President David Anderson opened the meeting and welcomed our visitors and guests. Tommy Thompson introduced Matt Joyner as our newest member. President David reported that Dr. Barry Miller, 1971-1972 President of the Charlotte Rotary, passed away on July 6, 2002.

     Marilynn Bowler introduced our Speaker, M. L. Carr, president of the Charlotte Sting of the Women’s National Basketball Association. Carr is a native of Wallace, North Carolina and led Greensboro’s Guilford College to the NAIA national basketball championship in 1973. He then played for the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, and was a team member with Larry Bird of the Celtics’ 1981 and 1984 NBA championship teams – per Carr, the Celtics’ "M. L. Carr era."

     Carr was among a group, including Larry Bird, which quietly sought to buy the Charlotte Hornets franchise from George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge. When that was unsuccessful and the team was allowed to move to "Nawlins", Carr and Bird asked NBA Commissioner David Stern about an expansion franchise for Charlotte. Stern responded with a press announcement that the NBA wanted to return to Charlotte to legitimize the efforts of Carr and Bird to win a new franchise for Charlotte.

     Carr was hired by the NBA, which refused to allow the WNBA franchise to move with the Hornets, in order to restore the market for the NBA by demonstrating the ability of the Sting to operate as a freestanding franchise. Carr invited everyone to a Sting game to see the women play like Dr. Naismith intended, with lots of passing, movement, cutting, picks, good shots and defense…"the women play like Princeton."

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In Memoriam

Dr. Barry J. Miller
January 24, 1925 – July 6, 2002

     Our sympathy is extended to the family of Dr. Barry Green Miller, 77, of 445 Wooten Farm Road, Statesville, NC, who passed away July 6, 2002. Barry was a native of Iredell County, and son of the late Samuel and Martha Carter Miller. His civic memberships include Charlotte Rotary Club where he served as President from 1971-1972, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, NC 4-H Foundation Board, NC Cerebral Palsy as President from 1966-1970, Boy Scouts of Mecklenburg County as President from 1977-1979, Mayor’s Youth Opportunity Council as Chairman, and Girl Scouts Council Board of Directors.

     Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Lois Safley Miller; four children, David Miller of NC, Beth Miller-Fry of California, Mark Miller of Colorado and Julie Antley of SC.

     Memorials in remembrance of Dr. Miller may be made to Broad Street United Methodist Church, 315 W. Broad Street, Statesville, NC 28677 or to U.S.S. Charlotte Christening Committee (SSN 766) Foundation, P.O. Box 35452, Charlotte, NC 28235-5452.

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