Ashley B. “Brownie” Futrell, Jr. has devoted so much of his life to Washington athletics in over 40 years of supporting the Pam Pack. One of his numerous brainchildren was the Walk of Fame.

Futrell was on the school board from 1981 to 1990. He served as the chairman from 1984 through 1990. He believes one of his biggest contributions to the school’s community during that time was spearheading the project to have a football stadium built and named after legendary Pam Pack coach J.G. “Choppy” Wagner.

The school didn’t get enough money from its bond issue to build the stadium, so it was privately funded. Futrell was the driving force behind the fundraising.

“A whole lot of people in the community raised those funds for that stadium,” he said. “People forget that over the years. It was not funded through bond issue or tax money.”

As part of the project, Futrell wanted to build something to recognize prominent Pam Pack athletes, teams, coaches and other figures from the past.

“As a part of it, I felt to honor our history as we built that stadium, we should have a Walk of Fame,” Futrell said. “We established it, and I’ve been a part of that selection committee until this year. … I think it’s a great part of the heritage of not just Washington High School, but P.S. Jones High School before that.”

Futrell didn’t have a say in the 2016 inductees into the Walk of Fame because he was tabbed to be one of the two new additions.

“First of all, I’m surprised. You never start something like this with the notion that you will be honored as a part of it, as well,” Futrell said. “… It never really occurred to me that I would be considered for this. The members of the committee kind of went behind my back to get this done.”

Bartow Houston added, “He never sought any recognition. … I don’t think many people had reflected on the many things Brownie had done through the years. As a supporter of athletics at Washington High School, he pretty much stands alone. He made a difference.”

“Choppy” Wagner Stadium and its Walk of Fame are but one of Futrell’s numerous contributions to the athletics community in Washington. He worked hand-in-hand with Phil Mobley, who was then serving as the recreation director, to come up with a joint-use agreement between the school board and the city council.

The idea was to have the schools and city share athletic facilities. For instance, the recreation department could use facilities owned by the school board. Then, during the school year, the school programs could use city facilities.

“It ended up saving taxpayers of Washington quite a bit of money on duplication of facilities,” Futrell said. “I’m real proud of that.”

The joint-use agreement worked out so well for Washington that similar ideas have been adopted across North Carolina.

“It’s important that we pool resources and recognize that we don’t need to duplicate taxpayer money when we have facilities available,” Futrell said. “It was something pretty new when we did it. … I just think it ended up benefitting not just the children of the community to have facilities, but also it saved taxpayers money. … We were on the cutting edge.”

Futrell is proud of all the work he’s done to build up Pam Pack athletics. Among the contributions he takes the most pride in is all that his family has done for the school’s baseball team. The field at Washington is named after his father, Ashley B. Futrell. His family provided signs, the scoreboard, helped fund bathrooms, and so much more.

“I’m also real proud of the fact that my family has been the major benefactor of the baseball program at Washington High School,” he said. “I’m real pleased with the commitment that my family has made back into the baseball program. I’m real honored that the school board saw fit to name that field for my father.”

Futrell said his father loved baseball and was a former professional player.

“It was a real good match that that field was named for him,” he said. “We’re just pleased that, as a family, we’re able to provide back to that program, especially since it honors him.”

Futrell has driven a myriad of other fundraising efforts for Pam Pack athletics. Among the most successful is the annual Holiday Basketball Tournament sponsored by the Washington Daily News, which Futrell’s family owned until 2010.

“It raised quite a bit of money for Washington High School. Washington High School is the only team that’s participated in every year of its existence,” Futrell said. “Northside was not even in existence, I think, when we started that program. … Every penny that was made from the Holiday Basketball Tournament was split evenly between the participating schools.”

Futrell made it his mission to get involved in the community right out of college. He did so by starting as treasurer of the athletic club, and his immersion in athletics only blossomed from there.

Many people had a hand in making Washington athletics what they are today, but few others have been as important as Futrell. It’s only fitting that his name be added to the storied Walk of Fame he created.

Ashley B. “Brownie” Futrell, Jr. has devoted so much of his life to Washington athletics in over 40 years of supporting the Pam Pack. One of his numerous brainchildren was the Walk of Fame.

Futrell was on the school board from 1981 to 1990. He served as the chairman from 1984 through 1990. He believes one of his biggest contributions to the school’s community during that time was spearheading the project to have a football stadium built and named after legendary Pam Pack coach J.G. “Choppy” Wagner.

The school didn’t get enough money from its bond issue to build the stadium, so it was privately funded. Futrell was the driving force behind the fundraising.

“A whole lot of people in the community raised those funds for that stadium,” he said. “People forget that over the years. It was not funded through bond issue or tax money.”

As part of the project, Futrell wanted to build something to recognize prominent Pam Pack athletes, teams, coaches and other figures from the past.

“As a part of it, I felt to honor our history as we built that stadium, we should have a Walk of Fame,” Futrell said. “We established it, and I’ve been a part of that selection committee until this year. … I think it’s a great part of the heritage of not just Washington High School, but P.S. Jones High School before that.”

Futrell didn’t have a say in the 2016 inductees into the Walk of Fame because he was tabbed to be one of the two new additions.

“First of all, I’m surprised. You never start something like this with the notion that you will be honored as a part of it, as well,” Futrell said. “… It never really occurred to me that I would be considered for this. The members of the committee kind of went behind my back to get this done.”

Bartow Houston added, “He never sought any recognition. … I don’t think many people had reflected on the many things Brownie had done through the years. As a supporter of athletics at Washington High School, he pretty much stands alone. He made a difference.”

“Choppy” Wagner Stadium and its Walk of Fame are but one of Futrell’s numerous contributions to the athletics community in Washington. He worked hand-in-hand with Phil Mobley, who was then serving as the recreation director, to come up with a joint-use agreement between the school board and the city council.

The idea was to have the schools and city share athletic facilities. For instance, the recreation department could use facilities owned by the school board. Then, during the school year, the school programs could use city facilities.

“It ended up saving taxpayers of Washington quite a bit of money on duplication of facilities,” Futrell said. “I’m real proud of that.”

The joint-use agreement worked out so well for Washington that similar ideas have been adopted across North Carolina.

“It’s important that we pool resources and recognize that we don’t need to duplicate taxpayer money when we have facilities available,” Futrell said. “It was something pretty new when we did it. … I just think it ended up benefitting not just the children of the community to have facilities, but also it saved taxpayers money. … We were on the cutting edge.”

Futrell is proud of all the work he’s done to build up Pam Pack athletics. Among the contributions he takes the most pride in is all that his family has done for the school’s baseball team. The field at Washington is named after his father, Ashley B. Futrell. His family provided signs, the scoreboard, helped fund bathrooms, and so much more.

“I’m also real proud of the fact that my family has been the major benefactor of the baseball program at Washington High School,” he said. “I’m real pleased with the commitment that my family has made back into the baseball program. I’m real honored that the school board saw fit to name that field for my father.”

Futrell said his father loved baseball and was a former professional player.

“It was a real good match that that field was named for him,” he said. “We’re just pleased that, as a family, we’re able to provide back to that program, especially since it honors him.”

Futrell has driven a myriad of other fundraising efforts for Pam Pack athletics. Among the most successful is the annual Holiday Basketball Tournament sponsored by the Washington Daily News, which Futrell’s family owned until 2010.

“It raised quite a bit of money for Washington High School. Washington High School is the only team that’s participated in every year of its existence,” Futrell said. “Northside was not even in existence, I think, when we started that program. … Every penny that was made from the Holiday Basketball Tournament was split evenly between the participating schools.”

Futrell made it his mission to get involved in the community right out of college. He did so by starting as treasurer of the athletic club, and his immersion in athletics only blossomed from there.

Many people had a hand in making Washington athletics what they are today, but few others have been as important as Futrell. It’s only fitting that his name be added to the storied Walk of Fame he created.