Florida Sports Hall of Fame

The Florida Sports Hall of Fame (FSHOF) and Museum is dedicated to preserving, honoring and promoting knowledge of excellence manifested by inducted individuals and in the history and conduct of sports in Florida. Among the exhibits are individual cubicles for each hall of famer, video presentations, interactive displays, a wide array of national awards, such as the Thorpe, Groza, Sullivan and Butkus trophies and exhibits relating to the national football championships won by Florida State University and the University of Miami. The museum even displayed full-sized dragster.

History

Among the first of the state Sports Halls of Fame, it was founded in 1958 by the "Florida Sports Writers Association" and the "Florida Sportscasters Association". It has had a proud tradition, inducting diverse women and men athletes, reporters and coaches side-by-side, including swimming, drag racing, tennis, golf, along with the "major" sports of football, baseball, track, and basketball. The inductees are selected by the current Hall of Fame members who number over 185), the board of directors of the Hall of Fame Foundation and members of the Florida Sportswriters Association. To qualify, a person must be a Florida native or have lived in the state while achieving and/or maintaining a career of excellence in athletics. [ [http://thebullspen.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=7e8644d627a7b1f7dc977962c83a436c&topic=10632.0 University of South Florida Bulls Den: April 21, 2005-Florida's Sports Hall of Fame Welcomes Seven New Members] ] Additionally, each year the FSHOF honors one outstanding Special Olympics Florida athlete during its annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. [ [http://sofl.ypbri.com/index.php?Itemid=142&id=73&option=com_content&task=view Special Olympics Florida website: Press-Athlete Sam Finley honored by Florida Sports Hall of Fame!] ]

First home

The FSHOF moved into a 9,800 square foot semi-circular building in Lake City, Florida in 1990. In 1999, the Florida State legislature passed laws designating the Lake City location as official;
"Title IV, Chapter 15.051 f.s. 15.051 Official Sports Hall of Fame. --The Florida Sports Hall of Fame in Lake City, Columbia County, is designated as the Official Sports Hall of Fame for the state. 1, ch." [ [http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm Online Sunshine: 2008 Florida Statutes] ]
This legislation was passed as recently as 2008.

However, the FSHOF is in the process of finding a home. Low attendance and the ending of taxpayer financial suppport resulted in the attraction unable to support itself, forcing the facility to close in 2002. The Florida Sports Hall of Fame Foundation voted July, 29, 2001, to solicit bids from communities interested in housing the museum, the contents of which have been stored in a Lake City warehouse since it closed. [ [http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=509814 Skyscraper City, Florida's Future: August 10, 2007-The Florida Sports Hall of Fame may find Fort Myers right fit as new home by Glenn Miller] ] The cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Lakeland expressed interest, but no contract was signed. [ [http://www.sptimes.com/News/073001/Sports/Hall_of_Fame_open_to_.shtml St. Petersburg Times: July 30, 2001-Hall of Fame open to move by Bruce Lowitt] ]

t. Pete?

The St. Petersburg Hall of Fame Task Force announced plans in 2004 to build a $10M, 30,000-square-foot museum as part of a larger condo project in the shadow of Tropicana Field on the edge of the city’s downtown district. The FSHOF board was satisfied to have a new home in St. Petersburg, so every year since the museum closed in Lake City, inductions have been held at Tropicana Field near the proposed location of a permanent home for the shrine. The contents of the museum, which had been stored in a Lake City warehouse, were moved to St. Petersburg to be accessible when the new home was ready. However, three years after the announcement, the project is still just a plan. The unfavorable financial market put the brakes on the condo project, but the FSHOF board was growing impatient. The museum had been closed for over five years.

Jimmy Carnes, a former University of Florida track coach who took over as president of FSHOF in June, 2007 stated, "We would look favorable to St. Pete for the museum, but we can't wait much longer." Carnes later commented, “We had an agreement with St. Petersburg with building a major building in downtown. That has not come through.”

During the summer of 2007, the board had informal talks about Fort Myers as a possible site, but no proposals were made. [ [http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=509814 Skyscraper City, Florida's Future: August 10, 2007-The Florida Sports Hall of Fame may find Fort Myers right fit as new home by Glenn Miller] ]

Auburndale

Finally, in the spring of 2008, the FSHOF Board entered into a one year period of exclusive negotiation with Polk County Sports Marketing to bring the Hall of Fame to the new Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, a 250 acre development five miles south of Interstate 4 along the Polk Parkway in Auburndale (between Tampa and Orlando). When completed, the development will include the Florida Youth Soccer Association headquarters, a USA Waterski competition site, Russ Matt Baseball Spring Training and USA Rugby events in addition to the headquarters for Polk County Tourism & Sports Marketing, a visitor center and the Polk County Sports Hall of Fame.

Inductions

Florida Sports Hall of Fame (FSHOF) Foundation Board announced that the 2007 and 2008 Florida Sports Hall of Fame Induction Weekend location has been changed and from now on, it will be held at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven. The 2008 Hall of Fame induction dinner, open to the public, took place Saturday, August 16, 2008 inside Cypress Gardens at the Magnolia Mansion and Theater. The Friday evening, Invitation only "“Legends Dinner”" was held at Lake Ashton. At the dinner, it was announced that an agreement had been reached with the developers of the Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, which will be the new home of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. [ [http://www.newschief.com/article/20080817/NEWS/216530889&title=Former_Blue_Devil_Birdsong_joins_7_others_in_Florida_Sports_Hall_of_Fame News Chief of Winter Haven: August 17, 2008-Former Blue Devil Birdsong joins 7 others in Florida Sports Hall of Fame] ]

Class of 2008

Otis Birdsong led Winter Haven High School to the Class 4A state title in 1973, averaging 32 points per game. At the University of Houston, he was a consensus All-American in 1977 and led his team to a NIT runner-up finish. He was named the Southwest Conference Player of the Decade for the 1970’s and went on to play in the NBA for the Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets and Boston Celtics. He scored more than 14,000 career points and was a four-time All-star.

Darryl Dawkins was a prep All American center at Maynard Evans High School in Orlando where he led the Trojans to the 1975 state championship. He was the first player to bypass college and enter the NBA draft, where he was taken by the Philadelphia 76ers later in 1975. "Chocolate Thunder", a nickname he gave himself and the title of his autobiography, also played for the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons before joining the Harlem Globetrotters. Dawkins went on to coach in the USBL and ABA.

Hubert Mizell has one of America's deepest, most spectacular resumes as a sports journalist. For more than 40 years, he wrote for large newspapers including the St. Petersburg Times and also served as a featured analyst for Associated Press based in Miami and New York. Born in Georgia, he was raised in Jacksonville. Hubert's list of assignments has been stunning, including 10 Olympics, 32 Super Bowls, 25 baseball World Series, 30 NCAA basketball Final Fours, 9 Wimbledon tennis championships, 22 Kentucky Derbies, 23 Daytona 500s, 25 different college football bowls and 40 Masters plus 50 other major golf championships. He was named national sports columnist of the year in 1982 from among America's largest newspapers and eight times was voted Florida Sports Writers of the Year. Mizell is a member of the College Basketball Writers Hall of Fame.

Class of 2007

Bill Buchalter was a sportswriter for more than 30 years with the Orlando Sentinel. He is a University of Florida graduate who primarily covered high school sports. He holds awards of distinction from the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association, and he is a previous inductee in four Halls of Fame: Florida Track; Golden South Classic; Central Florida Sports; and Florida Citrus Sports.

Chandra Cheeseborough is a Jacksonville native and attended Ribault High School where she won the 100- and 200- yard state title from 1975-1977, setting national records in both. She won a silver medal in the 400 meters, and a history-setting gold medal in each of the women's 4x100 relays (400m and 1600m) at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 (both races were held less than one hour apart). She also won the golf medal in the 200 meters at the 1975 Pan American Games. Currently, she is planning to serve as an assistant track coach for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team and is a member of the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Hulk Hogan is a Tampa native and is perhaps the most recognizable performer in pro wrestling history who also became a mainstream personality through his roles on television and movies - including a notable role as Thunderlips in "Rocky III." Hogan was chiefly responsible for resurrecting professional wrestling in the 1980's and won the WWF's Wrestlemania in 1984 and won the title seven years in all. Known by his given name, Terry Bollea, he pitched Little League baseball, attended St. Petersburg Junior College and the University of South Florida, and wrestled his first professional match in Fort Pierce on Aug. 9, 1977.

Michael Irvin was most recently selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February. Irvin attended high school in Fort Lauderdale, and helped lead the University of Miami to the 1987 national championship. He played professionally with Dallas, where he was an integral part of three Super Bowl championships, and set an NFL record with 11 games of 100 or more receiving yards.

Tino Martinez was a former Jefferson High standout and one of the top-fielding first basemen in Major League Baseball throughout the 1990s. He began his 16-year major-league career with the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and ended with the New York Yankees in 2005. His career also included stints with the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Martinez was a two-time All-Star (1995 and 1997) and also helped lead the Yankees to World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. He compiled a career batting average of .271 with 339 home runs and 1,271 RBIs.

Class of 2006

Bernie Kosar, 42, holds the Hurricane record career completions percentage of 62.3 percent. In 13 NFL seasons he led the Cleveland Browns to three AFC title games, was a member of the Cowboys Super Bowl XXVIII champion team, and played backup to Dan Marino with the Miami Dolphins. He is currently a sales and marketing executive in the Miami area. He established the Bernie J. Kosar Charitable Trust in 1991 and has provided scholarships and donations to children's charities in Florida, Ohio and Texas.

Greg Norman, an Australian-native, nicknamed the "Great White Shark", is a longtime Florida resident, who makes his home in Hobe Sound near Jupiter. The 49-year-old turned professional in 1976 and joined the PGA Tour in 1983. He has 86 tournament wins worldwide, including 20 PGA Tour victories. He is now chairman of Great White Shark Enterprises, a multi-national corporation comprising golf course design, turf, residential development, apparel, interactive (Shark.com) and golf equipment distribution.

Monica Seles 32, is a native of Yugoslovia and has made her home in the Sarasota area for several years. She was coached by her father and Nick Bollettieri at his tennis academy in Bradenton. Turning professional in 1988, she quickly became a tennis sensation when she won the French Open in 1990 at age 16. Overall, she has won 53 WTA tournaments, nine Grand Slam titles and $14.9 million in career earnings.

Emmitt Smith 37, is a Pensacola native who earned All-American from the University of Florida and rushed for a league record 18,355 yards over 15 NFL seasons, the first 13 with the Cowboys, where he won three Super Bowls. He surpassed Walter Payton's 16,726 yards in 2002 and retired in February 2005 after spending his final two years with the Arizona Cardinals.

Vinny Testaverde 42, is the 1986 Heisman Trophy winner and won numerous awards while quarterbacking for the Miami Hurricanes before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made him the No. 1 pick in the 1987 NFL college draft. His 19-year NFL career has seen him also play with Cleveland, Baltimore, Dallas and currently the New York Jets.

Class of 2005

Nicole Haislett Bacher, took home three gold medals in swimming at the 1992 Olympics and was a six-time NCAA champion at Florida after starring at Lakewood High in St. Petersburg. Today Bacher works as an activities director for an area assisted-living program.

Mike Martin has coached Florida State's baseball team for 25 years, amassing a record of 1,338-452-4 for a .750 winning percentage. That places him second among active coaches and sixth all time. Martin's teams have appeared in 24 straight NCAA region tournaments and 12 College World Series.

Pete Sampras, a native of Washington, D.C., came to Florida to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton and made Tampa his home during his tennis prime. He holds the record for most singles titles in Grand Slam events with 14 (seven Wimbledon titles, five at the U.S. Open, two at the Australian Open). He ranked as the world's No. 1 male player for six straight years, retiring in 2000.

Deion Sanders, made an indelible mark at FSU as an All-America cornerback but also lettered in baseball and track. He was a two-time consensus football All-American, winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 1988. Known for his flashy "Prime Time" style, the Fort Myers product was selected to seven Pro Bowls in the NFL and won Super Bowls with San Francisco and Dallas. In addition, Sanders played centerfield for the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds and is the only person to play in both a Super Bowl and World Series.

Howard Schnellenberger, has been part of four collegiate national championships, his most memorable the one that came in Miami in 1983 when the Hurricanes defeated Nebraska in the 50th Orange Bowl. He has also been on the staff of seven NFL playoff teams and two Super Bowl staffs, including the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins. Schnellenberger is now coach at Florida Atlantic, which he took to the 2003 Division I-AA title game.

Payne Stewart collected 11 PGA victories, including the 1991 and 1999 U.S. Opens, before he and five others died in a plane crash in 1999. Stewart, who lived in Orlando, was 42 when he died and was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.

Danny Wuerffel, guided the University of Florida to the 1996 national championship, winning the Heisman Trophy along the way. The quarterback from Fort Walton Beach, under the tutelage of Steve Spurrier, led the Gators to four straight SEC crowns, earning All-America and Academic All-America honors. He also won the Johnny Unitas and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. He retired from the NFL in 2004 and serves as Director of Development for Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans.

Class of 2004

Dr. Ruth Alexander. A highly honored educator who initiated and founded the women’s athletic program at the University of Florida in 1972. Dr. Alexander has served as a member of the Presidential Council of Physical Fitness under five presidents and is a member of the University of Florida Hall of Fame.

Paul Azinger. A Florida State graduate who has won 12 PGA Tour tournaments over a 23-year pro career. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1987 and received the Golf Writers Association of America, Ben Hogan Award in 1995 for his struggle with and victory over cancer.

Nick Bollettieri. In 1978 he founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which is now part of the prestigious IMG Academies. He has coached eight #1 players and has worked with players such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Boris Becker, the Williams sisters, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, and many more. In 1987, 32 of his students were in the main draw at Wimbledon and 27 at the U.S. Open.

Jerome Brown. An All American defensive lineman for the University of Miami in the late 1980’s, twice selected for the Pro Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles before his death in an automobile accident in December 1991. He was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Brooksville’s Hernando High School.

Harold Carmichael. Coming from Jacksonville’s Northwestern and Raines High Schools to walk on at Southern University, he then went on to become one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ most prolific pass receivers in the 1970’s. Drafted by the Eagles in 1971, he played 13 years there and one year in Dallas. When he retired he was the NFL’s sixth leading receiver and had been selected to the Pro Bowl four times. He is currently the Eagles’ director of player/community relations.

Mary Ann Gonzalez. Mary Ann Gonzalez is a woman of many firsts. She was the first female Special Olympics athlete in the world to attain the status of being a certified A.S.A. umpire, she is also a certified volleyball official, making her the only Special Olympics athlete certified as an official by two NGBs, she is the first athlete (male or female) in Special Olympics history to officiate two different sports at two different World Games and she was the first athlete ever to be inducted into the Special Olympics Florida Hall of Fame. This extraordinary woman is Mary Ann Gonzalez of Sumter County.

Pancho Segura. He was one of the University of Miami’s first great tennis players, winning three consecutive NCAA singles titles in 1943-45. The native of Ecuador went on to a successful pro career and was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.

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Florida Sports Hall of Fame Listing of Members

A through C
Michelle Akers, Bobby Allison, Ottis Anderson, Don Aronow, Walter Lanier Barber, Rick Barry, Deane Beman, Patty Berg, Fred Biletnikoff, Otis Boggs, Tommy Bolt, Wade Boggs, Bobby Bowden, Julius Barrows, Scot Brantley, Pat Bradley, Lew Burdette, Nick Buoniconti, Norm Carlson, Steve Carlton, Joanne Carner, Jimmy Carnes, Don Carter, Gary Carter, Rick Casares, Charles Casey, Tracy Caulkins, Wes Chandler, Dean Chenoweth, Torchy Clark, Jerry Collins,Michael Collins, Chris Collinsworth, Pete Cooper, Lee Course, Jim Courier, Dave Cowens, Gene Cox, Larry Csonka, Hugh Culverhouse, Fran Curci

D through H

Andre Dawson, Jim Dooley, Herb Dudley, Angelo Dundee, James Everett, Chris Evert, J.Rex Farrior, Forest Ferguson, Joe Fields, Don Flemming, Raymond Floyd, Ed Flynn, Bill France, Betty Skelton Frankman Erde, Ron Fraser, Shirley Fry, Rowdy Gaines, Jake Gaither, Willie Galimore, Don Garlits, Steve Garvey, Ben Geraghty, Althea Gibson, Artis Gilmore, Laffayette G. Golden, Ray Graves, Curt Gowdy, Bob Griese,Peter Gregg, Andy Gustafson, Jack Harding, Doris Hart, Bill Hartack, "Bullet" Bob Hayes, Hurley Haywood, Ted Hendricks, Nash Higgins, Nancy Hogshead, Dick Howser, Marcelino Huerta, H. Wayne Huizenga, Fred Hutchinson

J through Q
Julian E. Jackson, Davey Johnson, Jimmy Johnson, Deacon Jones,Jim Kelly, Nick Kotys, Al Lang, Floyd E. Lay, Bernie Little, Larry Little, Pop Lloyd, Al Lopez, Dan Marino, Bob Masterson, Walter Mayberry, Dick Mayer, Tim McDowell, Jack McEwen, Bill McGrotha, Hal McRae, George Mira, Nat Moore, Perry Moss, Gardnar Mulloy, Bob Murphy, Needles, Jack Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Nugent, Stephen C. O'Connell, George R. Olsen, Charlie Owens, Dick Pace, Arnold Palmer, John Pennel, Newton Perry, Bill Peterson, Lou Piniella, Dick Pope, Jr., Dick Pope, Sr., Edwin Pope, Boog Powell, Paul Quinn

R through Z

Tim Raines, Jim Rathmann, Bobby Riggs, Ken Riley, Joe Robbie, Glenn Robert, Robin Roberts, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Al Rosen, Doug Sanders, Gene Sarazen, Herb Score, Earnie Seiler, Ron Sellers, Lee Roy Selmon, Rip Sewell, Frank Shorter, Don Shula, Hal Smeltzy, Freddie Solomon, Steve Spurrier, George Steinbrenner, Lyn St. James, Roger Strickland, Pat Summerall, Don Sutton, Charlie Tate, Zack Taylor, James Van Fleet, Dale Van Sickel, Don Vellwe, Dick Vitale, Don Wallen, Paul Warner, Paul Warfield, Glenn Wilkes, Ted Williams, Early Wynn, Garo Yepremian, Jack Youngblood.

References

External links

* [http://www.fshof.com Florida Sports Hall of Fame website]