Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame’s Core Values

September 18, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

What an upstanding group attended the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony Wednesday at Hawthorne Racecourse. In particular the former Chicago Honey Bears and Luvabulls who were up standing — and cheering — when Cathy Core received a Lifetime Achievement award.

What some of us like to think of as work. Former Luvabulls Pam Marsh (left) and Ashley Bond with your humble correspondent. Life is good.

Cathy was the director of both groups. And once again may we remind you that the last season the Honey Bears roamed the sidelines was 1985. That was the season the Bears won the Super Bowl. The Bears have not won one since. Coincidence? Some of us don’t think so.

The Class of 2014 was truly classy. With the possible exception of former Mount Carmel, Syracuse and NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, who was a no-show. The only other discernible glitch was former Carver High, Texas-El Paso and NBA standout Tim Hardaway having vanished when it was time for his acceptance speech. Then again, his absence meant one less speech, so there was that.

Speaking of acceptance speeches, kudos to all who gave them: the aforementioned Cathy Core, Connecticut basketball coach Kevin Ollie (Ray Meyer College Coach of the Year), former Notre Dame and Miami Dolphins guard Bob Kuechenberg (George Connor Lifetime Achievement Award), former Texas and NFL running back Earl Campbell (Gale Sayers Lifetime Achievement Award), former White Sox star Minnie Minoso (Lifetime Achievement Award), Northwestern lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, basketball’s Howard Garfinkel, baseball’s “Goose” Gossage, former Bulls guard Craig Hodges, boxing’s Marty McGarry, former Blackhawks standout and current broadcaster Troy Murray, former Alabama and NFL running back Johnny Musso, basketball’s Quentin Richardson,, basketball’s Karen Stack Umlauf, former Bulls center and current radio broadcaster Bill Wennington and former Buffalo Grove, Notre Dame and NFL standout Tom Zbikowski.

Cathy Core and some of her lovely Luvabulls.

Hall executive director Howie Fagan assembled quite a good group — both athletically and in terms of being regular human beings.

Hard work seemed to be a common denominator. For the folks who spoke and for the folks who made it possible to hold the event to give the honorees the chance to speak.

Well-deserved congratulations to all involved!

Returning to talk about the Honey Bears and Luvabulls (you thought we wouldn’t?), they added more than merely beauty to the evening. They added an energy to the festivities. If you ask me (and why wouldn’t you?), the Honey Bears and Luvabulls should be part of the Hall’s annual celebration. And the lovely ladies can dress as they please (although some of us might have been slightly disappointed they didn’t show up in the outfits they wore to cheer on the Bears and Bulls).

As for those fetching females who once roamed the Soldier Field sidelines, they have improved with age. And they looked like they still could perform a routine or two if called upon. Maybe next time.

All in all, it was a good time at the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Already looking forward to the 2015 edition. Hopefully with some cheerleaders and dancers once again. Maybe the Hall can figure a way to honor the Honey Bears and Luvabulls on an annual basis. Something says the males in the audience would have no problem with that.

* If it’s Thursday (and the chances seem fairly good that it is in that yesterday was Wednesday — provided that today is Sept. 18, 2014 or a subsequent Thursday), then it is time again for another edition of “Sports & Torts,” the weekly interview show co-hosted by David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Central time on Talkzone.com. This week’s guest is former college and NFL coach Howard Schenellenberger. Podcast of the one-hour show will become available later Thursday on the Talkzone.com web site.