On May 9, the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton North Raleigh was bustling with sports celebrities and fans, all of whom had come for the induction of eight renowned North Carolina sports figures into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
The inductees join a panoply of sports champions, 281 in all, who have brought fame and honor to North Carolina and continue to do so. Information and mementoes from their careers are on display in the North Carolina Museum of History at 5 East Edenton Street in Raleigh.
Dr. Jerry McGee officiated at 405 football games over more than 40 years. In fact, he was the referee in the BCS 2009 BCS championship game between Oklahoma and Florida, the last game at which he wore both the white hat and the striped shirt. When McGee retired following that game, he received the “300 Games” plaque, the only such award ever presented by the Atlantic Coast Conference. Since 1992, he has been president of Wingate University.