Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame Returns to Honor State’s Legendary Athletes

MINNEAPOLIS – Sept. 14, 2018 – In partnership with Sports Minneapolis, Star Tribune Media Co., Minnesota’s largest media company, today announced the return of the Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame.

Originally founded in 1958, the Hall has drawn on the state’s rich athletic history to honor more than 65 amateur and professional sports legends—including athletes, coaches, owners and influencers—across the complete spectrum of Minnesota sports: from pro football to college hockey to skeet shooting and Olympic competitions, and many more.

After a lengthy hiatus, the Hall is set to reopen in 2019 as an online venue to once again honor Minnesota’s sporting giants. The digital destination will feature some of the most captivating personalities and moments in Minnesota sports history and highlight the achievements of dozens of athletes and sports figures—such as Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Alan Page, Herb Brooks, wrestler Verne Gagne, golfer Patty Berg, broadcaster Halsey Hall and high school hoops legend Janet Karvonen.

Traditionally, Minnesota sports fans have participated in nominating deserving athletes—a tradition that Hall of Fame organizers hope to continue. Nominees are the elite athletes, coaches and builders “whose achievements have brought lasting fame and honor to the state of Minnesota” through their involvement in sports, in the words of the Hall’s founders. There is a five-year waiting period from the end of the nominee’s sports career prior to nomination eligibility. A presenting sponsor for the Hall of Fame will also be announced in the future.

The formal reopening is scheduled for 2019 but will include a special class of inductees (the first in 12 years) to be announced on Oct. 24, 2018, at the second-annual Minnesota Sports Awards gala, presented by Sports Minneapolis, at U.S. Bank Stadium. The awards show, dinner and entertainment will feature appearances by some of Minnesota’s best-known athletes and sports legends, all teaming up to honor the high school, collegiate and professional sports figures who have shaped the state’s sports landscape—including the Hall of Fame’s newest members.

“Quite simply, we’re sports fans, too,” said Mike Klingensmith, CEO and publisher of Star Tribune. “And for as long as there have been sports in Minnesota, the Star Tribune has been covering, spotlighting, and celebrating the unforgettable moments and the greats who made them happen. As part of that mission, 60 years ago, we created the Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame, which grew into a highly anticipated highlight of the annual sports calendar. It’s a privilege to revive this sports and civic institution in partnership with Sports Minneapolis.”

About Sports Minneapolis
Sports Minneapolis is focused on recruiting, enhancing and producing sporting events in the Minneapolis area for the benefit of our community. In addition to generating significant estimated economic impact, amateur and professional sports events can help connect the community through sport, fostering health and wellness.
Minneapolis is on a winning streak in securing upcoming major sports events over the last several years, including the Super Bowl LII in 2018, the X Games 2018–19, 2018 WNBA All-Star Game, the 2018 Division I NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship, and the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2019, among others. Sports Minneapolis has played a major role in bringing these events to Minneapolis, along with events like Northern Lights Junior Volleyball Qualifier, USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships and many other professional, collegiate and amateur sporting events.

About Star Tribune Media Company
Star Tribune Media Company LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest. With the fifth-largest Sunday and ninth-largest daily circulation newspaper in the U.S., the most-visited local website, a range of home-delivered advertising solutions, and a popular arts/entertainment brand, Star Tribune reaches more consumers than any other Minnesota media brand.

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Media contact:
Steve Yaeger
612-673-4256 (office)
651-357-3036 (mobile)
steve.yaeger@startribune.com

 

Current members of the Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame

Jeanne Arth
Kenneth E. Bartholomew
Bobby Bell
Charles Albert (Chief) Bender
Patricia Jane (Patty) Berg
Bernard W. (Bernie) Bierman
Lester Bolstad
Frank Brimsek
Herb Brooks
Walter Bush
Rod Carew
Gilmour Dobie
Robert H. Dunbar
Carl Eller
Verne Gagne
Thomas J. Gibbons
Francis X. (Moose) Goheen
Fortune E. Gordien
Harry “Bud” Grant
Halsey Hall
Jean Havlish
Walter (Pudge) Heffelfinger
Walter M. Hoover
Lou Hudson
Joe Hutton, Sr.
Dr. Louis J. Cooke
Harrison R. (Jimmy) Johnston
F.W. (Nick) Kahler
Janet Karvonen
Michael J. Kelley
Tom Kelly
Harmon Clayton Killebrew, Jr.
John Kundla
Dr. Henry L. Williams
Dorothy Fravey Langkop
Robin Lee
George Loomis
Francis “Pug” Lund
John Mariucci
Jim Marshall
Earl Martineau
John F. McGovern
Dorothy McIntyre
George L. Mikan
Vern Mikkelsen
Thomas Milton
Clarence (Biggie) Munn
Bronko Nagurski
Cindy Nelson
Michael (Mike) O’Dowd
Pedro “Tony” Oliva
Alan Page
Kirby Puckett
George Quam
James (Jimmy) Robinson
Dick Siebert
Bruce Smith
Sandy Stevens
Fran Tarkenton
Murray Warmath
Charles (Bud) Wilkinson
Dave Winfield
Max Winter
Garfield A. (Gar) Wood