After skipping its annual induction dinner last year due to financial difficulties, the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame will induct twelve new members at its 54th fundraising dinner on Monday September 13th at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.
This year’s inductees are long time Piston’s and Michigan State football announcer George Blaha, U of M quarterback and former major leaguer Rick Leach, former Lions Eddie Murray and Herman Moore, Compuware’s Peter Karmanos, Red Wing co-owner Marian Ilitch, golfer Meg Mallon, ABC Sports announcer Bill Flemming, NASCAR owner Jack Roush, Grand Rapids sports editor Bob Becker, and longtime U of M swimming coach Jon Urbanchek. (Hmmmm….it could be a long evening.)
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame was organized in 1954 by then Michigan Lt. Governor Phil Hart, MSU Athletic Director Biggie Munn, Detroit Lions General Manager Nick Kerbeway, George Alderton of the Lansing State Journal and Donald Weeks, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation. The inaugural induction class of 1955 included Ty Cobb, Joe Louis, golfer Walter Hagen, Red Wing General Manager Jack Adams, former U of M football star Willie Heston, and former U of M football coach Fielding H. Yost.
To this day, the plaques of most of the 270 inductees are displayed in Cobo Center.
Last year the MSHF received much criticism for nearly selling the bronze plaques to help pay for its outstanding debt. With new sponsors and board members, there is renewed hope that the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame will become financially solvent and one day find a permanent home in the Detroit area.
It would have been nice if the MSHF had found a home at a partially preserved Tiger Stadium.
To order tickets to the dinner, call 248-473-0656 or visit michigansporthof.org.