33rd Annual Hammond Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet


CATEGORY: Events

The Hammond Sports Hall of Fame will honor seven individuals from the city’s proud athletic past during its 33rd annual induction dinner program, Tuesday, March 12 at the Hammond Civic Center.

The inductees are:

  • 2000s decade Clark High School/Chicago State University baseball player Albert Carpen
  • 1990s Clark/MacMurray (IL) College football player Dan Hernandez
  • 1990s Hammond High/Vincennes University/Indiana State University track hurdler and sprinter Larry Hines, Jr.
  • 1970s-80 Hammond High cross country and middle distance track runner Randall J. Lewis
  • 1954 & ‘55 Hammond High 2-time state diving champion James R. Murphy
  • 1970s-80 Hammond High football all-stater Steve Runyon
  • 1960s Morton track & field athlete and longtime Lake Central High School track and cross country coach Rudy Skorupa.

Anderson-Peterson Family Distinguished Athlete Award recipients
Also during the induction program, the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame’s 28th annual Anderson-Peterson Family Distinguished Athlete Award will be presented to three 2018 graduates of Hammond schools who depict the qualities for which the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame was established: achievement, dedication, citizenship, and service.
The recipients are Hannah Hammar (Morton), Megan Sullivan (Bishop Noll) and Jamari Washington (Gavit).

Hammar earned 13 varsity letters and was a 4-time 1st team all-conference selection in cross country, track & field and basketball. She holds three school track running records, earned a sectional 1st place in the 800-meter run and anchored a sectional-winning 1600-meter relay team. She also was named her basketball team’s Most Dedicated Governor Award recipient. Additionally, this National Honor Society student served as a Peer Tutor for students with special needs and volunteered at Hammond’s Special Education Summer Day Camp. She attends Indiana University Northwest on a basketball scholarship.

Sullivan competed on five Warriors’ sports teams; earned 13 varsity letters; was all-conference in soccer, track and cross country; and captained those sports her senior year. She also was academic all-state her senior year in cross country and soccer and was named her swimming team’s Best Mental Attitude award recipient. The summa cum laude honor graduate also served Noll as a Student Ambassador, National Honor Society president and Spellbowl captain. Additionally, she wrote a musical composition that was performed at graduation. Within her community she has served as a food pantry and elementary school volunteer and an altar server for her church parish. She attends the University of Notre Dame on an academic scholarship.

Washington earned eight varsity letters on Gladiators football, wrestling and track & field squads. All-conference and team captain in football, he was a hard driving, two-way performer. He also was a state qualifier and three-time semi-state qualifier in wrestling. Away from the gridiron and wrestling mat, the National Honor Society student was active in Student Council, served on the Principals Leadership Committee, was vice president of his class and performed in the school band. He also participated in the Spirit Student Leadership Summit on Jaywalking with the Hammond Police Department. He continues to compete in football and wrestling at Wabash College.

Richard Jay Special Achievement Award
For distinctive and noteworthy professionalism in informing northwest Indiana and beyond about the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame over the past 32 years, The NWI Times will receive the Hall of Fame’s Richard Jay Special Achievement Award. The award’s late namesake earned respect and admiration as a conscientious, hard-working, dedicated and gracious teacher and coach of Gavit High School wrestling, cross country and track & field teams.

Time/Schedule
Hall of Fame festivities begin at 5 p.m. with a social time. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.; the induction program follows at 7:30.

Ticket availability
Single tickets can be purchased in advance for $25; tables of eight seats for $200 are on sale at the Hammond Civic Center. Single admission tickets also can be purchased at Rich’s Barber Shop (Hammond), Cheers (Munster), House of Pizza (Hammond), Cavalier Inn (Hammond), Purdue University Northwest Hammond campus and Calumet College of St. Joseph. Any remaining tickets the night of the induction dinner will go on sale at the door for $35 each.