Hall of Fame
A native of Candler, N.C., Lee Farmer is one of the top football players in Bear history. The single-wing tailback earned NAIA All-American honors in both 1959 and 1960 and finished his L-R career eighth on the all-time school rushing list with 2,390 yards. Twice he was chosen the Most Valuable Player in the North State Conference and three times earned a spot on the all-conference team, leading the league in rushing in 1958. He also captured the Kirkland Blocking Trophy once for being the best blocker in the conference. Farmer was the MVP of the NAIA National Holiday Bowl in 1960 when the Bears won the national championship, beating Humboldt State of California, 15-14. After graduation, Farmer gave the Canadian Football League a try with Toronto and Edmonton, but a knee injury in 1962 ended his active football career. He turned to education and has served as a teacher and coach in a number of different school systems in North Carolina.
