By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
There will be five inductees into the Mebane Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Mebane Arts and Community.
John Kirby, Jeff Modlin, Wayne Petty, Dean Ray, and Doug Smith make up the Class of 2026. Also, B.J. Chockley and Terrence Caldwell will be recognized as the new Hall of Honor inductees.
Kirby is football coach at Eastern Alamance, where he’s an alum and former athletics director. His football teams won numerous conference championships.
Modlin, who died last summer at age 63, spent more than four decades as an athlete, coach, and supporter with Eastern teams. He coached in Mebane Recreation and Parks Department youth leagues. He also was a player in competitive adult softball circles.
Petty, an Eastern alum, gained prominence as a golfer and competed for Eastern and later Appalachian State. He had a long career in amateur golf.
Ray is a former director of the Mebane Recreation and Parks Department. He was at the forefront in creating the Mebane Arts and Community Center and Meb-ane Community Park.
Smith is a former co-captain of the Eastern football team. He worked nearly five decades in football officiating at the high school and college levels. He spent years as an official in the Atlantic Coast Conference, with his assignments including multiple bowl games.
Chockley, who played college basketball for North Carolina, was involved with sports medicine for 45 years, providing care for Eastern athletes, primarily in football and wrestling.
Caldwell is former police chief in Mebane. He was involved in coaching of youth programs in Mebane and has been a longtime sports game official.
Induction-related events are scheduled for 5:30-8:30 p.m., with a reception and dinner. Former University of North Carolina women’s basketball player Sylvia Crawley-Spann, an ex-WNBA player, will be the keynote speaker.
