The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

First conceived in 1950, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association inducted its first Hall of Fame Class -- LSU football All-American Gaynell Tinsley, boxing great Tony Conzoneri and baseball legend Mel Ott -- in 1959. In June of 2013 the long dreamed-off physical building opened its doors at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

To be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, athletes must have competed for at least two years at the varsity level in high school or college in Louisiana. Athletes who gain fame in Louisiana at the college or professional level also are eligible. Coaches and administrators who are Louisiana natives but gain fame outside the state are eligible, as are those who are from out of state but gain fame in Louisiana. Sports figures must be retired or inactive in their discipline for at least three years before consideration. Athletes in lifetime sports such as golf, become eligible when they reach the age of 50, even if they remain active. A panel of members of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association gather in the August to consider, discuss and debate which candidates are deserving of enshrinement. Finally, they vote. Then vote again. And again until a class is finalized. Additionally, the committee selects an annual Dave Dixon Leadership Award winner and two Distinguished Service Award winners.

The announcement of the class is made in the fall and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame holds its annual inductions every June in Natchitoches.

To nominate a candidate, send biographical material to:

Doug Ireland, Chairman Sports Hall of Fame

500 Front Street

Natchitoches, LA 71457

or email to DougIreland@LaSportsHall.com

The deadline to submit each year is July 15.

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Dave Dixon Leadership Award winners

Presented annually to an individual who has played a decisive role as a sports leader or administrator benefiting Louisiana and/or bringing credit to the state on the national or international level:

2005 --- Randy Gregson, U.S. Tennis Association

2006 --- Emanuel "Boozy" Bourgeois Jr., Louisiana Special Olympics

2007 --- Don Landry, Nicholls State University/Southland Conference

2008 --- Dr. James Andrews, Sports Medicine

2009 --- George Dement, Youth Sports Activist

Benny Turcan, Mr. Softball

2010 --- Gerald Boudreaux, NCAA basketball official

2011 --- Elmo Adolph, Official

Billy Montgomery, Coach and State Legislator

2012 --- L.J. Mayeux, "Dr. Duck", Ducks Unlimited

2013 --- Milton Retif, New Orleans athlete, coach and businessman

2014 --- Wright Waters, Sun Belt Conference Commissioner

Tynes Hildebrand, Northwestern State and NCAA basketball administrator

2015 --- Paul Hoolihan, Executive Director of the New Orleans Sugar Bowl

2016 --- Dr. Julian Bailes, sports-related concussion research

2017 --- Sue Donahoe, basketball coach and administrator

2018 --- Steve Gleason, New Orleans Saints player, Team Gleason

2019 --- Marie Gagnard, tennis official

2020 --- Joan Cronan, athletic administrator, Northwestern State, Tennessee

2021 --- Terry McAulay, NFL official

2022 --- Jay Cicero, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation

2023 --- None awarded

2024 --- Tom Burnett, Southland Conference Commissioner

Distinguished Service Award winners

Presented to the person or persons for their professional accomplishments and impact in local, state, regional and national arenas:

1982 --- Bill Keefe, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Paul Martin, Monroe News-Star
Bud Montet, Baton Rouge Advocate
Truman Stacy, Lake Charles American Press
1983 --- Jack Fiser, Shreveport Times
1984 --- John Ferguson, LSU/New Orleans Saints radio
1985 --- Dan Hardesty, Baton Rouge State-Times
1986 --- Paul Manasseh, LSU Sports Information
1987 --- Ted Castillo. Baton Rouge Advocate
1988 --- Bil Carter, Alexandria Daily Town Talk
1989 --- Peter Finney, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Bob Roesler, New Orleans Times-Picayune
1990 --- Collie Nicholson, Grambling Sports Information
1991 --- Fred Digby, New Orleans Item/Sugar Bowl
1992 --- Connie Kaplan, The Kaplan Herald
1993 --- Austin Wilson, The Associated Press
M.L. Lagarde, Tulane University
1994 --- Bob Anderson, Northeast Louisiana Sports Information
Bernell Ballard, Baton Rouge Advocate
1995 --- Jim McLain, Shreveport Times
1996 --- Jerry Byrd, Shreveport Journal/Bossier Press-Tribune
Joe Planas, Baton Rouge Advocate/Catholic Commentator
1997 --- Roger Brandt, Opelousas Daily World
1998 --- Hal Ledet, New Orleans Times-Picayune/L'Observateur
1999 --- Al Nassif, Alexandria Daily Town Talk
Bob Henderson, Southwestern Louisiana
2000 --- Sam King, Baton Rouge Advocate
Jerry Pierce, Northwestern State University
Gerry Robichaux, Shreveport Times
2001 --- Bud Johnson, LSU and Tulane
2003 --- Bill Curl, Tulane and Louisiana Superdome
2004 --- Keith Prince, Louisiana Tech/Monroe News Star
2005 --- Buddy Diliberto, New Orleans Item/WDSU-TV/WWL-Radio
2006 --- Marty Mule, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Jim Wynn, Alexandria Town Talk/Abbeville Meridional
2007 --- Pete Dosher, Louisiana Tech/Grambling
Arthur Schott, New Orleans Baseball historian
2008 --- Ed McHale, The Associated Press
R.L. Stockard, Southwestern Athletic Conference
2009 --- O.K. "Buddy" Davis, Ruston Daily Leader
Bob Griffin, KSLA-TV, Shreveport
2010 --- Ted Lewis, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Norm Fletcher, Natchitoches broadcaster
2011 --- Ron Brocato, The Clarion-Herald
Larry Hymel, Southeastern Louisiana University
2012 --- Butch Muir, The Baton Rouge Advocate
Bill Bumgarner, The Times-Picayune
2013 --- Bob Marshall, The Times-Picayune
2014 --- Joe Macaluso, The Baton Rouge Advocate
2015 --- Bobby Dower, Lake Charles American Press
Glenn Quebedeaux, The Daily Iberian
2016 --- Jim Hawthorne, The Voice of LSU
Bob Thompkins, The Alexandria Town Talk
2017 --- Jim Henderson, Sportscaster WWL, The Voice of the Saints,
Dan McDonald, McD Media
2018 --- Scooter Hobbs, Lake Charles American Press
Lyn Rollins, Broadcaster
2019 --- Dave Nitz, Broadcaster, Louisiana Tech
Philip Timothy, Journalist