PALM BEACH COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME NOW ACCEPTING ANNUAL SPORTS AWARD NOMINATIONS!

The deadline is December 31, 2008

Nominations for the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame 2009 Induction Class closed on August 31, 2008. Check back for 2009's Inductees.

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CONGRATULATIONS !!
TO THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE
PALM BEACH COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME

(From left to right; Sonny Jaudon, Don Thompson, Joan Joyce, Brad Banks, Steve Hardin,
Leonard Griesemer, Dave McIntosh. Not pictured here is Joe Grahe)

Class of 2008

Brad Banks, Belle Glade:  A native of West Palm Beach. He was All-state QB at Glades Central HS 1997-98 and Lou Groza Award winner as a senior,  Big 10 Player of the Year for University of Iowa, 2002,  AP College Player of the Year, Walter Camp All-American QB, Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award finalists and Heisman Trophy runner-up. Brad is currently playing in the Canadian Football League.

Joe Grahe, Palm Beach Gardens: Grew up in North Palm Beach, All-Star pitcher at Palm Beach Gardens High School, Palm Beach Community College and University of Miami. Was MVP of 1986 American Legion World Series, pitching  Jensen Beach Post 126 to title; drafted by Angels and played pro ball for 10 years; member of University of Miami Hall of Fame.

Leonard Griesmer, West Palm Beach: Since 1959 coached football and basketball, boys and girls, a total of more than 2,500 youths in 66 seasons for eight different youth organizations; strong emphasis on academics, sportsmanship and fundamentals. In 1967, coached first racially integrated football team at Howard Park.

Steve Hardin, Panama City: As quarterback at Seacrest High School, 20-1 two-year record as quarterback; played at Florida State and Lenoir-Rhyne College, graduated from Florida Atlantic. Then was successful head coach at Atlantic, Tallahassee Lincoln and Panama City Rutherford High Schools.

James E. “Sonny” Jaudon, Belleview: Active in youth baseball in Palm Beach County from 1952 through 1974, honored by Major League Scouts Association for years of service to youth baseball. He left Port of Palm Beach to take a similar leadership position at the Port of Manatee in Bradenton; retired in 1982; coached Little League and Post 12, baseball chairman at Post 12; graduate of Palm Beach High School in 1939.

Joan Joyce, Boca Raton: Coach of perennial powerhouse women’s softball team at Florida Atlantic. She was All-American and All-Pro in softball, basketball and volley ball; played on LPGA tour 1977-95. Member of 3 Hall of fames: women’s sports, softball and women’s basketball.

John D. MacArthur, Palm Beach Shores: From the corner table in the coffee shop at Colonnades Hotel, John D. MacArthur built the city of Palm Beach Gardens and encouraged the PGA of America to move from Dunedin to Palm Beach Gardens, building national headquarters and three golf courses at what is now BallenIsles Country Club. Palm Beach County and Palm Beach Gardens became “The Golf Capital of the World.”

David McIntosh, West Palm Beach: Won 10 letters in football, basketball and baseball and became the first student at Cardinal Newman High School to receive a D-1 football scholarship to the University of Florida. He is past president of University of Florida national Alumni Association, a member of the Orange Bowl and Miami Super Bowl committees.

Donald Thompson, Belle Glade: Graduated from Pahokee High School, lettering in 4 sports and serving as class president as a junior and senior. Where he then returned to coach, winning state football championship in 1989 as well as numerous regional, district and conference titles; still an assistant coach at Pahokee High School.

2008 Annual Sports Awards Winners

Amateur Athlete of the Year
Rusty Smith

Professinal Athlete of the Year      
Devin Hester

Coach of the Year
Howard Schnellenberger

High School Coach of the Year        
Blaze Thompson

High School Athlete of the Year     
Ashley Brasovan

Outstanding Sports Contributor     
Jan Cairnes

President’s Award
2004 US Olympic Equestrian Show Jumping Gold Medal Team
Chris Kappler, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward and Peter Wylde

For all Past Inductee's Click Here

For Past Annual Award Winners Click Here

For Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame History Click Here

Banquet Photo Album

ARCHIVES:

Largest crowd in the 30 year history of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame

Palm Beach Gardens- Sunday, May 7th, Chris Evert, Hamid Faquire, Dave George, Pam Gerig-Bland, E.R. "Buddy" Goodell, Patrick J. Rooney Sr. and Chuck Shaw where inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in front of a crowd of 578. This was the largest crowd in the history of the event. In addition to the seven inductees and seven annual sports award winners, the announcement of the Palm Beach County Sports Achievement Award Athletes of the Year, Sam Budnyk Scholar Athlete and Andrews~Ceravolo Basketball Coach of the Year were announced.

PALM BEACH COUNTY SPORTS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Elementary School Athlete of the Year

Hannah Coy, Waters Edge Elementary

Middle School Athlete of the Year

Taylor Tendrich, Unity School

High School Athlete of the Year

Lecia Brown, Suncoast High School

SAM BUDNYK SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Danielle Colleen Bradley, from King's Academy, was awarded the Sam Budnyk Scholar Athlete Award and will receive a $5,000 scholarship that can be renewed annually for a maximum of four years. Specific criteria for the award must be met for the scholarship to be renewed. Raqueria Murvin last year's winner was in attendance at the event and gave her testimony about her first year of college.

ANDREWS~CERAVOLO BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR

John O'Connell, Saint Andrew's School, won the Andrews~Ceravolo Basketball Coach of the Year award as the Most Outstanding Palm Beach County Head Coach for Varsity Men's Basketball.

Charlie Reppel, Palm Beach Gardens High School, won the Andrews~Ceravolo Basketball Coach of the Year award as the Most Outstanding Palm Beach County Head Coach for Varsity Women's Basketball.

PALM BEACH COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME MEMBERS HONORED MARCH 4TH AT ROGER DEAN STADIUM

WEST PALM BEACH, FL- Over 50 Palm Beach Hall of Fame members were honored during an on-field recognition ceremony hosted by the Palm Beach County Sports Institute on Saturday, March 4 before the Florida Marlins spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The ceremony commemorated Roger Dean Stadium as the permanent home of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame. Banners honoring the Hall of Fame members now hang in the concourse year round at Roger Dean Stadium for all visitors to see.

The Palm Beach County recognition ceremony was sponsored by: Toshiba Business Solutions, FL, Roger Dean Stadium, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Merrill Lynch, Palm Beach County Sports Commission, ESPN Radio 760 and The Palm Beach Post.

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