Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Ontario Sports Hall of Fame logo
Established1994
LocationToronto, Ontario, Canada
FounderBruce Prentice
Inductees115 total

The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honouring athletes and personalities with outstanding achievement in sports in Ontario, Canada. The hall of fame was established in 1994 by Bruce Prentice, following his 15-year tenure as founder and president of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (CBHF).[1] The inaugural class of honoured members was inducted in 1994.

The OSHOF currently lists 115 inductees, including 101 players and 14 sports personalities.[2] Each year the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame also honours recipients of the Brian Williams Media Award, the Sandy Hawley Community Service Award, the Ferguson Jenkins Heritage Award, the Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award, and the Bruce Prentice Legacy Award.

History

The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame was established through the efforts of Bruce Prentice, the founder and former President of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (CBHF). Noticing a void in the Canadian Hall of Fame scene, Prentice realized that Ontario was the only province in Canada without its own sports Hall of Fame. Originally called the “Ontario Sport Legends Hall of Fame”, its role on behalf of all Ontarians is to ensure that time will not diminish the nature of our legends' deeds for generations to come.[citation needed]

Initially, some of the board of directors who took on the role of developing the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, were Dr. Al Fruman, Marcia Vandenbosch, the late Mark Dailey, George McConnachie, Nao Seco, John Brossard, Ian Smith and others were added later. As the "Hall" began to grow in prominence and stature, the inaugural induction event, in 1995, was held in Toronto's Metro Convention Centre, with Paul Godfrey as honorary chairman; 1996 with Bruce Simmons as honorary chairman in the Pickering Recreation Centre; and 1997 saw the event return to the Convention Centre in Toronto, with Richard Peddie the honorary chairman.[citation needed]

Since 2015, the Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award has been determined by the people of Ontario who vote in an online poll with pre-selected athletes. A write-in option is available for athletes who are not on the ballot. To be eligible for the award, athletes must be Ontario-born or Ontario-based and made an outstanding and memorable contribution to Ontario sports during the previous calendar year.[3]

2017 Induction Ceremony & Awards Gala

The Class of 2017 were honoured at the 2017 Induction Ceremony & Awards Gala in Toronto at The Westin Harbour Castle (Metropolitan Ballroom) on October 2, 2017. The 2017 Ontario Sports Hall of Fame inductees included Paul Coffey, John Campbell, Bob Allan, Marnie McBean, Bob Gainey, and John Hiller.[4]

Brian Williams Media Award

The Brian Williams Media Award is presented annually by the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame to a person in the Ontario sports media who has distinguished themselves in their life's work, and career.

Year Winner
2012 Dave Hodge[5][6]
2013 Ralph Mellanby[7]
2014 Tom Cheek[8]
2015 Roy MacGregor[9]
2016 Bob Elliott[10]
2017 Howard Starkman[11]
2018 Harnarayan Singh[12]
2019 Jerry Howarth[13]
2020 Gordon Craig[14]

Ferguson Jenkins Heritage Award

The Ferguson Jenkins Heritage Award, presented annually by the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, was introduced in 2011 to commemorate those one-of-a-kind events or special moments in time that so embellish the long history of sports in Ontario. The first recipient was Terry Fox, who, back in 1980, passed through Ontario on his heart-lifting Marathon of Hope.[15]

Year Winner Sport
2011 Terry Fox[16] Distance Runner
2012 Paul Henderson[17] Hockey
2013 Arnold Palmer[18] Golf
2014 Babe Ruth's first professional home run[19] Baseball
2015 Joe Carter's home run wins the 1993 World Series[20] Baseball
2016 Toronto Varsity Blues football team winning the first Grey Cup in 1909[21] Football
2017 No Award Recipient Selected

Sandy Hawley Community Service Award

The Sandy Hawley Community Service Award, presented annually by the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, is given to an individual who best exemplifies a dedication to the community. The award is named after Sandy Hawley, one of the most successful jockeys in history.[22]

Year Winner
2010 Mort Greenberg[23]
2011 Adriano Belli[24]
2012 Darryl Sittler[25]
2013 Dave Perkins[26]
2014 Michael Burgess[27]
2015 Zeke O'Connor[28]
2016 Peter Gilgan[29]
2017 Trish Stratus[30]
2018 Hazel McCallion[31]
2019 Western Ontario Athletic Association[32]
2020 RBC Canadian Open[33]

Bruce Prentice Legacy Award

The Bruce Prentice Legacy Award, unveiled in 2015, is named in honour of Bruce Prentice. who founded the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and has served as its chairman for several years. The Bruce Prentice Legacy Award is presented to an individual or group that has demonstrated remarkable, long term contribution to sport in Ontario and the people involved. The Award may or may not be given out annually. Voting for this award is conducted by the Hall's Board members and a selected group of experienced sports media professionals.[34]

Year Winner Sport
2015 Tim Horton[35] Hockey
2016 Frank J. Selke and Frank Selke Jr.[36] Hockey
2017 The Queen's Plate[37] Thoroughbred horse racing
2018 The Conacher Family[38] Hockey
2019 Dr. Frank Hayden[39] Special Olympics
2020 Jack Dominico[40] Hockey

References

  1. ^ "Ontario Sports Hall of Fame history". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 28 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Find a hall-of-famer". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014. Click on "By Sport" and then click on "Baseball."
  3. ^ "Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  4. ^ "Ontario Sports Hall of Fame Announces 2017 Inductees and Award Winners". Global News Wire. May 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "Lewis, Orser head Ontario Sports Hall of Fame's newest class". Toronto Star. 7 February 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  6. ^ "Bathgate honoured to join Ontario Sports Hall". Toronto Sun. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  7. ^ "UNFamous Hall of Fame". Argos Admirals. 5 February 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  8. ^ McKnight, Zoe (4 February 2014). "Ontario Sports Hall of Fame: Herb Carnegie among inductees named". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  9. ^ "Former Ticats great Garney Henley headed for Ontario Sports Hall of Fame". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  10. ^ "Redblacks receiver Brad Sinopoli voted Ontario athlete of year for 2015". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  11. ^ "Rangers alum Paul Coffey named Class of 2017 Ontario Sports HOF Inductee". Kitchener Rangers. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  12. ^ "2018 Brian Williams Media Award - Harnarayan Singh". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  13. ^ "2019 Brian Williams Media Award - Jerry Howarth". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  14. ^ "2020 Brian Williams Media Award - Gordon Craig". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. April 2020. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  15. ^ "Ferguson Jenkins Heritage Award". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  16. ^ "2011 Heritage Award - Terry Fox". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  17. ^ "2012 Heritage Award - Paul Henderson". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  18. ^ "2013 Heritage Award - Arnold Palmer". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  19. ^ "2014 Heritage Award - Babe Ruth's first professional home run at Hanlon's Point in Toronto". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  20. ^ "2015 Heritage Award - Joe Carter's Home Run". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  21. ^ "2016 Heritage Award - First Grey Cup". ontariosportshalloffame.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  22. ^ "Sandy Hawley Community Service Award". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  23. ^ "2010 Sandy Hawley Award - Mort Greenberg". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  24. ^ "2011 Sandy Hawley Award - Adriano Belli". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  25. ^ "2012 Sandy Hawley Award - Darryl Sittler". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  26. ^ "Maple Leafs, ScotiaMcLeod Support the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame". Toronto Maple Leafs. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  27. ^ "2014 Sandy Hawley Award - Michael Burgess". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  28. ^ "Ontario sports Hall opens its doors". Toronto Sun. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  29. ^ "Brad sinopoli named Ontario sports hall of fame's Syl Apps Athlete of the Year". Ottawa Redblacks. 18 April 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  30. ^ "411Mania".
  31. ^ "2018 Sandy Hawley Community Service Award - Hazel McCallion". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  32. ^ "2019 Sandy Hawley Community Service Award - Western Ontario Athletic Association (WOAA)". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  33. ^ "2020 Sandy Hawley Community Service Award - RBC Canadian Open". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  34. ^ "Bruce Prentice Legacy Award". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  35. ^ "2015 Bruce Prentice Legacy Award - Tim Horton". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  36. ^ "2016 Bruce Prentice Legacy Award - Frank Selke Sr. and Frank Selke Jr". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  37. ^ "Rangers alum Paul Coffey named Class of 2017 Ontario Sports HOF Inductee". Kitchener Rangers. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  38. ^ "2018 Bruce Prentice Legacy Award - The Conacher Family". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  39. ^ "2019 Bruce Prentice Legacy Award - Dr. Frank Hayden". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  40. ^ "JACK DOMINICO WINS ONTARIO SPORTS HALL OF FAME LEGACY AWARD". theibl.ca. July 29, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

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