by Doug Ireland
Cenla’s most star-studded sports event of the summer is almost here.
It goes past sports in several ways, but yes, it is sports-centric – the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration June 26-28 in Natchitoches (and on Friday, June 27, at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria).
Check out the full menu of events, some free and a few requiring admission fees, at LaSportsHall.com soon. Don’t delay because with the star power and deep networks present through the 12-member induction class, sellouts before game week are possible.
Which brings up what a great Father’s Day gift some Hall of Fame participation would be! The Hall of Fame inductions are again the weekend after Father’s Day. Not that it’s just for guys – women are great sports fans too and this class includes two of Louisiana’s greatest female athletes, LSU gymnastics legend April Burkholder and Coushatta/Louisiana Tech and WNBA star Vickie Johnson.
As to it being about more than just sports, they’re two examples of great competitors who have used their sports platforms to inspire and encourage others with community service.
Another of the Class of 2025, Andrew Whitworth, is one of the best at that in the history of the NFL. Three days before helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl, the former LSU left tackle accepted the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for community activism. His stirring acceptance speech was a treasure.
https://www.nfl.com/videos/andrew-whitworth-wins-2021-walter-payton-man-of-the-year
His coach at LSU, Nick Saban, is another headliner in this month’s class. You know about the seven national championships – beginning with LSU’s 2003 title – and his legendary status as the greatest coach in major college football history. You might not know about all of the charitable activities he and wife Terry have supported. One prime example: they’ve personally underwritten nearly 20 Habitat for Humanity Homes, and were recently honored by two of them being dedicated in their names.
Saban and Whitworth are national celebrities. You can’t have your TV on for long before there’s Coach in a commercial or providing insightful commentary on ESPN. “Big Whit” is a breakout celebrity with his charming personality making him one of the headline analysts on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football coverage and a frequent talk show guest and popular
pitchman.
One of the inductees is a hero in a nearby community. In Ville Platte they revere 89-year-old George “Bobby” Soileau, being inducted for his boxing achievements at Sacred Heart High School there (a four-time state champion in the 1950s) and at LSU, where he won a 1956 national championship in the heyday of the sport on the college level. Soileau came home and coached football and taught at Sacred Heart, notably winning a state championship and taking his team to another state final appearance.
Another once worked here: sportswriter Glenn Guilbeau entertained and informed readers in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s on Bob Tompkins’ Alexandria Town Talk staff, launching a career that has made him one of the South’s most colorful and decorated scribes.
The other journalist being inducted is the late Ed Daniels, whose 40 years as a New Orleans TV sportscaster included decades of community service.
Danny Broussard has been a fixture at Lafayette’s St. Thomas More High School for that long, and along with his deep influence on students there, he’s become the sixth winningest coach in
American high school basketball history. He’s just a few dozen Ws behind No. 4, our own Charles Smith of Peabody (a 2019 LSHOF inductee), and both are still going strong.
Joe Scheuermann is Louisiana’s winningest college baseball coach, with even more victories than LSU’s legendary Skip Bertman (who just turned 87), the late Tony Robichaux and other greats like Ron Maestri and Paul Mainieri. And, his dad, Louis “Rags” Scheuermann, a 1990 inductee. At the end of this month, the Scheuermanns become the Hall’s fourth father-son inductee combo, joining Dub and Bert Jones, “Slats” and Billy Hardin, and the Mannings (Archie and his boys, Peyton and Eli).
There are more great stories to celebrate during the enshrinement of NBA All-Star Danny Granger, Baton Rouge-Catholic HS football and weightlifting coach Dale Weiner, and LSU and SEC administrator Herb Vincent.
It’s another superb group of inductees, chosen from over 200 nominees, all with their own sparkling resumes.
Come join the party. It starts June 26 with the Thursday evening (5-7) La Capitol FCU Welcome Reception, free to everyone, at the Hall of Fame museum (800 Front Street, at the traffic circle) in Natchitoches. The BOM Bowling Bash is midday Friday, June 27 at All-Star Lanes, followed by the Rapides Regional Medical Center Rockin’ Riverfest free concert on the banks of Cane River in downtown Natchitoches Friday night from 6-10:30. Upstairs at Mama’s Oyster House is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party presented by Hancock Whitney.
Saturday kicks off with the almost filled to capacity LSHOF Junior Training Camp, free for kids 7- 16 on the NSU campus and presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. The Tiger Athletic Foundation hosts the noon Roundtable Luncheon with Fox Sports TV’s Tim Brando as the energetic emcee.
And it all culminates Saturday evening, beginning with the Induction Reception at the museum from 5-6:30, and the Induction Ceremony kicking off with the spine-tingling Walk of Legends promptly at 7 in the Natchitoches Events Center.
Make your plans to join the fun. Visit LaSportsHall.com today to get lined up.
