The North Carolina School for the Deaf has honored Allen Rankin by inducting him into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame this past month. Rankin earned All-American honors and all-conference honors in football and track before graduating. He led the Bears to Burke County middle school football titles in 1973 and 1974. Rankin was 1978 conference runner-up in the 140-pound weight class in wrestling and was the 147-pound weight class champion in 1979, advancing to the state tournament each year. Now 49 years old, Rankin lives in Charlotte and works as a tool maker for Flextronics.
