Born, raised and educated in Roanoke, Virginia, Bob McLelland worked for the Roanoke Times & World News from 1949 to 1980 filling the shoes of sports writer, sports editor and metro editor. His gifted writing and prize-winning columns earned him legendary status in the sports media profession, but it was his dedicated community involvement and passion for local sports that earned him hero status at home. For more than 45 years, McLelland coached community football, his teams winning an amazing 80 percent of their games and a national championship. Along the way, McLelland became a role model and mentor to generations of Roanoke√ïs up and coming athletes, always emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship, ethics, hard work and the joy of competition. McLelland, honored both professionally and civicly by such groups as Virginia Sportswriters and Sportscasters, Virginia High School Coaches Association, Sports Magazine and both the Roanoke and Virginia State Chambers of Commerce, was also a charter member of the Roanoke College Sports Hall of Fame. In 1989, the football field at Roanoke’s Victory Stadium was named in his honor.
