Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame class has distinct, diverse feel

Historically it’s the most generally attended of the 4 annual Arkansas Sports activities Corridor of Fame board conferences.

Choice Day is the day that the 50 board of administrators have a voice within the subsequent induction class. That quantity could be very numerous and there are some robust opinions.

All members (simply $100 a 12 months to belong to this prestigious group) get a vote, they usually resolve on two automated inductees from the common record and one from the senior or deceased record.

The board then decides the rest of the category. The assembly is full of life with quick speeches and heartfelt campaigns. In my 34 years, there has by no means been any mudslinging.

This 12 months’s class is without doubt one of the most fascinating in historical past, as the category of 9 represents 5 distinct areas.

In no particular order, right here is that this 12 months’s class:

Jeff Glasbrenner, a world-class amputee athlete who scored 63 factors in wheelchair basketball within the 2004 nationwide championship for Wisconsin the place he received 4 nationwide titles. Glasbrenner can be a fierce competitor in triathlons and mountaineering. In 2017, he was on the quilt of Sports activities Illustrated which had an eight-page story on his accomplishments.

Jeff King, an All-American baseball participant for the Arkansas Razorbacks who helped lead the Hogs to the School World Collection in 1985. He’s the one Razorback to be taken with the primary choose within the Main League Baseball Draft. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates the place he performed eight years and completed out with Kansas Metropolis for 3. He’s within the UA Corridor of Honor and the Southwest Convention Corridor Fame.

Shekinna Stricklen was All-State and All-Convention basketball participant in all 4 of her seasons at Morrilton Excessive College. She was an All-SEC Participant of the 12 months at Tennessee and was the second participant chosen within the 2012 WNBA draft and has spent the final 9 years taking part in within the WNBA.

Steve Sullivan a 30-year veteran of sports activities broadcasting and three-time Arkansas Sportscaster of the 12 months and 13-time Related Press winner as Greatest Sportscaster. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Corridor of Fame. Sullivan created Friday Night time Flights and for years coated a number of highschool soccer video games every Friday. He has been at KATV-TV, Channel 7, for 13 years.

Fred Allen led Little Rock Central Excessive College to 2 state basketball championships, was All-State twice and performed within the All-Star recreation whereas averaging 30 factors per recreation. He performed collegiately for Western Texas School earlier than transferring to Center Tennessee State.

Glen Ray Hines was a three-year soccer letterman for the Razorbacks and a starter on the 1964 nationwide championship group. He was a consensus All-American in 1965 when he was additionally named the Southwest Convention’s Most Excellent Participant. He has been inducted into the UA Corridor of Honor and SWC Corridor of Fame.

Freddie Lee Scott is without doubt one of the finest saved secrets and techniques in Arkansas sports activities. The Grady native went to Amherst School the place he was named to the Little All-America group. He spent 10 years catching passes within the NFL and was inducted into the School Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2001.

Jimmy Walker was an All-America defensive sort out for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1975-78. His teammate Dan Hampton referred to as him the perfect defensive participant he ever performed beside. He helped Arkansas beat Oklahoma within the 1978 Orange Bowl and was inducted into the UA Corridor of Honor in 2011.

Larry Walton, certainly one of tennis’ best coaches and academics, together with on the skilled stage. Walton created the Burns Park Tennis Heart and introduced the Davis Cup there, in addition to then-No. 1 participant on the planet, Jimmy Connors. He was inducted into the Arkansas Tennis Corridor of Fame in 1990.