The Shoe That Flew

Only in Greenbrier

Greenbrier’s trophy case holds something you won’t find in many schools: a high heel mounted on a plaque titled The Shoe That Flew.

Its inscription places the incident during the 1984 state tournament run and says the shoe was thrown at an official over a missed call. The name it remembers is Betty Wells—Betty Jo Wells, or Ms. JoJo to so many Greenbrier students.

The display preserves a story from the season that sent the Bobcats back to the state tournament for the first time since 1930. The inscription does not identify the particular game, so the shoe’s story belongs to the wider tournament run rather than a specific box score.

The person behind the story

The shoe is memorable. So was Ms. JoJo.

Her Greenbrier High School Athletic Hall of Fame plaque recognizes 34 years as a substitute teacher and eight years as city judge. She was inducted in 2025.

For Jim Sorrells, that induction was especially meaningful. He remembers an incredible substitute teacher whose sense of humor and fashion sense were second to none.

“I’m gonna guarantee your school doesn’t have a high heel shoe in their trophy case.”

The shoe story remains one of his favorites—and he is glad to see it, and Ms. JoJo’s place in Greenbrier history, preserved.