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 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.
GBSHOF: Bill Bradshaw a fixture in athletic administration
By Danielle Allentuck, The Buffalo News
This is part of a series highlighting this year’s class of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. The 15-member class will be inducted Oct. 9.
Bill Bradshaw will never forget the moment he found out he was going to be inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
The director of athletics at La Salle University in Philadelphia was in his office late one night in March. He was searching for a new head basketball coach and had said he wasn’t taking any calls. But then the area code 716 popped up — an area code he picks up no matter what — and even at the risk of it being someone asking about the search, he picked it up.
It was Tom Koller, the president of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, telling him he was a member of the Class of 2018.
“It was a pretty good pickup. I probably embarrassed myself to Tom Koller,” Bradshaw said. “I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ And he said, ‘No, I wouldn’t be kidding you.’ I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m just really thrilled.’ ”
