HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2018; 15 NEW MEMBERS TO BE INDUCTED THIS FALL
Class of ‘18 includes wide array of standouts, all stars and Olympians.
BUFFALO, NY – The 2018 class of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame was introduced to the public and media on Wednesday June 6 at 4 p.m. in the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. This induction class features athletes and administrators, Olympians and All Stars, as well as professionals and amateurs – adding to the tapestry of individuals represented in Western New York’s premier athletic hall of fame.
The 15-members of the Induction Class of 2018 includes:
- Werner “Babe” Birrer (D) – Major League and Buffalo Bison pitcher
- Bill Bradshaw – Highly acclaimed college administrator
- Gina Castelli – Canisius College standout hoopster and college coach
- John Faller – Champion Sweet Home football and lacrosse coach
- James Hewson (D) – Track and field Olympian
- Marv Hubbard (D) – Three-time NFL All-Pro fullback
- “Baby” Joe Mesi – Golden Gloves Champion and undefeated heavyweight boxer
- Lonnie Nielsen – PGA golfer and senior tour champion
- Barry Smith – Legendary NHL coach, administrator, Stanley Cup champion
- Louise, Estelle & Mary Weigel (D) – Figure skating champions
- Jimmy “Bug” Williams & Rickey Williams – College and professional basketball standouts
- Jeff Yeates – NFL player and college football standout
(D) Indicates the honoree is being inducted posthumously.
With the addition of the 15-member class of 2018, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame will now have 330 inductees since its inception in 1991.
The date of the induction dinner is Tuesday October 9, 2018. Tickets are available for purchase on the website. The event will be held at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in downtown Buffalo, NY.
In addition to the class of 2018 being introduced, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors also announced its annual monetary awards from its Amateur Sports Development Fund. This year the Amateur Sports Development Fund awarded $19,900 to local amateur athletes, teams and organizations seeking financial assistance to foster the pursuit of a higher level of athletic achievement. This year’s recipients are the Niagara Police Athletic League, Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association, Boys & Girls Club of Holland, Western New York Special Hockey Association, Mount St. Mary’s, Mount Mercy, Alexa Tamburlin, Amherst Youth Basketball, Depew/Lancaster Boys & Girls Club, EMW Sports, and Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Programs. Interested parties can apply for future awards at www.buffalosportshallfame.com/apply-for-funds/.
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame honors those who have enhanced our lives with their performances and commitment to Western New York sports, an effort surpassed only by the positive impressions they have left on our athletes of tomorrow.
Class of 2017 Inducted
Forever Enshrined in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of fame inducted the class of 2017 on November 1st in a gala event at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. All of this year’s inductees were in attendance, along with family members of the sports heroes who were inducted posthumously. This event marked the 27th class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1991, bringing the total of inductees to 315.
2017 Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Inductees:
- Charles Daniels (D) – Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist
- Danny DiLiberto – World Champion Billiards Player and Pro Boxer
- Sandra Hollander (D) – Buffalo State Softball Coach
- Willie “Hutch” Jones – Basketball Player – Bishop Turner, Vanderbilt and NBA
- Mike Keiser – World Renowned Golf Course Developer
- E.J. McGuire (D) – NHL Hockey Administrator, Coach
- Charles O’Brien – WNY High School Volleyball Coach and Pioneer
- Danny Ozark (D) – Major League Baseball Manager
- Vaughn Parker – Football Player, St. Joe’s Collegiate, UCLA and NFL
- Michael Peca – Buffalo Sabres Hockey Player
- Stacey Schroeder-Watt – Shotput and Discus Record Holder and NCAA All-American
- Tom Terhaar – Award Winning Olympic Rowing Coach
To see photos and bios of the class of 2017 click on https://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/members/class-of-2017/
To watch the ceremony in full please clink on https://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/2017-induction-ceremonies-rebroadcast/
