Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

History

Presented by Coors
How it all began...
The idea of a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame was first presented to the Greater Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in 1960 as an outgrowth of discussions within the Chamber's Metro Sports Committee. When the Board expressed interest in the concept, a Sports Hall of Fame Committee was formed to draft bylaws and to develop the appropriate organizational structure. The committee included many future Hall of Fame notables, including it's first President, Roger Dougherty and future inductee Byron White.

Sports media figures including Chet Nelson, Starr Yelland, Fred Leo and many others assisted the Committee in it's deliberations. With bylaws in place, the Chamber Board voted in July 1964, and the necessary resources to incorporate the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame were put into place. Incorporation formally took place through Byron White's law firm on November 4, 1964.

As part of it's organization, a Selection Committee comprised of members of both print and electronic media from throughout the state was established to prepare procedures and criterion for induction into the Sports Hall of Fame. The first class was inducted in April of 1965. This independant selection process continues today.

The Museum...
After nearly 35 years of honoring Colorado sports legends, the idea of a permanent Museum started to gain ground in 1998, when the Metropolitan Football Stadium District approached the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors about their interest in establishing a "bricks and mortar" Museum in the proposed new Denver Broncos football Stadium. Following the successful stadium election in November of 1998, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors went to work to build the necessary community-wide relationships the launch The Museum project.

As a true community asset, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum partnered with local academic institutions to involve students in the project. Graduate students at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business wrote a business plan, while students at the University of Colorado at Denver Graduate School of Architecture prepared The Museum's design concepts and necessary construction documents. In addition, students from the University of Colorado at Denver's Public History and Preservation program helped develop The Museum's initial exhibits.

Because of generous financial support, both in terms of capital and in-kind contributions, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum opened in August of 2001, and strives to preserve the legendary stories that make sports an important part of our social fabric.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame would like to thank the following individuals for their support and guidance:

Honorary Members
Governor Bill Ritter
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper
Jim Burris
Larry Varnell

Board of Directors
Jim Saccomano, Chairman
Bruce Dodge, Chairman Elect
Dick DeWire, Secretary/Treasurer
Chris Albi
Christie Austin
Joan Birkland
"Buck" Boze
Rich Clarkson

Brian Cook
Nate Eckloff
Randy Furstenau

Phil Ginn
Theo Gregory
Steve Griffith

Jeff Hall

Annie Hoskinson
Aaron Inman
Paul Jacobs
Jim Kellogg
Tom Konkel
Vern Mallinen
Scott Mitchell
Tom Philand

Kile Powers
Meyer Saltzman
Richard Scharf

Mark Williams

President & CEO
Tom Lawrence

Marketing & Tour Director

Laura Gee

Assistant Marketing and Event Coordinator

Wendy Hett


The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame is located at Gate #1 on the west side of INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Exhibits

COLORADO SPORTS HALL OF FAME MUSEUM
PRESENTED BY COORS BREWING COMPANY

Each year, our State's finest athletes, coaches and sports industry leaders are inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. From world-famous to little-known athletes in sports ranging from football to track and field to fencing, these individuals have demonstrated those characteristics that are the true glory of athletic competition:

  • Sportsmanship
  • Leadership
  • Courage
  • Sacrifice
  • Endurance
  • Power




Until now, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame has not had a physical home and our proud legacy of sports achievement has rarely been accessible to Colorado's sports fans.

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum, located on the West Side of INVESCO Field at Mile High, takes visitors on a journey through Colorado sports history. Located next to one of the primary entrances, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum provides year-round access to INVESCO Field at Mile High.

MUSEUM HOURS: THURSDAY - SATURDAY 10 am - 3pm*
*Museum open special hours on Bronco home games and other special events.
ADMISSION:


WHERE:


 MUSEUM ADMISSION IS FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS A FEE FOR TOURS.


MUSEUM IS LOCATED ON WEST SIDE OF INVESCO FIELD - ENTER GATE #1.

SALUTE TO THE INDUCTEES:
Presented by Coors Brewing Company
CURRENT CLASS INDUCTEES AND LISTING OF ALL 186 INDUCTEES.

GREAT MOMENTS IN COLORADO SPORTS
TIMELINE, PHOTOS, FRONT PAGE REPRODUCTIONS.

MIND - BODY - SPIRIT "THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS CONDITIONING"
Presented by King Soopers / City Market
How does the body work - learn how muscle groups work together, injury prevention via photos of two CSHoF Inductees - Amy Van Dyken and John Elway.

SPORTSWOMEN OF COLORADO
Celebrating the achievements of girls and women in Colorado sports.

THE DENVER BRONCOS FRANCHISE
Presented by the Denver Broncos.

A SNAPSHOT OF WOMEN IN SPORTS
Timeline and pictorial history of women in sports.

GALLERY OF LEGENDS
Presented by the Rocky Mountain News.
Large panels featuring individual inductees. Currently, 24 inductees are featured - these panels will rotate periodically.

KIDS' ZONE
Presented by King Soopers / City Market, Arby's, Qwest, Wells Fargo, CollegeInColorado.org and Western Dairy Council
An interactive exhibit for kids of all ages. Imagine yourself as a great sports legend or rising star as you dress up in jerseys and equipment from various teams and sports.

OPEN FAIRWAYS

SPECIAL OLYMPICS COLORADO

NATIONAL SPORTS CENTER FOR THE DISABLED

Sports Legends Mall: Legacy Pillars

Byron White, Glenn Morris, John Elway, Peggy Fleming, Jack Dempsey, David Thompson...

These are just a few of the 180 members of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. These sports legend's achievemnets, both on and off the playing field, have brought fame and honor to our state.

Now these athletes have a place that they deserve at the Sports Legends Mall at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The Sports Legends Mall, a tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare, takes visitors to INVESCO Field at Mile High on a historic journey through Colorado Sports History.

Located on the south side of the stadium, the Sports Legends Mall features Legacy Pillars, each honoring a different inductee class of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Every year, a new Hall of Fame Legacy Pillar will be added featuring our great athletes of yesterday, today and tomorrow, with Pillars eventually extending beyond the Sports Legends Mall and encompassing the entire stadium.

Your sponsorship of a Sports Legends Pillar helps support the on-going education, sports and scholarship programs for the non-profit Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. For a one-time payment, you or your company will enjoy an association with a premier sports facility that lasts a lifetime.

Please call 720.258.3536 to see how you can be a part of Colorado Sports History! See the list below for the current Pillars available for sponsorship for a one-time fee of $10,000.


COLORADO SPORTS HALL OF FAME
SPORTS LEGENDS PILLARS
CLASS INDUCTEES SPONSOR
1965
 Earl "Dutch" Clark / Jack Dempsey / Bryon "Whizzer" White
 TUFF SHED
1966
 Eddie Eagen / Willard N. Griem
 GALLUP CRAIG CONSTRUCTION
1967
 Jack Christiansen / Everette Marshall / Buddy Werner
 KING SOOPERS / CITY MARKET
1968
 Jerome Biffle / "Ace" Gruenig / Edwin Johnson / Jack McCracken
 HOWSAM / HIRSCHFELD
1969
 John Hancock / David Jenkins / Hayes Jenkins / Glenn Morris
 BOB LEID AGENCY
1970
 Peggy Fleming / Frank Potts / Lionel Taylor
 FIRST DATA CORP.
1971
 Bob Howsam / Fum McGraw / N.C. Tubb Morris / Bill Toomey
 HOWSAM / MEDVED
1972
 Boyd Dowler / Harry Hughes / William Thayer Tutt / Gordon Wren
 EL POMAR FOUNDATION
1973
 Vince Boryla / Cobe Jones / Joe Romig / Willy Schaeffler
 MIKE HUSEBY FAMILY
1974
 Murray Armstrong / Pete Butler / Mark Duncan / "Babe" Didrickson
 JOY BURNS
1975
 Richard Jackson / Barney McLean / George Scott / Dallas Ward
 DENVER BRONCOS
1976
 Harry Carlson / Joe Coffee / Ervin Hinds / Pat Panek
 MARRIOTT CITY CENTER
1977
 Burdette Haldorson / Floyd Little / Phyllis Lockwood / Russell Volk
 DENVER BRONCOS
1978
 Young Corbett / William Lam / Ben Martin / Lawrence Orr
 COLLEGE IN COLORADO
1979
 Marv Crawford / Carroll Hardy / Lou Kellogg / Juan Reid
 QWEST
1980
 Dick Anderson / Jim Baggot / Fritz Brennecke / Louis Unser
 D. McREYNOLDS
1981
 Bryon Beck / Joan Birkland / Walter Franklin / Lloyd Gaskill
 KAISER/COLUMBINE
1982
 Bobby Anderson / Charles Parsons / Gerald Phipps / Harry Simmons
 PHIPPS CO.
1983
 Bauldie Moschetti / Chester Nelson / Ivan Thomas / Frank Tripucka
 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
1984
 Larry Bollig / "Goose" Gonsoulin / Richard Hotton / Freddie Joe Steinmark
 ARBY'S
1985
 Leonard Cahn / Hatfield Chilson / Bill Masterson / Billy Thompson
 METRO BROKERS
1986
 William Hinkley / Hale Irwin / Lew Mahony / Craig Morton / Haven Moses
 KUNI LEXUS
1987
 Roy Byers / Bus Campbell / Randy Gradishar / Dan Issel
 PHIL LONG DEALERS
1988
 Corky Gonzales / Red Miller / Dan Stavely / Richard Yates
 VILLAGE HOMES
1989
 Cliff Buck / Jim Darden / Dale Douglass / Tom Jackson
 TERRY STEPHENSON PC
1990
 Jim Burris / Eddie Crowder / Greeley Timothy / Jim Williams
 TALTY INSURANCE
1991
 Keith Magnuson / Bob Martin / Sam Suplizio / Dr. Joe Vigil / James Lee Willard
 KOA RADIO
1992
 Chuck Bresnahan / Gary Glick / Joe Guennel / Carl Scheer / Louis Wright
 METRO BROKERS
1993
 Bob Beattie / Dick Connor / Dale Dodrill / Dave Garland / "Goose" Gossage
 JACK DANIELS
1994
 Walt Clay / Chuck Darling / Donald Ray Descombes / Alex English / Frank Harraway
 THE DENVER POST
1995
 Walter Bergman / Connie Carpenter-Phinney / John Clune / Billy Kidd / Smokey Joe Wood
 AD EDGE
1996
 Judy Bell / Bruce Ford / Scott Hamilton / David Thompson / Art Unger
 KROENKE SPORTS
1997
 Adam Berry / Irv Brown / Gil Cruter / Doug Moe / John Stearns / Larry Varnell
 WELLS FARGO
1998
 Tracy Borah / Bill Daniels / Lloyd Madden / Barbara McIntire / "Sox" Walseth
 THE BILL DANIELS ESTATE
1999
 Jim Conboy / John Elway / Jack Harvey / Bill McCartney / Jack Vickers
 ELWAY AUTO NATION
2000
 John Adams / Dave Logan / Dan Reeves / Greg Riddoch/ Chopper Travaglini
 JOHNSON & WALES
2001
 Don Carlsen / Bob Davis / Pat Day / Karl Mecklenburg /Lonnie Porter / Amy Van Dyken
 DENVER BRONCOS
2002
 Fred Casotti / Joe Collier / Bill Fanning / Bill Marolt / Tom Petroff
 COORS BREWING CO.
2003
 Gib Funk / Guy Gibbs / Tippy Martinez / Ron Shavlik / Rick Upchurch
 SIMMONS FAMILY
2004
 Terrell Davis / Tanya Haave / Bill Hanzlik / "Babe" Lind / Patrick Roy / Fred Tesone
 AMERICAN NAT'L BANK
2005
 Joe Belmont / Pat Haggerty / April Heinrichs / Chad Hennings / Dick Katte / Shannon Sharpe
 KING SOOPERS / CITY MARKET
2006
 Ceal Barry / John Hancock / Bill Hybl / J. Allen "Pat" Patten / Davis Phinney / Dennis Smith
 GATORADE
2007 Carol Baily / Pat Bowlen / Ben Dreith / Andres Galarraga / Hank Kashiwa / Scott Wedman WESTERN DAIRY COUNCIL