Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Celebrates Georgia’s Sports Legacy

By K.J. Lemoine

The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame showcases the greatest people and moments in Georgia’s sports history. Athletes such as Ty Cobb, Herschel Walker and Dominique Wilkins grace the hallways of the immersive building.

The athletes must go through a long induction process which sees only eight of approximately 300 nominees inducted in the ceremony each year. Gwen Arrington, Director of Administration at the Hall, described the process of nomination for induction.

“They are born in the state of Georgia or they have played the majority of their sport in the state of Georgia,” Arrington said of the nominees. “Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, but then our Chipper Jones that played with the Atlanta Braves was born in Michigan and raised in Michigan, but he played the majority of his sport for the Atlanta Braves.”

A selection committee of 40 people looks through all the applications, narrowing the nominees to 36. At that point, a smaller committee — one more knowledgeable of specific sports — comes in to officially select the eight inductees.

“[The second committee has] an expertise in a particular sport,” said Jim McLendon, the Interim Director of the Hall.

If not inducted in the first year of nomination, nominees remain eligible for seven years and then must be nominated again for later consideration.

“There are so many athletes and contributors to athletics that are worthy of being inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, but we limit it to eight people per year,” McLendon said.

Each inductee brings memorabilia they would like on exhibit for two years. After that time, it is either given back or kept by the Hall of Fame.

“[Memorabilia is] donated, they’re given gifts by their families, they’re donated by the individuals themselves,” Arrington said.

The Hall receives many student tours from schools throughout the year. McLendon hopes that Hall will inspire the students on tour to work hard and have responsibility.

“Those are life lessons [the students] can carry on far after their athletics career is over,” McLendon said.

People can nominate those they feel worthy of induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame by filling out a form found on their website and mailing it to the Hall.