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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