Melvin Vines, #14, at H.B. Sugg in 1964
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Melvin is the son of Margie Dean Vines Joyner and the grandson of Aunt Maud Gay Vines, Bob Gay’s older sister.

This is what you need to know about Melvin Vines. He was one of the most talented basketball and football players to ever attend H.B. Sugg High School. From 1963-1966, Melvin played basketball on a level that today people would be whispering “NBA out of high school” or “One and done in college.”

Scoring 20 or 25 points game after game was normal for Melvin. He racked up those scores against Black schools named Bethel Union, Robinson Union, South Ayden, G.R. Whitfield, Conetoe,Patillo, Frink, and other schools in Martin and Beaufort Counties. Melvin was truly that good.

Playing quarterback on the Sugg football team during the 1965 season, Melvin passed for more than 18 touchdowns.

Other members of the family have played sports in high school, college, and professionally.

William Anthony Gay, son of Uncle George and Aunt Alice May, also played basketball during the 1960’s and was a member of a New York City team that won the NYC Championship in the early 1960’s.

Robert “Bob” Gay,son of Uncle Dave and Aunt Mary, played on a state championship basketball team at Farmville Central High School.

Kenny Phillips, son of Willie Phillips and Gennie Gay Phillips, played college football at Chowan and East Carolina University. Kenny was head coach at Fayetteville State University for more than a decade, and guided his teams to several CIAA division and conference championships.

In 2014, CJ Wilson, son of Amos Wilson and Doris Phillips Wilson and grandson of Willie and Gennie Gay Phillips, plays professional football for the Green Bay Packers.

Rudy Gay,son of Rudy Gay, Sr. and Rae Gay (grandson of Albert Gay, Bob Gay’s brother), plays professional basketball for the Sacramento Kings.

Yes, Melvin was back in the day playing for H.B. Sugg, a small high school in Farmville, NC. Still, and most importantly, Melvin Vines demonstrated pure athletic talent and gametime flair way back in the Black high schools days of the 1960’s.