The Rome-Floyd Sports Hall of Fame’s ’25 induction ceremony and banquet is one month away. The event is slated for Thursday, March 6th at the Forum River Center in downtown Rome. Doors will open at 5 pm. The ceremony will begin at 5:45 pm.
Tickets and tables of eight are available for purchase at Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation’s main office or online at www.rfpra.com, enthuses Lindsey Jones, Recreation Services Manager.
If you plan to purchase a table, Jones requests an email with the names of those attending; send it to lindsey.jones@floydcountyga.org.
According to event information from Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation:
The 2025 Hall of Fame class includes notable individuals from Rome and Floyd County and their successes and big impacts in the sports realm from the high school level and beyond. This year’s inductees are Kiara Smith, Chuck Kinnebrew, Pat Arrington, Lowell Thomas Curry and Robert L. Berry.
Kiara Smith’s basketball career began at Rome High School before moving to Model High School for her junior and senior seasons. She collected numerous accolades and secured back-to-back 7-AA titles at Model before continuing her basketball career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is being recognized under Amateur Athlete.
Chuck Kinnebrew, a three-sport star out of West Rome High School, is being inducted under Amateur Athlete. He was a state champion in heavyweight wrestling and discus throwing but signed a D1 football scholarship with the University of Georgia in 1971 and was known as one of the “First Five” African American football scholarship recipients at Georgia.
Pat Arrington, a graduate of Darlington and Auburn University, was an All-American in the shot and discus at Darlington. He will be recognized under Amateur Athlete. His football career flourished at Auburn University where he started every game from 1981-1983 as an offensive lineman. He earned First Team All-SEC honors in 1983 and was named a 2nd team All-American the same year.
Lowell Thomas Curry excelled in multiple sports during his time at Pepperell High School. His most notable achievements derived from the baseball diamond with recording multiple no, one, two and three hitters in high school and his participation in the 1957 and 1958 GHSA Class A Championship teams. Curry signed a full baseball scholarship to Wofford College where he continued to have a stellar career. Curry is being inducted under the Amateur Athlete category.
Robert L. Berry has been a pillar of the Rome sports community for over three decades. Berry is being recognized under the category of Meritorious Service. His contributions to the Rome sports community include serving as a community coach for Darlington Boys’ Basketball, chairing the committee that brought NAIA National Championships to Rome, serving on multiple advisory boards, and much more.
Student-Athlete Scholarships
The ceremony will also honor 14 high school seniors from local area schools with the Rome Orthopaedic Student Athlete Scholarship. These awards recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievements, underscoring the community’s commitment to fostering well-rounded student-athletes. This event promises to be a celebration of Rome’s rich sporting heritage and a testament to the enduring impact of these remarkable individuals on our community. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit rfpra.com.
