PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum inducted its 2007 class on Tuesday at the Multnomah Athletic Club and and two of the eight members had strong University of Portland ties. Long time Pilot baseball player, coach and athletic director Joe Etzel, as well as former soccer standout Shannon MacMillan, were among those inducted at the 28th annual induction ceremony.
Other members of the class included masters athlete, Robert “Pudgy” Hunt; Olympics hammer silver medalist and track and field throwing coach, Lance Deal; handball champion Ryan Grossenbacher; acclaimed football coach, Dewey Sullivan; 1958 Rose Bowl star, Jim Shanley and Oregon State All American gymnast, Mary Ayotte-Law.
Each year the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame helps preserve Oregon’s rich sports heritage through its recognition of outstanding Oregon athletes and special contributors to sport.
In addition, Oregon Sports Hall of Fame college scholarships were awarded to Oregon scholar-athletes, made possible by contributions from the MacTarnahan Family Trust. Six student athletes received $2000 scholarships to be used for continuing their education at Oregon colleges and universities. This year’s student athletes were: John Tommasini, Roseburg High School; Loren Benson, Bandon High School; Anthony Newbold, Harrisburg High School; Linnae Roland, Henley High School (Klamath Falls); Lexi Newman, Bonanza High School (Bly); Nicole Price, McKenzie High School (Finn Rock).
Veteran sportscaster, Bill Schonely, served as the event's emcee, while OSU College World Series championship coach, Pat Casey, was the keynote speaker.
The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame recognizes and honors Oregon’s rich athletic history with our museum and annual induction and awards ceremony. The Hall of Fame’s goal is to inspire participation in sport and foster awareness of the values and life-long rewards gained from this participation.
The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is located at 321 SW Salmon St, Portland OR 97204, 503/227-7466, www.oregonsportshall.org.
2007 INDUCTION BIOS
DEAL, LANCE – Track & Field
· Deal finished second in the hammer at the 1989 and 1994 World Cup and at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
· He is a two-time Pan Am Games Champion.
· Deal is a four-time Olympian, he holds the U.S. hammer throw record of 82.52 meters/270 feet, 9 inches and was ranked #1 in the world in that event in 1996.
* He is the owner of 12 U.S. Indoor 35-lb. weight-throw titles.
· He retired after the 2001 season, but he returned to win the 2002 Men's National Hammer Title.
· He is currently an assistant shot, discus and hammer coach at University of Oregon.
· Named the Nor-Pac Coach of the Year in 1979 after winning the conference title and advancing to the NCAA regional playoffs.
ETZEL, JOE - Coaching
· 34 years as University of Portland Athletic Director (1970-2004)
· Oversaw the construction of the Chiles Center, the Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center, Pilot Stadium, and Merlo Field.
· Oversaw the development of the successful UP programs, including the women’s NCAA championship team.
· 21 years as the head baseball coach and his 378 wins are the most in UP history.
· Starred at the University of Portland in baseball, and holds pitching win percentage record.
· 34 of his players went on to play professionally, including four reaching the major league (Ken Dayler, Bill Krueger, Tom Lampkin, Steve Wilson)
GROSSENBACHER, RYAN - Handball
· This Oregon native continues to “mentally and physically compete and beat competitors in the open division who are 10 years younger” says Handball Committee Chairman Curt Heiting.
· He was showcased in a 2003 issue of Sports Illustrated as the oldest competitor to win a USHA National Open Title.
· In 2003 he was the USHA National Four-Wall Open Singles Champion.
· He has been the Multnomah Athletic Club singles champion (seven times).
· He has taken first place at the Oregon State singles six years in a row.
· He is ranked 25th in the USHA Simple Green pro tour player rankings.
HUNT, ROBERT “PUDGY” – Masters Athlete
· This 1957 Knappa graduate held the Oregon high school all-time career scoring record with 2,584 points until this year, when it was broken by Kevin Love of Lake Oswego High School.
· “Pudgy” also still shares the class 2A Boys high school tournament record for an individual game with 45 points.
· “Pudgy” was an All-Tournament selection in 1955, 1956 and 1957. In 1955 Knappa won the boys basketball Championship.
· “Pudgy” went on to Gonzaga University where he was team captain and the leading scorer for the 1961-62 season averaging 20 points per game.
· “Pudgy” was a member of several AAU State Championship teams including Claudia’s and the MAC Club. He also began participating in the AAU Masters program with the East Bank Saloon team which has 10 AAU National Championships making the All-Tourney team 5 times and also a tournament MVP selection in 1988.
· “Pudgy” was also involved in National Masters Basketball, the World Masters Games and the World Senior Games. He is currently getting ready to suit up again for the World Masters Games in Edmonton, Canada to be held in July.
AYOTTE-LAW, MARY - Gymnastics
· From Gresham, she attended Oregon State University and was a member of the gymnastics team from 1979-1982. She was a seven-time All-American in 1981 in four of five events.
· Became the second Beaver to win a National Championship with her floor title in 1982 and was the third place finisher in the All-Around.
· US National Team member, World University Games, in Bucharest, Romania 1981.
· Earned final placement in NCAA Championship Meet: 1980 Floor Exercise; 1981 All-Around, Balance Beam, Floor Exercise; 1982 All-Around, Vault, Floor.
· NCAA Western US Regional Championships: 1980 won four events - All-Around, Balance Beam, Floor, Vault; 1981 won four events - All-Around, Floor, Vault, Uneven Bars; 1982 won two events - All-Around, Floor.
· 1982 recipient of the American Award, which honors the nation’s top senior gymnast.
MacMILLAN, SHANNON – Soccer
· Winner of the 1995 Hermann Award as soccer's top collegiate player. 1995 Soccer News All-American.
· Four-time: All-American, All-Far West Region First Team and West Coast Conference selection from the University of Portland.
· Completed her sophomore season in 1993 as the women's Division I national scoring leader.
· She finished her freshman year in 1992 as the highest scoring freshman in the nation and fourth leading scorer overall with 19 goals.
· Member of the USA's gold medal winning team at the 1996 Olympics. Led the Olympic Team with three goals in their five matches, including the match-winners against Sweden and Norway. Member of the 2000 Olympics Silver Medal Team.
· Member of the U.S. National team in 1999 that won the World Cup and again in 2003 when they finished fourth.
· 2002 scored 17 goals and was voted the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year
· Retired from international play in 2006 at the age of 31.
Shanley, Jim – Football
· A full 50 years after last playing halfback for the Oregon Ducks, All Pacific Coast Conference, All-Coast and all American Jim Shanley still ranks among Oregon’s top ten performers in nine separate categories.
· He was named to PCC all conference teams in 1955, ’56 and ’57.
· He was named to a number of 1st, 2nd and 3rd team all-America squads in 1957.
· He was co-captain during the Rose Bowl season.
· He was elected a member of the U of O’s all time all star squad in 1992.
· He played virtually every play in his 3 varsity seasons, and at the same time, was an outstanding defensive back .
· He’s an elected member of the University of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
· He returned punts for the Green Bay Packers in the NFL, and was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on Jim Sweeney’s staff at WSU.
SULLIVAN, DEWEY – Coaching
· Coached football at Dayton High School from 1965 to 2006, compiling a record of 352-84-2.
· Dayton teams won five state titles and made a record twenty-five straight football playoff appearances.
· Dewey received twenty-four Coach of the Year Awards.
· In 2001 Dewey was named the National High School Coach of the Year the National Association of Interscholastic Coaches
· As of 2006 Dewey Sullivan is the winningest high school football coach in Oregon history
· Dewey died on November 8 last year.
