Harold Johnson (sportscaster)

Harold Johnson, known as "The Big Guy", was sports director for WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina for 26 years, during which time he won four Emmy Awards and was nominated for two others. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for North Carolina's 8th congressional district.

Johnson was born in Camden, New Jersey and moved to North Carolina in 1958 at age 10. He graduated from Statesville Senior High School, and received an economics degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina. He also served in the United States Marine Corps at Camp LeJeune.

Johnson started his broadcast career at WSIC radio in Statesville, where he hosted a music program called "The HaJo Show". While at WSIC, he met Jim Thacker of WBTV, where he acted as weekend sports anchor and later worked nights. On WBT, he was morning co-host with Bob Lacey and the play-by-play announcer and pre-game host for the Charlotte Hornets of the World Football League. He also covered the Masters Golf Tournament for ABC radio.

Late in 1979, Johnson moved to WSOC-TV. In 1980, Johnson became the station's sports director. During his 26 years there, "The Big Guy" covered the NBA Hornets and Bobcats, NASCAR, the NFL Carolina Panthers, and college basketball teams from North Carolina that reached the Final Four.