Alex. Sports Hall of Fame to add four

The Alexander County Public Education Foundation and the Alexander County Sports Hall of Fame have announced the 10th Hall of Fame Class of inductees.

The Hall of Fame was established in 2012 to recognize, honor, and memorialize those individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to sports in Alexander County and who have lived a life of exemplary character.

The Alexander County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be inducted on Monday, November 21, at 6:00 p.m. at the Alexander Central High School Auditorium.

The Alexander County Public Education Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of the following persons for induction into the Class of 2022: Bobby Brown, Gene Chapman, Joel C. Harbinson, and Michael “Mickey” Moree.

BOBBY BROWN
Bobby Brown was born in Alexander County in 1964 and spent the first part of his life in the county before joining the military after high school.

He graduated from Alexander Central High School in 1983. While at Alexander Central, Brown was a four-sport athlete. He was a member of the Cougar football, baseball, basketball, and track & field teams.

Brown was a standout player for the Cougars in basketball and baseball, earning All-Conference honors in both sports. He was regarded as one of the top hitters in ACHS baseball history, and one of the top scorers in the ACHS basketball program history. According to his nomination form, Brown is a top-10 scorer in Cougar basketball history.

Following high school, he joined the United States Army and made the military a lifelong profession.

Brown is retired from the US Army and currently resides in Columbus, Georgia.

GENE CHAPMAN
Known as “Chief” by his teammates, Gene Chapman was a standout high school baseball player during his school years at Taylorsville High School. Chapman, who graduated from Taylorsville High in 1957, played for the legendary Pat Gainey as a member of the Bears’ baseball team.

Following his stellar high school career, Chapman joined a local semi-pro baseball team based in Alexander County. He pitched and played first base and centerfield on the team, which was compiled of other standout players from the Taylorsville area. In one memorable game, the Taylorsville team faced the Statesville Owls in a 16-inning game. Chapman pitched all 16 frames, not allowing a hit for the final nine innings.

Following his semi-pro baseball days, he became a prolific men’s softball player in Alexander County. He was a member of a loaded Adams’ Septic Tank team and played as many as 150 softball games yearly. He also gave back to the community as a youth baseball coach and member of the Alexander County Recreation Board.

Through his job with Crescent Electric, Chapman was instrumental in lighting at several local parks in the county, including Alexander Central High School.

A life-long resident of Alexander County, he is now retired from Crescent Electric and resides in Stony Point.

JOEL C. HARBINSON
Local attorney Joel C. Harbinson was a member of the first-ever football team at Alexander Central High School and made an immediate impact on the program as the school transitioned to one high school in the county.

As a member of the ACHS football team, Harbinson is known for scoring the first touchdown in ACHS Cougar Stadium history. He is also the first-ever 1,000-yard rusher for legendary head coach, the late Glenn Wilson. While at Taylorsville High and ACHS, he was a standout football and baseball player. He became the first Cougar player to earn All-Conference honors in two sports during the 1971-72 school year. Following high school, Harbinson enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of the Tar Heels JV Baseball team.

Harbinson was also a strong tennis player. He captured the county’s first-ever tennis tourney, winning in singles and doubles.

Upon his graduation from UNC Chapel Hill with a law degree, Harbinson returned to his home county to practice law. He still practices law for Alexander County residents at Harbinson & Brzykcy in downtown Taylorsville. He has served as the attorney for Alexander County and the Alexander County Board of Education. In addition, Harbinson was a member of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners from 1998 until 2002.

In 1985, Harbinson was recognized by the Alexander County Recreation Department as a “Living Legend” in the history of Alexander County sports.

MICHAEL “MICKEY” MOREE
Michael “Mickey” Moree is a 1963 graduate of Taylorsville High School where he was a member of the Bears’ football, baseball, and track & field teams. Moree was revered as a leader for the Bears’ football team and also shined for THS on the baseball diamond. Following high school, he played collegiate baseball at Lees-McRae College.

After two years at Lees-McRae, Moore attended Pembroke State University, where he graduated in 1968. He graduated fourth in his class at Pembroke and is a member of the school’s Wall of Fame and Wall of Presidents.

Upon graduation from Pembroke State, Moree entered the world of public education where he served as a teacher and coach for 10 years. He served as a football and baseball coach at Pembroke High School, and later coached football and basketball and Tar Heel and Shallotte High Schools. He later became an administrator and served as Principal at West Junior High School in Bethlehem before he retired from public education.

In 1983, Moree joined the ministry, earning a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Seminary at Wake Forest. He continues to serve as a minister and is currently the pastor at Stony Point United Methodist Church.

Moree and his wife currently reside in the Ellendale Community of Alexander County.

ABOUT THE NOMINATION PROCESS
Once a person is nominated, his or her nomination remains permanent and will receive selection consideration each year by the selection committee.

Nomination forms are found on the Education Foundation link on the Alexander County Schools’ webpage (www.alexander.k12.nc.us) and are due by June 1 each year.

Alexander County Sports Hall of Fame Committee members include Larry Yoder (Chairman), Dennis Smart (Treasurer), Brigette Rhyne (Secretary), Kay Wilson Hammer, Alvin Burke, Mike Millsaps, Gene Price, Rick Gilbert, Shena Hollar, Jonathan Watts, and Darren Hayes.