 Organized in 1986, the
Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame honors our own heroes and
legends, spanning the rich history of sports
achievement in the Lake Michigan shoreline area anchored by
Ludington to the North and Grand Haven to the south.
The Hall of Fame exhibit, located in downtown Muskegon on the
concourse level of the L.C. Walker Arena, features a
fascinating collection of artifacts, photos and commemorative plaques
honoring the area's sports heritage. Displays highlight the accomplishments
of the over 100 sports notables enshrined over the last 30 years.
Inductees include
Phil
Baldwin , who fought on the 1960 Olympic boxing team
with Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay;
Earl Morrall,
a Super Bowl quarterback in the National Football League;
Sally Sessions,
one of the 13 founding members of the Ladies Professional Golf
Association;
Bennie Oosterbaan, one of only two athletes honored as a
three-time All-American in football at the University of
Michigan;
Sherm
Poppen, the
inventor of the Snurfer, the board that evolved into the snowboard;
Donna Cook & Doris Cook,
sisters who played in the All-American Girls Professional
Baseball League and many more.
Beside the expected sports of baseball, football, basketball and hockey,
sports as diverse as boxing, with world
lightweight contender
Kenny
Lane
and speed roller skating, with
Kenny
Sutton, a two-time gold medalist at the Pan-American
games, are represented.
Two
Scholar-Athletes, one
male and one female, are honored annually at the hall's annual
induction banquet hosted in June. A
member of the community also is selected for his or her
dedication to the sports community with the organization's
Distinguished Service Award.
Take time to explore the site and learn about the West
Michigan's
incredible sports history! |
