More than 50 legendary athletes, coaches, teams, officials and media figures make up the inaugural class of a new sports hall of fame unique to the Danville area.
Officials at the David S. Palmer Arena revealed the first group making up the Greater Illiana Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday morning. The hall of fame covers all of the current Vermilion County school districts as well as Chrisman, Milford, and four counties in Indiana. The group will be honored at a banquet planned for next year and a permanent display inside the arena.
Arena Manager Joe Dunagan came up with the idea for the hall of fame. Dunagan says he has seen many different sports hall of fames at the places where he has worked, and says there are plenty of names to choose from in the Danville area.
Audio Player“There’s names on this list that, once you start to dive into it and you see what these people have done and what they have gone onto accomplish in their athletic and sports career and in their lives, it’s just incredible,” he explains.
Longtime former Danville High School basketball coach Gene Gourley is one of the inductees who spoke during the virtual ceremony. He says the hall of fame will be worth it for area sports fans and the public.
Audio Player“Great individuals,” he says. “It’s great to look back at the history and look back at what happened years ago. Hopefully we can learn some things from what they did then, to the future.”
The inaugural class includes the following:
ATHLETES
- Edmund ‘Zeke” Bratkowski, Schlarman
- Lia Biehl, Oakwood
- Richard Byrd, Milford
- Mike Christian, Schlarman
- Candace Dark, Fountain Central
- Greg Davis, Schlarman
- Tony “Bones” Davis, Schlarman
- Wilbur “Sonny” Dickson, Danville
- Darrin Fletcher, Oakwood
- Tom Fletcher, Oakwood
- Mike Hatfield, Hoopeston -East Lynn
- Tiffany Johnson, Danville
- Steve Jones, DACC
- Anthony Jones, Danville
- Richard “Sleepy” Klein, Schlarman
- Joe Krakoski, Westville
- Greg Matta, Hoopeston – East Lynn
- Kristin McBride, Hoopeston Area
- Bill “Fig” Newton, Rockville
- Kyle O’Brien, DACC
- Stephanie White, Seeger
- Sean Wilkus, Westville
- Bryan Williams, Schlarman
- Britney Rayburn, Attica
- Ron Rigoni, Danville
- Tom Smerdel, Danville
- Josh “Smitty” Smith, Attica
- Gabe Spezia, Westville
- Willie Stinson, Schlarman
- Melvin “Cotton” Whitlock, Danville
- Rich Stoll, Attica
COACHES
- Roger Beals, Chrisman
- Glenn “Braz” Brasel, Hoopeston
- Greg Colby, Schlarman
- Randy Feller, Hoopeston Area
- Gene Gourley, Danville
- Terry Hill, DACC
- Greg Kirby, Danville
- Dave Markwell, Oakwood
- Thad Matta, Hoopeston – East Lynn
- Clayton Miller, Westville
- Paul Shebby, Danville/Schlarman
- Mike Small, Danville
- John Spezia, DACC
- Joe Springer, DACC
- Virgil Sweet, Covington
- Ned Whitesell, Danville
- Ray Wittmann, Oakwood
TEAMS
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Attica—2001 Boys basketball IHSAA Class A State Champions
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Chrisman—1989 Boys Cross Country IHSA Class A State Champions
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Chrisman—1989 Girls Cross Country IHSA Class A State Champions
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DACC—1991 Men’s Basketball NJCAA Div. II National Champions
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DACC—1994 Men’s Cross Country NJCAA Div. II National Champions
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DACC—1993 Women’s Cross Country NJCAA Div. II National Champions
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Danville—1982 Boys Golf IHSA Class AA State Champions
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Danville—1946 Boys Tennis IHSA State Champions
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Danville—1925 Boys Track & Field IHSA State Co-Champions
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Fountain Central –1983 Football IHSAA Class A State Champions
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North Vermillion—2002 Girls Basketball IHSAA Class A State Champions
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Schlarman—1980 Football IHSA Class 2A State Champions
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Seeger—2004 Football IHSAA Class A State Champions
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Turkey Run—1996 Softball IHSAA State Champions
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Westville—1928 Football Record 10-0 (unscored upon)
LEGENDS
- Jim Hellwig “The Ultimate Warrior”, Fountain Central
OFFICIALS
- Gene Lash, Danville
- Jim Richards, Hoopeston
MEDIA
- Fowler Connell, Commercial-News/WDAN
- Max Shaffer, WDAN
- Jim Sheppard, WDAN/University of Illinois
