Honoring Palm Beach County Sports Legends

The Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame was created to recognize and honor the outstanding achievements and contributions of local athletes, coaches, administrators, media, and others in the field of sports.

Established in 1977

In 1977 after years of covering local sports, veteran sportswriter Chuck Otterson decided the time was right to formally recognize the accomplishments of area athletes. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has been involved with this event since 2004, developing it to the successful program it is today.

Selection Process

Nominations are made by the general public and members of the Hall of Fame Committee. Candidates must have been born, attended school, or achieved their major sports accomplishment in Palm Beach County in order to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Nominations are reviewed and committee members and past inductees select the individuals welcomed annually into the Hall of Fame.

Annual Recognition Banquet

Each year in early spring the inductees are honored at a gala banquet. Their lifetime of outstanding contributions in sports is recognized as they are inducted into the elite membership of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame. Also honored during this banquet is Palm Beach County’s Amateur Athlete of the Year, Professional Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Outstanding Sports Contributor, High School Coach of the Year, High School Athlete of the Year and Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.

Andrews - Ceravolo High School Basketball Coach of the Year  

Established in 2006, the Andrews-Ceravolo High School Basketball Coach of the Year Award honors the Most Outstanding Head Coach of the Year in Palm Beach County for High School Varsity Men's Basketball and High School Varsity Women's Basketball. This award has been established to recognize the contributions of two outstanding area coaches, Joe Ceravolo and Floyd Andrews.

Permanent Home

Roger Dean Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Florida Marlins Spring Training, became the permanent site of the Palm Beach County Sport Hall of Fame in 2004. Banners commemorating inductees for each year from 1977 hang around the stadium concourse and are viewed each year by hundreds of thousands of people attending events at the stadium.

Paver Commemoration

The Hall of Fame Committee continues to perpetuate the memories of departed Hall of Fame Members with the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame "Paver Program".  The program consists of a brick that has the name of the deceased member and the year of induction into the Hall of Fame engraved on the stone. The City of West Palm Beach has kindly donated prime space in Centennial Square downtown to allow a permanent memorial of inductees that have passed away.

2014 Banquet

To nominate someone to be inducted in 2014, click here

To nominate someone to be an Annual Sports Award Winner, click here

To view a complete list of Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame inductees, click here

 

2013 Inductees

Dave Barnhart - Dave Barhart was a top-rated versatile scholar athlete for Palm Beach High School, playing center, linebacker and long-snapper on the 1964 football team, which went 10-0 and outscored their opponents 237-22.  Recognized as a Street & Smith High School All-American, Dave won several individual and team awards in both football and baseball.  Dave received a scholarship to play football at the University of Florida and was a member of their Orange Bowl Championship team in 1967. Dave graduated in 1969 and later became a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam.  

 

Kimmy Carter Bloemers - Kimmy Carter Bloemers began her athletic career playing softball for Cardinal Newman High School in 1995. She transferred to Kings Academy and was a star player in 1996, 1997 and 1998. She started all four years in high school.  Bloemers earned First Team All-Area for all four years and was named the Palm Beach County Player of the Year in 1998. She was also a star player at Florida State University (FSU) from 1999 through 2002. While at FSU, she was a four-year starter and captain of the FSU team that finished third in the College World Series. She was named to the All ACC 50^th Anniversary Team and currently holds many records at FSU. She began her current position as head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic University Sailfish softball team in 2006. She has led the Sailfish to runner-up in the NCCAA Championship in 2008 and won the NCCAA Championship in 2009, when she was named the NCAA Coach of the Year.

Kimmy and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member, Gary Carter are the first father and daughter head coaches in NCAA history.  Gary coached the Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team, while Kimmy was coaching the Sailfish softball team. 

 

 Gene Callaway - Gene Callaway won ten letters at Palm Beach High School (PBHS); three each in football, basketball and baseball, and one letter in track before graduating in 1951.  In football, Gene co-captained the 1950 team in which he ran for a touchdown, passed for a touchdown and drop-kicked the extra point for all the points as PBHS ended Lakeland High School’s 11-game winning streak, 13-12.  Gene later went on to play professional baseball and amateur golf winning several titles including the West Palm Beach Country Club Championship in 1965.

 

 Robert Harris - Robert Harris was an outstanding high school football player at Suncoast High School in 1986 and 1987. In 1987 he was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year in Palm Beach County. He was a star football player at Southern University playing defensive tackle in 1991 and 1992 and was named to the All SWAC Team and Black College All-America Team. In 1992 Robert was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round as the 39^th pick. He played with the Vikings in 1992-1994, and with the New York Giants from 1995-2000. He was a premier defensive lineman throughout his NFL career.

 

Sam Howell - Sam Howell was both an exceptional football and baseball standout for Cardinal Newman High School and is a member of the Cardinal Newman’s “50 Year All-Newman Football and Baseball Teams.

In football, Howell was voted All Catholic Player of the Year in 1970 and All Conference in 1969 and 1970.  In baseball, he was named All Conference in 1969, 1970 and 1971. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 13^th round of the 1971 draft. He holds the Cardinal Newman career records for most wins (24), strikeouts (308), no-hitters (6) and lowest ERA (0.75). As a baseball coach at John I. Leonard and Santaluces, he has compiled a 274-196-4 record, earning Coach of the Year honors from the Palm Beach Post, WPEC and WPTV. In 1991, his Santaluces team was ranked 13^th in the country by USA Today.

 

Gregory Lowery - Greg is one of the most outstanding basketball players that has ever played in Palm Beach County. He is a product of Roosevelt High School, where he was a three-year starter. In 1968, he was Player of the Year and named to the All State First team. In his senior year he averaged 33.5 points per game. Upon his graduation from Roosevelt, he won a four year scholarship to Texas Tech University. During his sophomore year he averaged 19.4 points per game and was named sophomore of the Year. In his senior season he averaged 24.5 points per game. From 1976-1978, Greg played professionally overseas for Boulone-sur-Mer, France, where he averaged 42.8 points per game with a high game of 82 points.

 

Louis Oliver - Louis Oliver was an outstanding student and star football player at Glades Central High School from 1981 to 1984.  Louis was a revered team captain his senior season. He was a walk-on at the University of Florida (UF) in 1985 and played defensive back for the Gators through 1988. While at UF he was selected as a two-time Consensus All-American and Academic All-American. In 1989 he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the first round and was the 25^th player taken overall in the NFL Draft. He was named to the NFL All-Pro Team in 1991. His career as a professional player extended for eight years, seven with Miami and a one year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals.  During his NFL career, Oliver played in 117 games, making 544 tackles and 27 interceptions, including a 103 yard return against the Buffalo Bills in 1992 . 

 

Dana Quigley - A member of the University of Rhode Island’s Hall of Fame and the New England PGA Hall of Fame, Quigley has made his mark as the “Ironman” of the PGA Champions Tour. In 1998, he matched the tour record by playing in 119 rounds as part of a season that saw him win a pair of titles and pass the $1 million earnings mark. He again matched the tour’s 119 round record in 1999, and then in 2000 became the first to ever play in 39 official tour events. In the 2002 season he again won multiple titles while setting a Champions Tour record by playing in his 178^th consecutive tournament. He would continue that streak for another hundred tournaments, into the 2005 season when a hip injury ended his consecutive tournament streak at 278. For his career, Quigley has played in 416 Champions Tour events, making the cut in 413 and taking home 11 victories.

 

Andy Roddick - While attending Boca Prep International School, Roddick worked his way to becoming the world’s #1 ranked junior tennis player, winning six junior singles titles (including the US Open and Australian Open) and seven junior doubles titles in 2000. Upon graduating from Boca Prep, Roddick turned pro and began knocking off the best competition in the world, including Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, and then #1 ranked Gustavo Kuerten, all while still a teenager. In 2003, he became the youngest American male to reach the world’s #1 ranking, and the first American male to end the year as the world’s #1 ranked player since Andre Agassi in 1999. That year, he won his first and only Grand Slam title, the US Open, while also winning two Masters Series tournaments and the Queen’s Club Championships, and reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. His US Open win is the last Grand Slam victory by an American man, though Roddick himself would reach four more finals, including three at Wimbledon. Playing for his country, Roddick is one of the top players in Davis Cup history. Andy’s 33 Davis Cup victories for the United States are second only to John McEnroe. In 2007, he went undefeated in Davis Cup play as the U.S. won its first Cup since 1995.

 

Tim Rosaforte - Tim Rosaforte is one of the preeminent golf journalists and television commentators in the United States. Rosaforte has been a senior writer for Golf World/Golf Digest for the past fifteen years. The television component of his illustrious career began in the late eighties with appearances on Golf Channel’s “Inside the PGA Tour” and “Viewer’s Forum hosted by Peter Kessler.” He also co-hosted “The PGA Tour – Florida Style,” a regional cable program, with well-known sportscaster Jay Randolph. He is currently one of the senior golf analysts on NBC and Golf Channel’s PGA and LPGA tournament coverage, including the Major Championships in addition to the Ryder and President’s Cups. In nearly four decades covering golf in South Florida, Rosaforte has earned countless writing honors, including three first place awards from the Golf Writers Association for features, columns and enterprise. He is a past president of the Golf Writers Association of America. He has covered over 100 Major Championships and every Ryder Cup and Players Championship since 1983. He has also authored five books, including a New York Times “Best Seller,” Raising the Bar: The Championship Years of Tiger Woods.

2013 Annual Sports Award Finalists  

Amateur Athlete of the Year 

Jonathan Dunn, Northwood University, Basketball

The NAIA Division II National Player of the Year, first team All-American, and Sun Conference Player of the Year averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 2.9 steals in leading Northwood to the school’s first #1 national ranking and NAIA DII Tournament Finals.

 

Matt Elam, Palm Beach Gardens and University of Florida, Football

After a high school career at William T. Dwyer that saw him become just the third Palm Beach County athlete to be named Florida’s “Mr. Football” and the only two-time winner of the Palm Beach County High School Player of the Year award, Elam cemented himself as one of the best college football players in the country in 2012. In his junior year, the University of Florida safety was named a First-Team All-American by the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, and The Sporting News.  Elam led the Gators in both interceptions (4) and unassisted tackles (49), and finished second in total tackles (65) and tackles for loss (10).

 

Tony McQuay, Riviera Beach and University of Florida, Track

McQuay won a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games as part of the United States 4x400m relay team, posting a 43.41 split, the fastest in the final. Earlier in 2012, he placed 1^st in the NCAA Championships for the University of Florida, winning the 400m in 44.58 seconds, and anchored the Gators champion 4x400m relay team. Both wins are the first in University of Florida history. 

 

High School Coach of the Year

Amanda Angermeier, Boca Raton HS, Girls Volleyball

Angermeier won the first 8-A state championship in girl’s volleyball for Boca Raton High School, beating Winter Park in the finals for a 31-1 record.

 

Ron Ream, Benjamin School, Football

Ream’s won the first championship for the new Southeastern Football Conference with an 11-1 record, beating Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest 41-20 in title game.

 

Rick Rothman, Spanish River HS, Cross Country

Rothman was named National High School Athletic Coaches Association girls cross country coach of the year in August. Rothman won seven state titles in nearly three decades at Spanish River.

 

High School Athlete of the Year

Greg Bryant, American Heritage, Football

A finalist for both the Lou Groza Player of the Year and the U.S. Army National Player of the Year, Bryant averaged nearly eight yards per carry, running for 1,402 yards on the ground and adding another 265 receiving. One of the nations highest rated college prospects, he committed to Notre Dame before playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

 

Kai James, William T. Dwyer, Girls Basketball

James averaged 12.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 3.4 block shots for Dwyer and before her senior season, the 6’5” James was named to the U.S. Under-17 Women’s Basketball Team, which won gold at the FIBA Women’s World Championships. The 22^nd ranked prospect in the country has committed to play at Florida State.

 

Kelvin Taylor, Glades Day School, Football

The Lou Groza Award High School Player of the Year and state 2-A Player of the Year capped one of the greatest careers in the history of Florida high school football. Taylor ran for 2,260 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per carry, while scoring 40 touchdowns. He’s the only player in state history to break the 10,000 career rushing yard mark, finishing with 11,745 yards and 195 touchdowns. He will follow in his father Fred’s footsteps to play for the University of Florida.

 

Coach of the Year

Rollie Massimino, Northwood University, Men’s Basketball

Massimino was named the Rawlings Coach of the Year for leading Northwood to the best season in program history. The Seahawks finished the season 34-4, tied for the best overall record in the NAIA, earning Sun Conference regular season and tournament championships. Massimino’s team then advanced all the way to the NAIA Division II National Championship Game. The Seahawks have received bids to the national tournament in each of Massimino’s seven seasons, going a combined 171-37 under his leadership.

 

Mark Richt, Boca Raton and the University of Georgia, Football

In his 12^th season leading the Bulldogs, the Boca Raton High School product and Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Famer went 12-2 overall and 7-1 in the vaunted SEC, winning the conference’s East Division but falling to eventual National Champion Alabama in the conference title game. Georgia went on to the Capital One Bowl, where they defeated Nebraska to finish the year ranked #4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and #5 by the Associated Press.

 

John Rootes, Lynn University, Men’s Soccer

After falling in the national championship game last season, Rootes brought the Fighting Knights back in 2012 and coached the team to a 3-2 victory over Saginaw Valley State to win the NCAA Division II Championship. Lynn went 19-3-1 overall on the season, winning the 20^th national title in school history.

 

 

Professional Athlete of the Year

Alfred Morris, FAU and Washington Redskins, Football

The leading rusher in Florida Atlantic University history, Morris was drafted in the 6^th round (#173 overall) by the Washington Redskins. Morris won the job as Washington’s starting running back out of training camp and put on one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history. He finished with 1,613 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, with both marks the second-most in the NFL. The 1,613 yards are the third-most by a rookie in NFL history and the most ever by any Redskins running back. In the final week of the season, with Washington needing a victory to win the NFC East and make the playoffs, Morris amazed with 200 yards and three scores.

 

Outstanding Sports Contributor of the Year

IGP Sports & Entertainment Group, The Honda Classic

IGP Sports & Entertainment Group is an international sports marketing, event management, and athlete representation firm specializing in the golf industry and manages The Honda Classic (a PGA TOUR event).  The Honda Classic generated major benefits for Palm Beach County in 2012.  Over 160,000 spectators attended the event, an increase of more than 40% over the previous year.  The tournament generated over $40 million of economic impact and more than 5,000 hotel room nights for Palm Beach County.  Over 5.1 million households watched the Honda Classic live on NBC and the Golf Channel.  Additionally, the Honda Classic televised broadcast was internationally distributed to over 570 million households.

 

Presidents Award - John Wash, International Polo Club

International Polo Club (IPC) has become known as the finest facility of its kind around the world, becoming a major asset for Palm Beach County.  IPC attracts elite polo players and teams from across the globe for 16 consecutive weeks, from January to April.    The International Polo Club is nestled within the picturesque surroundings of Wellington and consists of an emerald green span of nine beautifully manicured polo fields.  The facility also entails a 7,000 square ft. pavilion, private boxes, elegant grandstands, lawn seating, tennis and croquet courts, a state-of-the-art spa, and a stunningly landscaped pool deck.  During his eight year tenure at the International Polo Club, John Wash has directed the expansion of the polo facility to include a private club for members that features the Mallet Grille and the fabled 7th Chucker. Wash was instrumental in the enhanced stadium seating with private boxes for members and select guests, along with the Wellington Zone offering food and beverages for spectators. The addition of several new professional polo fields and the transition from a white party tent to the present day Pavilion, were key projects under Wash’s leadership. Today, the Pavilion seats 400 guests field side for an elegant champagne brunch every Sunday during the 16-week polo season at IPC, and is also an “in demand” facility for special events.

Dick Moroso Memorial Motorsports Award - John M. Zuccarelli