The long-time play-by-play voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels Woody Durham passed away on March 7 at age 76. Even though Durham is not with us anymore, his impact and influence on the Chapel Hill community still remains strong.
Durham covered Tar Heel football and basketball from 1971 to 2011 and announced four of Carolina’s six NCAA basketball national championships, including both Dean Smith’s and Roy Williams’s first title with the Heels. Durham was a part of some of the most iconic moments in North Carolina basketball history: Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot against Georgetown in the national championship game in 1982, Jerry Stackhouse’s reverse jam at Cameron Indoor in 1995 and Carolina’s national championship against the Fab Five and Michigan in 1993.
Durham had been living with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), a neurological syndrome that affects speech, reading, writing and comprehension skills. Durham was diagnosed with PPA in early 2016.
Chapel Hill High School Spanish teacher and Tar Heel fan Davis Boyle grew up listening to Durham’s calls. “I lost my breath,” Boyle said, when he received a notification on his phone about the news.
Like many other Tar Heels faithfuls, Boyle would tune in to Durham on game days. “Growing up in Chapel Hill, back in the pre-technology era, I hoped to watch the games on television, but more than likely listened to Woody on the radio,” Boyle said. “Getting to listen to Woody on the radio was amazing. It was part of the things that made you fall in love with Carolina and the Tar Heels. He brought it alive.”
Chapel Hill High School substitute teacher Charlie Webb also recalls Durham on the radio.
“I couldn’t always go to the games, but I would turn Woody on the radio and listen,” Webb said. “Woody seemed to prepare for the games very diligently. He knew the players; he knew how to bring the anecdotes about them and the coaches. He would add a dimension to it rather than just talking about the game. He gave you more of a perspective of what was going on.”
Webb worked on projects with Durham at the Greensboro Jaycees before Durham was the voice of the Heels. “He was a fantastic individual family man. He did things the right way and was very supportive of the community,” Webb said.
Durham was inducted into the National Sports Media Hall of Fame in January of this year and was selected as the North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year 13 times.
Durham was born in Mebane, North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1963 before taking the reigns eight years later.
Durham would also host the Carolina shows on the local radio station WCHL. Boyle had the opportunity to talk to Durham at Top of the Hill after a Roy Williams live show. “We were able to sit down after the show and hang out with Woody and talk one-on-one with him about Carolina basketball,” Boyle said. “It was one of the most amazing nights that I had ever had in my life.”
Boyle has started to turn on the current Tar Heel radio team, Jones Angel and Eric Montross, for his sons, so they can have the same connection Boyle had.
Webb recounted the infamous Michigan time-out that secured a Tar Heel victory in 1993. “I remember how excited he got when he knew Carolina was going to win a national basketball championship, especially in 1993 when Chris Webber called time-out and Woody was screaming ‘He called time-out! He called time-out’,” Webb said.
The UNC basketball team honored Durham in the NCAA and ACC tournaments this year, wearing warm up shirts with the word “WOODY,” printed on the back.
Durham’s two sons have followed in their father’s footsteps. Wes Durham is the announcer for the Atlanta Falcons, and Taylor is the voice of Elon University.
Durham has passed away, but memories of him will stick Carolina faithfuls forever. His wisdom will continue to have an impact on people beyond the game of basketball. “Go where you go, and do what you do,” Durham said.
