UNC Football's Oldest Team Captain Passes Away

Posted Jun 6, 2016
The oldest living team captain from Tar Heel football died Saturday in Winston-Salem. Ralph Strayhorn Jr. was 93 years old. Strayhorn played at Carolina in 1941-43, left for the Navy in 1944-45 and returned for a final year in 1946. That team catapulted the Tar Heel program and its “Choo Choo” locomotive into the nation’s football elite. (UNC Lettermen)

Related: Football, Football Recruiting

Bill Belichick's quarterback shakeup at UNC: FCS record breaker joins Tar Heels
In an effort to revamp UNC's offense, Bill Belichick has landed his third offseason quarterback transfer in Western Carolina's Taron Dickens. An FCS record-breaker for...
Mon Feb 16, 2026

THT Newsletter: Caleb Wilson Injured, Baseball Sweeps, Malloy Smith Offered, Dylan Mingo To Commit
It was quite the eventful week in UNC Athletics. Caleb Wilson suffered a broken hand, the Diamond Heels swept their season opener, Kenny Smith’s son...
Mon Feb 16, 2026

Carolina Insider Podcast: Remembering James Spurling, UNC vs. NC State Basketball Preview
A different show as our main focus is remembering our friend James Spurling by re-running his interview from 2019 (11:53). James' Celebration of Life was...
Mon Feb 16, 2026

UNC mourns 'selfless' James Spurling, who impacted Tar Heel football for decades
On Sunday afternoon, for the first time in more than half a century, Carolina Football will gather without James Spurling. A Celebration of Life will...
Fri Feb 13, 2026