Joe Austin was born in 1921, in Badin. According to the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame records, he played quarterback for Badin High School and was captain of the 1938 team. After graduation, Austin went on to star as a halfback at the University of North Carolina. During his senior year, he was co-captain of the 1942 team. After graduating from UNC, Austin served as a World War II bomber pilot with the 8th Air Corps based in Great Britain. Later, after returning from the war, he married Mary Emily Efird on March 15, 1946. According to local city directories, Austin worked for a brief time with Cabarrus Oil Company and then went to work at the aluminum plant in Badin. He also served for a time as commander of the Badin Air National Guard, was commander of the local VFW post, and served as president of the Stanly County Country Club. Joe Austin passed away on Oct. 21, 1993. He was inducted into the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}