The nine newest members of the Washington DC Sports Hall of Fame were honored during a pregame ceremony on Sunday, July 9 at Nationals Park, before the Washington Nationals took on the Atlanta Braves.
The following inductees were honored:
• Juan Dixon – member of the University of Maryland men’s basketball team;
• Brenda Frese – head coach of the University of Maryland women’s basketball team;
• Glenn Harris – longtime host of NewsChannel 8’s “SportsTalk”;
• Tony Kornheiser – Washington Post sportswriter, radio host, ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” co-host;
• Katie Ledecky – two-time Olympian and five-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming;
• Tom McMillen – member of the University of Maryland men’s basketball team and Washington Bullets;
• Mike Nelms – kick returner for the Washington Redskins;
• Paul Tagliabue – NFL commissioner from 1989-2006; and
• Ron Weber – radio broadcaster for the Washington Capitals.
The inductees, who were selected based on their accomplishments in the world of sports, join a select group of distinguished athletes, coaches, owners, executives, media members, contributors and sports personalities in the Hall of Fame, which was founded in 1980.
Each honoree received a plaque commemorating their induction, and their names will be added to the Hall of Fame display at Nationals Park, overlooking the left field concourse.
The D.C. Sports Hall of Fame began in 1980 when Robert Sigholtz created the Hall of Stars at RFK stadium to honor D.C.’s top athletes and sports personalities. Since then, the Hall of Stars has honored over 100 figures ranging from players to coaches to executives to journalists.
Each year, the selection committee picks new figures based on their accomplishments and contributions to the D.C. sports scene.