NATCHITOCHES, La. — The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame added eight more of the state’s sports legends in ceremonies here last month and the highlights of that induction ceremony will be shown Thursday night at 7 p.m. on Cox Sports Television.
This is the seventh consecutive year that CST, in conjunction with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, has televised the highlights of the induction ceremony on a tape-delayed basis. The one-hour show will be broadcast six times during the remainder of the month. Again this year, the program is hosted by CST’s Lyn Rollins and longtime Louisiana television personality Tammi Arender-Herring. Kent Lowe, past president of the parent organization of the hall, the LSWA, handles interviews and commentary.
Inducted into the hall this year were NFL superstars Marshall Faulk, Will Roaf and Michael Brooks, PGA golf champion Hal Sutton, coaching greats Carrice Russell-Baker and Sonja Hogg, motorcycle champion Freddie Spencer and the late long-time athletic trainer at LSU, Dr. Marty Broussard.
It marked the first time in the 50 years of inductions for the hall that someone from the categories of motor sports and athletic training were inducted into the Hall.
The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame ceremony again this year was presented by La Capitol Federal Credit Union and the broadcast was also sponsored by some 50 State Farm Insurance Agents from throughout the state along with the Natchitoches Historic Development District.
“All of the Hall of Fame ceremonies that we have televised over the past years on CST have had their special moments and this year will be no exception when you watch our show,” said Lowe. “If you’ve never heard of Carrice Russell-Baker, her acceptance speech will bring a smile to your face and you will learn quickly what kind of coach she was. It was another wonderful Hall of Fame weekend in Natchitoches and we think that is again shown in this year’s broadcast.”
The induction brings the total number of Hall of Famers now to 269. The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame members are selected by a 30-member committee made up of state media and historians.
Also on the broadcast will be the presentation of the annual Distinguished Service Awards in Sports Journalism given to longtime sports editor of the Ruston Daily Leader, O.K. “Buddy Davis, and veteran television-radio personality in Shreveport, Bob Griffin. Former Bossier City Mayor George Dement, for his contributions to amateur boxing, and the late Benny Turcan, known as the state’s Mr. Softball, were honored with the Dave Dixon Sports Leadership Award.
Other air times for the show after Thursday’s premiere showing are as follows (times listed are Central Daylight Time): Saturday, July 18 (9 p.m.); Monday, July 20 (Noon); Wednesday, July 22 (6 p.m.); Saturday, July 25 (11 a.m.); and, Thursday, July 30 (4:30 p.m.).
About Cox Sports Television
The New Orleans-based sports network launched on October 28, 2002 in front of 450,000 Louisiana viewers. CST has grown over 400% to nearly 2 million in the five years since launch, making it one of the fastest growing regional sports networks in the south. CST is currently carried on cable systems in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Virginia and is available to Dish Network subscribers (Channel 421) in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans markets. CST is owned and operated by Cox Communications Louisiana, LLC. Initially targeted to be a Louisiana sports network, CST has secured collegiate, professional and high school events that have expanded the networks reach throughout the south. For more information about CST, please visit our website at www.coxsportstv.com.
About the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
Members of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association began planning a Hall of Fame to honor the state’s outstanding athletes and coaches as far back as 1951, but the first induction was not until 1959 when the three charter members of the organization ? Gaynell Tinsley, Tony Canzoneri and Mel Ott ? were inducted. Although inductions were held every year there was never an actual Hall of Fame in the state until the facility was established at Northwestern State in Natchitoches in 1972. With the 2009 inductions, 220 of the 269 members will have entered the shrine since the Hall of Fame was opened in Natchitoches. The Hall of Fame has been accepted into the state museum system, setting the stage for the state and the city of Natchitoches to construct a 27,000-square foot museum building on Front Street in the National Historic District of Natchitoches. Ground was broken in 2008 and construction is underway with planned completion tentatively scheduled for the end of 2011.