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Padres proved to be the class of the North Carolina Baseball Museum’s Celebrity Golf Tournament for the fourth time in six years as the quartet claimed the 18th annual superball tournament Sept. 24 at Wedgewood Public Golf Course.

Former San Diego Padres (and Detroit Tigers) outfielder Johnny Grubb was the celebrity in Wilson resident Don Dellinger’s foursome won the first flight with a 59. The Padres, with Dellinger as the mainstay every year, included Don Watson and Allen Corbett this time.

The first flight runner-up went to Team Don Fish, sponsored by the former executive director of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, of Dean Wilkerson, Jim Fletcher, Mick Repanich and celebrity Bob Hounsell, an All-America swimmer at N.C. State in the 1960s. Third place was claimed by 2024 overall champion Wilson Housing Authority with a foursome of Kelly Vick, Nikki Norlin, Don Watson and former MLB pitcher and pitching coach Dick Such as the celebrity member.

The N.C. Baseball Museum team of Johnny Griffin, Thomas Pope and former major league infielder Phil Mankowski won the second flight. Second place went to Parker’s Barbecue tandem of Craig Moss, Clayton Williams, celebrity owner/bluegrass musician Kevin Lamm and former West Craven High football coach Clay Jordan. Third place was claimed by Team Scott Barnes with Al Hardison, Bobby Johnson, Kurt Schmidt and Phil Woodall.

Evening Optimist Club took the third flight with the foursome of Philip Mobley, Rashad Rahmaan, Harry Sutton and former Fike High head football coach and N.C. State linebacker Gus Andrews. Second place went to Team Alex Cheek, captained by the former N.C. State baseball player along with John Yager, Bruce Capps and former N.C. State baseball standout Ron Evans. Finally, the third-place team in the third flight was Team Paul Miller, sponsored by the former UNC quarterback great from Ayden, and was all celebrities — former NFL player David Taylor, former East Carolina baseball coach Monte Little, former high school and college football coach Charles Bradshaw and former Ayden High basketball coach Walter Claybrook.

Former Barton College women’s golf star Nikki Norlin starred again at Wedgewood. In addition to being part of the third-place WHA team in the first flight, she was the longest-drive winner and one of the closest-to-the-pin winners along with Charles Matthews and Don Watson.

The big winner was former North Johnston High all-state soccer player (and current soccer referee) Ian Walston, who took home the main prize in the ball drop.