 2012 Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Paul Hornung. Credit - Louisville Sports Commission The Golden Boy has entered the pearly gates. University of Notre Dame and Green Bay Packer legend Paul Hornung passed away peacefully from dementia related complications last Friday November 13th. The 2012 Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame inductee was 84 years old. Paul Vernon Hornung was born December 23, 1935 in Louisville, KY. Nicknamed the “Golden Boy” for his blonde curly hair and handsome good looks, he attended Flaget High School where he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track. Heavily recruited and coveted by a young Bear Bryant who was a coach with Kentucky at the time, Paul ultimately chose the University of Notre Dame at the urging of his mother Loretta, a devout Roman Catholic and his best friend and high school teammate Sherrill Sipes. Hornung credits the decision as the best he made in life. Sherrill Sipes went on to play for the Fighting Irish with Hornung and to this day they are the only two players from the same high school to ever start in a Notre Dame backfield at the same time. Hornung lived up to the hype at Notre Dame becoming a national sensation and two-time All-American at quarterback and winning the Heisman Trophy in 1956. Often called the most versatile player in Notre Dame and NFL history he played every position in the backfield during his three-year varsity career spanning from 1953-56. As a senior, he led the Irish in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, punting, field goal extra points, passes broken up, and ranked second in interceptions and tackles. He was without contention the best player in college football, but it was something Hornung did at Notre Dame while not in uniform that would reap his greatest reward. As a student, he gave a tour of the stadium to a guy named John F. Kennedy, who at the time was a U.S. Senator. Years later, as a Green Bay Packer, Hornung got drafted into the military and was going to miss the NFL title game, until Coach Vince Lombardi told Hornung to call now President John F. Kennedy. "He said I'll get back to you. He didn't tell me who he was calling. He got back to me three hours later or maybe the next day and said 'You're gonna be ok to take the second two-week’s vacation for Christmas, which will enable you to play in the championship game and I'm going to have a plane come pick you up,'" said Hornung. The Green Bay Packers drafted Hornung as the number one pick in the 1957 NFL Draft and he blossomed in the NFL as a Packer evolving into an all-pro halfback in the 1960s who could run, pass, catch, block and kick. The pinnacle of his colorful NFL tenure came during three exceptional seasons in 1959, 1960 and 1961 when Hornung led the NFL in scoring two of those years and finished second the other year by one point. In 1960, he capped a stellar season when he scored a record 176 points in 12 games on 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals and 41 extra points – a mark that would stand for nearly 46 years. He was the NFL’s MVP in 1961, and his Packers earned NFL titles in 1961, 1962 and 1965, and won Super Bowl I in 1967. Those years included the 1961 stretch in which Hornung was called to active duty in the Army to fulfill ROTC requirements from Notre Dame. He obtained weekend passes thanks to his friendship with President Kennedy to play in Packers games, including the 37-0 rout of the New York Giants in the 1961 Championship in which he scored a record 19 points. Hornung scored the winning touchdown in the 1965 NFL championship game against the Cleveland Browns, and suited up for Super Bowl I, but did not play because of a neck injury. He was the first player selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 expansion draft, but never played due to injury and subsequently retired from football. Post football, Hornung resumed a successful real estate and investment career with hometown friend and mentor Frank Metts, and launched a career as a sports radio and TV commentator and speaker. He was a college and pro football analyst for CBS, TBS, ABC Radio; a color analyst on radio for the Minnesota Vikings and Notre Dame; and along with Lindsay Nelson, in 1966 did tape delay broadcasts of Notre Dame games that aired Sundays. He authored multiple books, including, “My Private Collection: The Paul Hornung Scrapbook” published in 2014; and “Lombardi and Me: Players, Coaches and Colleagues Talk about the Man and the Myth,” published in 2006. Outside of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame he was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 1975, National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 1985, Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, National High School Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2012, he was inducted in the inaugural class of the Louisville Catholic Sports Hall of Fame. Fellow CSHOF member and former Chicago Bear Dan Hampton had this to say, “There was no one like Paul Hornung. When I first arrived in Chicago as a Bear we had a love hate relationship with the Packers. We loved to hate them. As my career progressed and I became closer with Bears of the generation before me like Dick Butkus and Ed O’Bradovich, I learned that they all actually truly loved and respected their peers from Green Bay. They respected those great Green Bay teams so much and always talked about the greatness of those middle 60s teams with Bart Starr and Hornung. When I first met Paul, I was struck by how gregarious, respectful, adoring and fun he was with all of us Bears. He was class and a lot of fun to party with as well! He will be missed by us.” Hornung is survived by his wife of 41 years, Angela. Due to coronavirus restrictions, there will be a private funeral mass at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville followed by a private burial. The Green Bay Packers have said a public celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
0 Comments
 In Memoriam
“The Lord is first; my friends are second and I am third.” – Gale Sayers It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Chicago Bear legend and Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame member Gale Sayers. Mr. Sayers, age 77, passed Wednesday, September 23, 2020 after a long battle with dementia. He was the personification of class in sport and in life. Because of Gale’s exemplary display of charity, class and football accomplishments, we hold an annual honor in his name. NFL great Desmond Howard was our most recent recipient of the Gayle Sayers Award in 2019. Nicknamed the Kansas Comet out of the University of Kansas, the All-American halfback was drafted 4th overall by George Halas and the Chicago Bears in 1965 and went on to win rookie of the year honors amassing an NFL rookie record of 22 touchdowns and 2,272 all-purpose yards. The overnight sensation and immediate impact superstar was famously quoted, “Give me 18 inches of daylight. That’s all I need.” Following his dynamic rookie season, Mr. Sayers went on to earn the NFL rushing title in his second season and five consecutive first-team All-Pro honors. In a storied career that was ultimately cut drastically short by knee injuries, he retired in 1972 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 as the youngest inductee ever at the age of 34. A record that still holds today. Former teammate and Chicago Bear great Mike Ditka has said that Sayers was the greatest player he’s ever witnessed. High praise from a man that also coached Walter Payton. Sayers still holds the record for most rushing touchdowns in a game with six and his career kickoff return average of 30.56 yards is a record for players with at least 75 attempts. He is largely considered the best open field runner in the history of the game. While his accomplishments on the field made him a name in football, it was Gale’s 1970 autobiography titled, “I Am Third” made into the 1971 television move “Brian’s Song” that made him a global star. The film starring Billy Dee Williams as Gayle Sayers and James Caan as Brian Piccolo documents the story of the two Chicago Bear teammates as Piccolo battles a terminal cancer diagnosis while they simultaneously break the color barrier together as the first interracial roommate duo the history of the NFL. A notable aspect of Sayers' friendship with Piccolo, a white man, and the first film's depiction of their friendship, was its effect on race relations. The first film was made in the wake of racial riots, escalating racial tensions fueled by Martin Luther King’s assassination, and charges of discrimination across the nation. Sayers and Piccolo were devoted friends and deeply respectful of and affectionate with each other. Piccolo helped Sayers through rehabilitation after injury, and Sayers was by Piccolo's side throughout his illness until his death in June 1970. After his playing career ended, Sayers briefly worked as a television commentator and stockbroker and then for his alma mater, The University of Kansas. He was the athletic director at Southern Illinois University for five years before resigning in 1981. He had several business ventures, including a successful computer supply company in the Chicago area named Sayers 40 Inc and was widely known for his philanthropy towards youth causes. He was a strong supporter of the Cradle Foundation an adoption organization in Evanston, IL and founded the Gale Sayers Center in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. The Gale Sayers Center is an after-school program for children ages 8–12 from Chicago's west side and focuses on leadership development, tutoring, and mentoring. Sayers was married to Linda McNeil in 1962, during his freshman year in college; they were divorced in June 1973. That December he married Ardythe Elaine Bullard. She survives him. In addition to his stepson Guy, he is also survived by a daughter, Gale Lynne, and two sons, Timothy and Scott, from his first marriage; two other stepsons, Gaylon and Gary; two brothers, Roger, a former track and field star, and Ron, who played eight games as a running back for the San Diego Chargers in the N.F.L.; and two grandchildren.  by: MLSsoccer staff
Chicago Fire FC announced Tuesday that Frank Klopas, a servant of the club in several capacities since 1998, has been named to manager Raphael Wicky's coaching staff as an assistant. “I’m very pleased to have Frank join our coaching staff,” Wicky said in a statement. “He has been an integral part of the Fire since its very beginning. His passion for the club and his knowledge of the league will be extremely valuable for our staff and players. I look forward to working with him.” Klopas has served as a player, head coach, technical director, team ambassador and broadcaster for the Fire over the course of 22 years. His honors include helping the Fire win the double (MLS Cup, U.S. Open Cup) during their inaugural season. He was inducted into the club's ring of fire as a player in 2004 and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. “My heart has always been with the Fire,” Klopas said. “I’m honored to join Raphael’s staff and I’m excited for the future of the Club.” After concluding his playing career in 1999, Klopas served as the Fire’s assistant coach in 2000 and technical director from 2008-2011 before becoming the sixth full-time head coach in club history on Nov. 3, 2011. Klopas was the first former Fire player to be named head coach, and he he helped guide the Fire to the U.S. Open Cup final and the MLS Cup Playoffs. Klopas then spent two years as Montreal Impact head coach, leading the club to the 2014 Canadian Championship and the final of the 2014-15 Concacaf Champions League. In 2016, Klopas returned to the Fire to become the club’s broadcast color analyst.  “Double Destiny”
If you had bet across the board on the lifetime success of Tom F. Carey, you would have won big. A giant in the business of horseracing and a Chicago Catholic League gridiron legend, Mr. Carey, 87 passed away peacefully Dec. 17th at his home in Florida after a long bout with Alzheimer’s. He is a 1998 inductee to Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Tom, a native of Chicago’s Southeast Side was born Nov 11, 1932 into what is today one of the most recognizable families in all of horseracing. The Carey’s of Hawthorne Race Track. It’s rare to find a man with two destinies; one in football and the other in the business of horseracing, but Tom certainly did and made the very best of both. A football star at Chicago Mt. Carmel and a lifelong contributor and champion of the school, he was the quarterback of coach Terry Brennan’s undefeated 1950 City Championship team that Chicago Sun Times prep reporter Taylor Bell heralded as the greatest Illinois high school football team of its era. Post-graduation he and five Mt. Carmel Caravan teammates headed to the University of Notre Dame where they joined fellow Catholic League legend and Fenwick High School alum Johnny Lattner. Tom played quarterback for the Irish from 1951-1953 under Frank Leahy and then again for his former high school coach and Notre Dame alum Terry Brennan for his senior season in 1954. He and Ralph Guglielmi were the QB’s the year Lattner won the Heisman in 1953 and he later called Lattner, “The greatest athlete he ever saw play.” Tom returned to Mt. Carmel High School in 1956 to take over the football program as head coach and helmed the program from 1956-1960. As head coach of the Caravan he won 4 sectional titles and the 1960 City Prep Bowl Championship, with his younger brother Tony, also a future Notre Dame star, playing quarterback. The quarterbacking Carey’s along with the quarterbacking Lynch brothers of today’s modern era hold the unique distinction of being the only brother combinations in Mt. Carmel history to have coached each other to a championship win. Current Mt. Carmel head football coach Jordan Lynch coached his younger brother Justin to a class 7A State Championship win this past fall. Foregoing an almost certain celebrated career in coaching, Tom elected to get a law degree from Northwestern and in 1969 joined his father Robert F. Carey in the century plus family business of owning and operating Cicero’s Hawthorne Race Track. He became president of Hawthorne in 1980. Tom helped Arlington International Racecourse rebuild after a 1985 fire at the northwest suburban track that could have put Arlington permanently out of business. He offered to let Arlington run races at Hawthorne, which it did. Without that, “You would have had a pause in racing in Illinois, and the horses may not have come back,” said Jim Miller, director of media relations for Hawthorne. “Smoke was still coming out” when Mr. Carey arrived to lend a hand, said Dick Duchossois, chairman emeritus of Arlington. “He was the first one sitting on our doorstep to say ‘You can run the rest of your meet at Hawthorne.’” “We went over there with all of our troops” to finish the season and many racing jobs were saved as a result, Duchossois said. Tom was a hands-on, highly visible figure at Hawthorne, which is now operated by his nephew Tim Carey. “On racing day, he would be there in the winner’s circle,” Miller said. “He would be in the paddock as the horses were being saddled. He would eat in the food court with the patrons.” During his era, top thoroughbreds that ran at the track included Cryptoclearance, Awesome Again and Black Tie Affair. If there is ever a horse to be named in Tom’s memory, “Double Destiny” has a nice ring to it. Tom is survived by his wife Susan and six children. Services were held.  Mercy!!!!!!
The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame is proud to share that 2017 inductee Ken “Hawk” Harrelson has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Ken will enter Cooperstown as as a recepitant of the Ford Frick Award given annually for excellence in broadcasting. He is the 16th member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame/Chicago White Sox organization to call Cooperstown home and the third Ford Frick Award winner joining Harry Cary and Jack Brickhouse. The Frick Award is voted on by a 15-person committee that includes the award's 11 living recipients and four current broadcasters and baseball historians. The award is named in honor of the former writer, broadcaster, National League president, and baseball commissioner. Frick was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1970. An exemplary ballplayer for nine years in the big leagues, Hawk entered the broadcasting booth with the Red Sox in 1975 before joining the White Sox broadcasting team in 1982. He served as the team's general manager in 1985, joined the Yankees as a broadcaster in 1987-88, then returned to the White Sox booth in 1989. Harrelson, 78, retired from broadcasting following the 2018 season. Known for his “Homerism” and unabashed love for his team, he was sometimes criticized by media professionals and loved by White Sox fans. Some of his more famous “Hawkisms” or catch phrases include, “You can put it on the board. Yes!!!! (White Sox home run), Grab some bench! (Strikeout) and Don’t stop now boys!! (White Sox rally). Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame President Charles Carey said, “It is with great honor that we share this news. Ken “Hawk” Harrelson is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable voices in baseball history. While inspiring the minds of a generation of White Sox fans; his knowledge of the game, baseball history and love for the White Sox is legend. He couldn’t be more deserving. We are thrilled for him.” Ken will be enshrined in Cooperstown in July of 2020 and The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame will celebrate its 41st year and hold its induction ceremony for 2020 in September. Former San Francisco 49ers tackle Cas Banaszek passed away on December 4, 2019, at the age of 74.
Banaszek was originally selected by San Francisco in the first round (11th overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 11-year career with the 49ers (1967-77), appearing in 120 games (112 starts). Banaszek, a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 1968, is also a member of the 10-Year Club, which honors all players who spent 10-or-more years with the 49ers, and is one of 51 players who have joined this exclusive fraternity. Following his playing career, Banaszek spent one season (1981) as an assistant offensive line coach for the 49ers and was part of the Super Bowl XVI Championship team. Born Casimir Joseph Banaszek on October 24, 1945, he attended Northwestern University and was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Diann, his two children, Cas Jr. and Jennifer, his brother, Ken, and four grandchildren, Emma, Jane, William and Gabrielle. |
Archives |
RSS Feed
141 West Jackson Boulevard
Suite 1801 Chicago, IL 60604 |
The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame is a tax exempt
organization under Section 501(C)(3).Tax ID Number N5861-660-5. |
Site powered by RyTech, LLC
|