The earliest activities that preceded a formal organization occurred in the 1960’s involving local sports & business/professional people that met irregularly at the old Bullock’s Restaurant, then eventually at the former Jack Tar Hotel. Thereafter meetings took place variously at the Downtowner Restaurant (closed), the old Holiday Inn, Saddle & Fox Restaurant (closed), Hilton & Sheraton before it settled into its regular arrangement with Croasdaile Country Club in the 1990’s.
During the 1970’s, there were several periods of waxing and waning of interest, and it was revived largely by the efforts of Hartwell Garrett and Lewis Bowles in 1981 so that the membership grew to 40 – 50. Membership declined to 30 – 40 members in the late 1980’s until, under the influence of Augie Tamerillo and Tommy Hunt, the club became better organized and a new business structure was established which helped the club grow. A quarterly dues system was implemented, along with regular meeting times; a “raffle” game was started to stimulate member interest; a new logo was adopted; awards were established to honor and recognize local high school scholar-athletes and the Hugo Germino Sports Ambassador award. In recent years the Durham Sports Club Foundation has been formed to make more funds available for scholarship awards. There are also special events during the year, including a “Night Out With The Bulls” at a Durham Bulls baseball game with dinner in one of the picnic areas at the DBAP. All of these programs have made the club stronger and more widely appealing.
A continuous succession of well-known sports figures and less well-known but extraordinarily interesting people in the sports-related world speak to the Club, keeping enthusiasm high. The Durham Sports Club now has more than 160 members and appears poised to continue to grow as it attracts a wide variety of active and retired people from the fields of business, education, sports, and many of the professions. The Club welcomes all who wish to join.