Craig with is granddaughters - Katie Moss (on the left) and Schular Moss (on the right)
Craig Reid graduated from Red Oak in 1955. In the 8th grade, on a dare, he went out for the cheerleading squad and made the team, so he cheered in 8th grade.
He played basketball and baseball in the 9th – 12th grades. He says baseball was his best game but that basketball was his favorite. He says that he caught for the baseball team because at one point he was the only person who wasn’t bat blind. He has fond memories of playing at the old Rocky Mount stadium when it was still covered like Fleming Stadium is in Wilson.
He says that during a high school game he made a great play at shortstop and threw the ball 10 feet over the first baseman’s head. When he went to the bench after the inning, Mr. Ennis told him he had a “million dollar glove” and a “ten cent arm”.
He would sneak into the Red Oak gym to shoot basketball after hours and one morning about 1 AM he was practicing his jump shot and Mr. Ennis came to the gym and told him to go home – he told Craig it was too late at night to be practicing and he needed to go home and get some sleep!!
After high school, he played basketball at Louisburg College for two years before continuing at East Carolina University. At ECU, he played for a year, but sustained a career ending back injury that required surgery. He was unable to play after that. After graduating from ECU, he enlisted in the Army Reserves and continued playing basketball and baseball.
While at Louisburg College Craig was known as a very good pool player at the local Louisburg Pool Hall. He had his individual pool stick which he carried in a case and defeated most the best local pool players. While at Louisburg College he played in a tournament at the Louisburg Pool Hall with Luther Lassiter, nicknamed Wimpy. Luther was a world-renowned pool player from Elizabeth City NC and was the winner of six world championships and numerous other titles. He played often at Louisburg when he would invite the best players in the Raleigh – Durham area to play. Wimpy was well known for his game of nine-ball at which he is still considered the greatest nine-ball player of all time. A signed framed photo of Wimpy hung in the Pool Hall while I was attending Louisburg College from 1961 to 1963. It was stolen later and Chick Williams the owner of the pool hall offered a $1000.00 reward for the return of the photo, which was never returned. Luther was inducted into the Billiards Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 1983. That same year, he was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He is ranked number 9 on the Billiards Digest 50 Greatest Players of the Century. Luther Lassiter passed away October 25, 1988. If anybody knows where that signed framed photo is today let me know and you will receive the $1000.00 reward no questions asked!!
Craig began playing golf in 1962 or 1963 and was a good golfer and played consistently for 10 or more years. In 1971 he began playing tennis and not surprisingly he was a very good tennis player too. At the top of his game, he and his doubles partner from Goldsboro, Sonny Aycock, were ranked #4 in the state in the men’s 35 and older age group. His daughter Ashley started playing tennis with him when she was 10 and they played in a number of mixed doubles tournaments and were the mixed doubles champions for several years at Belmont Farms.
When Craig’s knees started giving him trouble he was not able to play tennis as much as he liked; so, he returned to two of his favorite pastimes, hunting and golf. At this time he continued to play in few golf tournaments around Eastern NC at a highly competitive level until 2008.
He also started a game preserve and set up quail, dove and pheasant hunts for people from as far away as Maryland, Nebraska and Florida. In addition, he trained English Setters and Pointers. He had several dogs with outstanding AKC pedigrees whose puppies were highly sought after. He trained several dogs that went on to compete at the national field trials.
As an example of athleticism, while I was in college I stopped by his home to visit his brother Edwin and Craig demonstrated how he had recently learned to walk on his hands.
Craig is still an avid sports fan today, spending time cheering loudly for his beloved Tar Heel basketball and baseball teams and of course enjoying his grandchildren’s sports. Craig's grandson, Benton Moss, is a Morehead-Cain Scholar and was a freshman starting baseball pitcher this past year at UNC.
Craig resides in the Salem community and is an active member of the Salem Baptist Church.
Thanks to Craig’s daughter, Ashley Reid Moss a proud NC State graduate, for helping me write this article.
Submitted by Michael May – Red Oak ‘61/L.C.'63/UNC '65
Craig Reid graduated from Red Oak in 1955. In the 8th grade, on a dare, he went out for the cheerleading squad and made the team, so he cheered in 8th grade.
He played basketball and baseball in the 9th – 12th grades. He says baseball was his best game but that basketball was his favorite. He says that he caught for the baseball team because at one point he was the only person who wasn’t bat blind. He has fond memories of playing at the old Rocky Mount stadium when it was still covered like Fleming Stadium is in Wilson.
He says that during a high school game he made a great play at shortstop and threw the ball 10 feet over the first baseman’s head. When he went to the bench after the inning, Mr. Ennis told him he had a “million dollar glove” and a “ten cent arm”.
He would sneak into the Red Oak gym to shoot basketball after hours and one morning about 1 AM he was practicing his jump shot and Mr. Ennis came to the gym and told him to go home – he told Craig it was too late at night to be practicing and he needed to go home and get some sleep!!
After high school, he played basketball at Louisburg College for two years before continuing at East Carolina University. At ECU, he played for a year, but sustained a career ending back injury that required surgery. He was unable to play after that. After graduating from ECU, he enlisted in the Army Reserves and continued playing basketball and baseball.
While at Louisburg College Craig was known as a very good pool player at the local Louisburg Pool Hall. He had his individual pool stick which he carried in a case and defeated most the best local pool players. While at Louisburg College he played in a tournament at the Louisburg Pool Hall with Luther Lassiter, nicknamed Wimpy. Luther was a world-renowned pool player from Elizabeth City NC and was the winner of six world championships and numerous other titles. He played often at Louisburg when he would invite the best players in the Raleigh – Durham area to play. Wimpy was well known for his game of nine-ball at which he is still considered the greatest nine-ball player of all time. A signed framed photo of Wimpy hung in the Pool Hall while I was attending Louisburg College from 1961 to 1963. It was stolen later and Chick Williams the owner of the pool hall offered a $1000.00 reward for the return of the photo, which was never returned. Luther was inducted into the Billiards Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 1983. That same year, he was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He is ranked number 9 on the Billiards Digest 50 Greatest Players of the Century. Luther Lassiter passed away October 25, 1988. If anybody knows where that signed framed photo is today let me know and you will receive the $1000.00 reward no questions asked!!
Craig began playing golf in 1962 or 1963 and was a good golfer and played consistently for 10 or more years. In 1971 he began playing tennis and not surprisingly he was a very good tennis player too. At the top of his game, he and his doubles partner from Goldsboro, Sonny Aycock, were ranked #4 in the state in the men’s 35 and older age group. His daughter Ashley started playing tennis with him when she was 10 and they played in a number of mixed doubles tournaments and were the mixed doubles champions for several years at Belmont Farms.
When Craig’s knees started giving him trouble he was not able to play tennis as much as he liked; so, he returned to two of his favorite pastimes, hunting and golf. At this time he continued to play in few golf tournaments around Eastern NC at a highly competitive level until 2008.
He also started a game preserve and set up quail, dove and pheasant hunts for people from as far away as Maryland, Nebraska and Florida. In addition, he trained English Setters and Pointers. He had several dogs with outstanding AKC pedigrees whose puppies were highly sought after. He trained several dogs that went on to compete at the national field trials.
As an example of athleticism, while I was in college I stopped by his home to visit his brother Edwin and Craig demonstrated how he had recently learned to walk on his hands.
Craig is still an avid sports fan today, spending time cheering loudly for his beloved Tar Heel basketball and baseball teams and of course enjoying his grandchildren’s sports. Craig's grandson, Benton Moss, is a Morehead-Cain Scholar and was a freshman starting baseball pitcher this past year at UNC.
Craig resides in the Salem community and is an active member of the Salem Baptist Church.
Thanks to Craig’s daughter, Ashley Reid Moss a proud NC State graduate, for helping me write this article.
Submitted by Michael May – Red Oak ‘61/L.C.'63/UNC '65