First 25 South Shore Sport Legends Announced
HAMMOND, IN – The South Shore Sports Legends Committee is proud to unveil the first 25 Legends for the South Shore Sports Legends Exhibit. The exhibit will be on display at the Indiana Welcome Center’s W.F. Wellman Exhibit Hall from August 16th through November 10th.
“It is a difficult process to choose 50 Sports Legends among the hundreds of exceptional athletes, coaches and teams in the South Shore area. I have a great team of local sports enthusiasts help the committee name the 50 best,” stated John Friend, Interim Athletic Director at Purdue University Calumet. He continued to say, “I look forward to unveiling the exhibit in August.”
There have been more than 200 nominations from Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties for this inaugural exhibit. The South Shore Sports Legends Committee recently added Porter and LaPorte County athletes, coaches, Olympians and teams to the eligibility requirements.
The following teams, coaches and athletic participants have been selected as the first 25 Legends because of their contributions and legendary status:
Dick “Skull” Barnett
John Barratto
Vince Boryla
Lee Quency Calhoun
Rudy Chapa
Richard Corbett “Corby” Davis
Bob Dille
East Chicago Roosevelt ’70 Boy’s Basketball and
East Chicago Washington ’71 Boy’s Basketball
Charles O. Finley
Ray Gallivan
Tom Harmon
Don Howell
Ron Kittle
Kelly Komara
Bob Kuechenberg
Don Larsen
Lloyd McClendon
Dan Plesac
LaTaunya Pollard
Gregg Popovich
Glenn Robinson
Pete Rucinski
Coach Hank Stram
Nick Strincevich
Tony Zale
Kelly Komara, currently the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach for Northwestern University, and more recently one of the 25 South Shore Sports Legends stated, “Being from Northwest Indiana and the great athletic history of the area, to be named one of the top athletes is an honor. Many of my peers have gone on to succeed in other professions and I am thrilled to be put in this category at such a young age.”
The final 25 Legends will be announced upon the opening of the South Shore Sports Legends Exhibit on August 16th.
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