him many accolades, but Rice still has deep roots in Rutherford County. Rice is a 1973 graduate of CHASE High School but began pursing karate in 1971. He opened the Ray Rice Martial Arts Center in 1976, which has operated in several locations in Rutherford County through the years but is currently located on West Main Street in Forest City. During the past 46 years, he has trained and inspired thousands of students. While teaching, Rice became active on the competition circuit in 1982, traveling to 18 different states and four countries, Russia, Canada, France and Italy, during his career. By the time he retired from competition in 1997, Rice had an overall record of 130-9, earning him a #1 World Ranking for Kickboxing in the Super Middleweight division (164-171 lbs.) in 1992. Of those nine losses, Rice rebounded to beat seven of those opponents in rematches. Rice also owns three kickboxing world titles and holds an overall eighth degree Black Belt and individual Black Belts in Japanese Shotokan, Korean Tae Kwon Do and Aikido. Along with Kickboxing, Rice has earned distinction in other competitions, as well. He has hundreds of wins in both Kurnite (weapons) and empty hands form. As a result of these accomplishments, along with several accolades in Self-Defense, Rice earned the National Competitor of the Year five consecutive times. The biggest indicator of Rice's success, however, is the number of students who have earned Black Belts under his tutelage. It takes a minimum of four years to earn this distinction and Rice says his students are, "Capable of contributing to society in a positive way". In addition to training others, Rice himself has trained with martial arts legends Chuck Norris (Walker Texas Ranger) and Jason David Frank from the original Power Rangers TV series. Rice has also been involved with Norris' Kick Drugs Out of America program, now known as KickStart Kids. Despite all his accomplishments, Rice says his most important achievement is lifting people up and helping them achieve their goals. Rice adds that, "The years teach much that the days never knew", and "You can't teach what you don't know. You can't lead where you have never been."

< Back Lewis Jolley 2017 native of Bostic, NC and graduate from East Rutherford High School 1967, played his collegiate football career at UNC Chapel Hill from 1969-1971 as a running back, wing back and kick-off return, after receiving a scholarship in spite of not being able to play his senior year due to injury. He was later drafted in 1972 by the Houston Oilers as the highest NFL draft pick in Rutherford County history (56). From 1972-1974, Jolly played with the Houston Oilers, the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Stars. Jolley, because of his superb performance as a running back for UNC Chapel Hill, was also selected as a key member of the 1971 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team, which consisted of American football players chosen by various selectors for their All-Atlantic Coast Conference ("ACC") teams for the 1971 college football season. While playing collegiately, during warmups against Notre Dame, a former teammate recalled this exchange: "Lewis Jolley was catching punts, running them a short distance, and turning around to go catch another one. As I kicked a field goal, Lewis jogged by and yelled, "We're in some deep $--t." I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "I will be back." He caught another punt, jogged by, and said, "These guys are huge." I said, "Lewis we knew that before today." He said, "'Il be back." He came back again, this time with a bit of laughter and bigger than normal eyes peering from his helmet, Lewis said, "They do not have their shoulder pads on yet." I turned and looked, he was right, they did not have their shoulder pads on and they were already huge!!"

< Back Pam Harmon 2023 Pam K. Harmon excelled at every sport she played at East Rutherford High School. She lettered in three different sports during her Cavalier career from 1974-1977. Harmon made an early impact on the courts and fields at East Rutherford High School. She played basketball and softball all four years as a Cavalier, earning MVP and All-Conference honors multiple times. She was named the best practice player for the softball team and had the best free throw percentage on the basketball team for three of four seasons. When Jim Clement began the East Rutherford Women’s Tennis team Harmon’s sophomore season, she also found success on that court, as well. She was the #1 seed for the Lady Cavs all three seasons of her prep tennis career. Like basketball, Harmon also earned MVP and All-Conference accolades. During Harmon’s senior season of 1977, she posted an undefeated record in conference play and made a deep run in the NCHSAA playoffs. As a result, she was nominated for the prestigious “Women in Sports Award” from the newly formed Women Sports Foundation by Clement. Because she embodied the WSF’s mission to “Advance the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity enabling all girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life”, she was named the winner. As a result, Harmon received the award from tennis legend Billie Jean King in 1977. During her senior year at East, Harmon also received a scholarship to play basketball at Duke University. Her offer is believed to be the first opportunity for a female basketball player from Rutherford County to continue their playing career at an ACC program. Harmon currently resides in Shelby where she is self-employed in the Business Services Industry.

< Back Don Padgett 2017 from Caroleen, NC, was an American professional baseball player, catcher/outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (1937-41), Brooklyn Dodgers (1946), Boston Braves (1946) and Philadelphia Phillies (1947-48). He attended Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina, where he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. Padgett signed with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization in 1935. The left-handed hitting outfielder made his major league debut with the Cardinals in 1937, playing 123 regular season games and batting an impressive .314 with 74 RBIs. In 1938, his average dipped to 271 but he came back with an incredible 399 batting average in 92 games in 1939 while adjusting from being an outfielder to a catcher. On December 10, 1941, the Cardinals sold Padgett to the Dodgers for $25,000. On March 28, 1942, Padgett left Brooklyn's training camp to report to his home draft board for induction into the Army. On April 1, 1942, he chose instead to enlist in the Navy and was sworn in. On July 7, 1942, Padgett was selected for an All-Service team that played against an American League all-star squad at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. Before 62,059 fans, the American League beat the servicemen, 5-0. Padgett's main contribution to the game was a screeching single to left field in the first inning but he was left stranded on base. By August 1944, Padgett was coaching a US Navy team in Australia. In January 1946, at the age of 34, Padgett was released from military service after missing four professional baseball seasons.

< Back Eric Starr 2022 Eric Starr certainly lived up to his name during his athletic career. The Ellenboro, North Carolina native was a two-sport standout during his time at East Rutherford High School from 1980-84, earning numerous accolades for football and Track before playing on the college gridiron for the North Carolina Tarheels. Starr played football all four years of his Cavalier career, three as a starter. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark as a running back in 1982 and 1983. Starr was also a force for the Cavaliers on the defensive side of the ball, leading the team in tackles his senior season. As a result of his accomplishments, Starr was named to the 1983 Shrine Bowl roster and later played in the annual North Carolina East-West All-Star Game in the spring of 1984. Starr was equally as impressive on the track which he ran for three seasons. He was part of a 400-meter relay team who finished first in the conference and still holds the school record. His 800-meter relay team also finished first in the conference, earning Starr All-Conference honors. Starr earned several individual honors as well, holding conference titles in the 200 Meter dash in 1982 and 1983, gaining All-Conference distinction and holding the school record in the event for 10 years. He also placed third in the conference in the 100-meter dash in 1982 and 1983. When Starr enrolled at UNC in 1984, he decided to focus on football. A four-year starter for the Tarheels, he began his college career as a defensive back. In 1985, Star pulled down three interceptions, which was fourth best in the ACC that season and he also ranked fifth in interception return yardage. Starr moved to running back for his junior and senior seasons and found immediate success. He rushed for a total of 1,028 yards during his final two seasons in Chapel Hill and scored a combined eight touchdowns. In 1986, Starr averaged an impressive 6.5 yards per carry, which ranked sixth in the country. He was also a receiving threat out of the backfield and in the return game for UNC, averaging 9.2 yards per reception in 1987 and 20.4 yards per kick return in 1986. Upon graduation, Starr moved to the professional ranks, playing for three different NFL teams. In 1988, while with the Chicago Bears, he scored the game-winning touchdown against the Miami Dolphins before moving to the practice squad. He then joined the Dolphins practice squad in 1989 before seeing regular playing time with the Buffalo Bills in 1990, prior to an injury ending his season. Starr joined the British Colombia Lions of the Canadian Football League later that year and played there until 1992. During his time with the Lions, Starr played defensive back and returned kicks, averaging 21.8 yards per return.

Induction Year Sort by Name Sort by Class Year Angela Hamilton-Jones Basketball Induction Year: 2018 Billy Ray Haynes Jr Football Induction Year: 2023 Carl Bartles Football Induction Year: 2024 Charles "Dean" Huffstickler Boxing Induction Year: 2023 Anthony "Chuck" McSwain Football Induction Year: 2017 Billy Ray Vickers Football Induction Year: 2022 Carolyn Dewberry Bratton Basketball Induction Year: 2019 Chris Michael Basketball Induction Year: 2023 Belus Smawley Basketball Induction Year: 2017 Bobby Reynolds Coach Induction Year: 2022 Chad Flack Baseball Induction Year: 2024 Don Padgett Baseball Induction Year: 2017 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4 **No Class of 2020 or 2021 Members due to COVID-19 Pandemic.**