‘Myrtle Beach lost a true icon.’ Athletes, politicians remember John Rhodes
Minutes after news broke that former Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes died, dozens of his friends and colleagues shared their thoughts on social media.
Rhodes died early Sunday morning due to COVID-19 complications at Grand Strand Hospital in Myrtle Beach, according to his wife Terri Springs. He was 77.
Rhodes served as mayor for 12 years over three consecutive terms before he was defeated in a mayoral runoff election in 2017. He had first been elected to city council in 2005.
Current Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune, who beat Rhodes in 2017, shared her sympathies on Facebook.
Former Myrtle Beach city councilman Randal Wallace said it is a sad day for him.
An overwhelming number of coaches, players and schools sent their love to Rhodes and family. Rhodes was the longtime executive director of Beach Ball Classic, a 40-year national tournament for high school basketball teams that is held each December at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, and was part of the tournament since its founding.
