North Johnston High class of 2023 graduate Carter Aycock was awarded the prestigious Sam Narron Baseball Award on Tuesday, May 30. The award celebrates a Johnston County high school senior baseball player who demonstrated a love for the game through determination, dedication, and sacrifice.
Aycock is the 27th recipient of the award. He received a $500 scholarship and a recognition plaque. Additionally, his name will be placed on a plaque with past recipients which hangs in the Evander S. Simpson Building in Smithfield.
Aycock is a multisport student-athlete and is attending University of Mount Olive (UMO), where he will play baseball and pursue a degree in agribusiness. He has received several scholarships, including the UMO Scholarship, UMO Presidential Scholarship, UMO Reece Richardson Scholarship, Parrish Davis Scholarship, and the William Grey Bailey Scholarship. Aycock ranked 19th in his class and was active in various clubs including Future Farmers of America (FFA) and First Priority, while also being the president of “The Prowl” student pep group.
The award is named in honor of Sam Narron who was raised in the Emit community near Corinth Holders. In 1934, Narron, using most of the money he had, purchased a ticket to Hot Springs Arkansas to attend the first ever baseball school.
The award’s namesake played and coached professional baseball for the Saint Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was part of two World Series Championship teams in a career that spanned from 1936 to 1964.
Narron is a member of the Johnston County Athletic Hall of Fame.