Watauga County Sports Hall Of Fame Inducts First Class Those accepting awards at hall of fame induction ceremony included, from left, Mike Kelly, who received a special recognition award; inductee Jack Groce; John Hollar Jr., who accepted his father’s induction award; Pam Matheson, who accepted her husband’s induction award; inductee Sam Adams and inductee Steve Gabriel. Photo by Mike Shands By Mike Shands Memories, jokes and tears flowed freely as hundreds of High Country residents honored five of Watauga County’s most successful and well-known sports figures last week. The Optimist Club of Boone held its inaugural induction ceremony for the Watauga County Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 4 at the Boone United Methodist Church. Guests gathered to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of Sam Adams, Steve Gabriel, Jack Groce, John Hollar and Bob Matheson, who comprised the hall of fame’s first class of inductees. The optimist club also honored WATA-AM sportscaster Mike Kelly for his coverage of Watauga High School sports. Each of the five inductees shared close athletic, working or friendship ties with at least one, often several, of the other inductees during their athletic careers. Hall Of Fame Inductees Adams was a four-year letterman on the Appalachian High School (AHS) golf team from 1961 to 1964, including two years as captain. At Appalachian State Teachers College (ASTC) Adams was a four-year letterman, a two-year captain, a three-time all-conference selection and a one-time All-American. He played on the PGA Tour from 1971 to 1978, finishing second in the 1972 Canadian Open and winning the 1973 Quad Cities Open and 1975 Carolinas Open. Adams won the 2001 Tennessee PGA Championship and is a three-time Tennessee Senior Player of the Year. Adams was inducted into the Appalachian State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984 and coached the ASU golf team from 1982 through 1995. “I am particularly humbled to go into the hall with this group of inductees,” Adams said. He said there are four primary requirements to succeed in any sport. “You have to have some ability, you have to have desire, you have to have opportunity and you have to be lucky,” Adams said. Gabriel graduated from Lincolnton High School in 1948 before coming to ASTC, where he lettered two years as starting quarterback on the football team and three years on the wrestling team. During his college wrestling career Gabriel compiled a 40-4-1 record while earning two NCAAU Championships. He went on to coach football, baseball and wrestling at AHS for 13 years. After founding the AHS wrestling team Gabriel guided the squad to a perfect 140-0 record and 54 state champions. Gabriel then compiled a 92-21 record as Appalachian State University’s wrestling coach. He was inducted into ASU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the Governor’s Award of Excellence two years later. He also served on the little league board for 14 years and coached for 16 years. “That’s what you call community service,” said Lester Hardin, who presented Gabriel with the hall of fame induction plaque. “He’s been a wonderful role model in Watauga County. He has been a coach, teacher, leader and friend to many. He has gone beyond the call of duty.” Groce also played on the ASTC football team with Gabriel and Hardin. He graduated from ASTC in 1953 after earning all-conference and team MVP honors for three years. In 1950 Groce earned all-state and Little All-American honors. He then coached football, baseball and golf at AHS from 1955 to 1965, leading the school’s football team to a 98-15-3 record. Groce served as an assistant football coach at ASU from 1965 to 1972 before accepting the football and golf head coaching positions at Watauga High School in 1972. His record at WHS was 36-7-1, giving him a combined overall record of 134-22-4 at AHS and WHS. Groce was inducted into the ASU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975, the N.C. Athletic Directors Hall of Fame in 1996 and the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2002. “I am excited, proud, humbled and honored to be among the recipients of this prestigious recognition, especially to be named with the 2003-04 class,” Groce said. “I’ve worked with all of this group, and they are a wonderful group of people.” Groce thanked God, his family, teammates, coaches he worked with or coached against, student-athletes he coached, students, faculty members, administrators and board of education members. Hollar graduated from AHS in 1943 and ASTC in 1948. He was voted team MVP by the Boone Quarterback Club in 1947 and led the football team in rushing and scoring for two years. Hollar was all-conference in 1946 and 1947 and holds two school records. He signed with the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL and played for Detroit and Washington. Hollar served as a referee for many years in high school basketball and football as well as college baseball and football. He was inducted into the ASU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. He died in 1997. Roachel Laney presented Hollar’s induction plaque to John Hollar Jr. “John Hollar was a great athlete. He was known as Big John in the athletic circles,” Laney said. “He made life fun for all. He had that extroverted personality that made him special. “John loved people and loved being around them. Wherever he went people knew him. Sports gave John the opportunity in life to be around people.” Matheson played basketball and football at AHS before graduating in 1963. He was a four-year varsity fullback and was selected to the 1962 Shrine Bowl Team. Matheson graduated from Duke University in 1967 after earning first-team All-ACC honors twice. As a senior he was honored as team captain, team MVP and first-team All-American by the Associated Press and several other organizations and publications. An NFL first-round draft pick by Cleveland in 1967, Matheson played with the Browns until becoming a Miami Dolphin in 1970. He played there until 1980, leading the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1971-1973 and Super Bowl victories in 1972 and 1973. After his playing career ended Matheson coached with Duke in 1981 and 1982 and then with the Dolphins from 1983 to 1988. He was also selected to the All-ACC Silver and Golden Anniversary Teams. Matheson died in 1994 from the effects of Hodgkin’s disease. Barbara Avant presented Matheson’s induction plaque to his widow, Pam Matheson. “Bob loved these mountains and Boone more than any place in the world,” Avant said. Pam Matheson said she was honored to represent her husband at the ceremony. “This is a unique group of people,” she said. Marc Payne, former WHS athletic director and head football coach, presented Kelly with his award. “Mike Kelly has taken the medium of radio and added things to Watauga High that can’t be added unless you really go out and work,” said Payne, who now serves as athletic director for Ashe County High School. “He really does go the extra mile. He truly is the voice of the Pioneers.”