Tim Peeler claimed to have spotted a 10-foot-tall creature at his home in Casar June 5, resurrecting a nearly forgotten piece of folklore and putting Cleveland County in the international media spotlight.
While camping and hunting over the years, Peeler said he encountered the mysterious man-beast, affectionately known as Knobby, on other occasions.
But when Knobby appeared outside of his home, Peeler called the authorities, causing the story to go public.
“That's why I called 911. He came twice. I feared for my little dog's life,” he explained.
The creature looked like a combination of a man and an animal, Peeler said.
“His forehead was just like mine and yours,” he said.
Peeler described Knobby as having beautiful hair and a gray beard stretching down past his belly.
Stories of Knobby lurking in the area first appeared back in the ‘70s. The tales were all but forgotten until Peeler’s encounter.
Knobby-related stories received tens of thousands of page views on The Star’s website.
Creating quite the buzz, the story of the furry giant’s reappearance eventually received international
attention.
The video of Peeler describing the encounter has more than 100,000 views on YouTube.
Laura Patterson, owner of Mountain View Grocery on Casar Road, cashed in on the fervor by printing T-shirts that read, “Knobby don’t believe in you either.”
There have been no more reported sightings of the giant, and Knobby could not be reached for comment.
John Guthrie
