The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the ''

Des Moines Register ''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa. History Early period The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cabin by the junction ...

'', honors outstanding

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...

s and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa. Leighton Housh, former executive sports editor of the Register, established the

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

in 1951. Twenty-four athletes were chosen in the inaugural class. The Hall of Fame now includes more than 170 athletes from 20 sports. Inductees are chosen by veteran members of the Register's sports department.

Partial list of inductees

Football

* 1951 -

Jay Berwanger John Jacob "Jay" Berwanger (March 19, 1914 – June 26, 2002) was an American college football player and referee. In 1935, Berwanger was the first recipient of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, renamed the Heisman Trophy the following year. At ...

* 1951 -

Aubrey Devine Aubrey Alvin "Aub" Devine (November 21, 1897 – December 15, 1981) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and lawyer. He was the quarterback for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team from 1919 to 1921. He was selected as ...

* 1951 -

Nile Kinnick Nile Clarke Kinnick Jr. (July 9, 1918 – June 2, 1943) was an American naval aviator, law student, and college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a trainin ...

* 1951 -

Elmer Layden Elmer Francis Layden (May 4, 1903 – June 30, 1973) was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at full ...

* 1951 -

Duke Slater Frederick Wayman "Duke" Slater (December 9, 1898 – August 14, 1966) was an American football player and judge. He was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Centennial Class in ...

* 1956 - Clyde Williams * 1958 -

Gordon Locke Gordon C. Locke (August 3, 1898 – November 9, 1969) was an American college football player and coach He played college football at the University of Iowa, where he was an All-American. Locke served as the head football coach at Western Reser ...

* 1959 - Billy Edson * 1961 -

Joe Laws Joseph Ray Laws (June 16, 1911 – August 22, 1979) was an American football player. He played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, winning three World Championships, and was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1972. P ...

* 1962 - Eddie Anderson * 1970 -

Johnny Bright John Dee Bright (June 11, 1930 – December 14, 1983) was an American professional football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Nation ...

* 1971 -

Cal Jones Calvin Jack Jones (February 7, 1933 – December 9, 1956) was a college football player for the University of Iowa. Jones is one of only two Iowa football players (along with Nile Kinnick) to have his jersey number retired by the school. Jon ...

* 1973 -

Willis Glassgow Willis Allen "Bill" Glassgow (April 21, 1907 – November 1, 1959) graduated from Shenandoah Iowa high school. Willis was an American football player and attorney. He played halfback for the University of Iowa from 1927 to 1929, was selected ...

* 1975 -

Emlen Tunnell Emlen Lewis Tunnell (March 29, 1924 – July 23, 1975), sometimes known by the nickname "The Gremlin", was an American professional football player and coach. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants and also the ...

* 1976 -

Randy Duncan Hearst Randolph "Randy" Duncan, Jr. (March 15, 1937 – September 27, 2016) was an American gridiron football quarterback and lawyer. He played college football at the University of Iowa in the Big Ten Conference. He played in two Rose Bo ...

* 1977 -

Alex Karras Alexander George Karras (July 15, 1935 – October 10, 2012) was an American football player, professional wrestler, sportscaster, and actor. He was a four-time Pro Bowl player with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), ...

* 1980 -

Don Perkins Donald Anthony Perkins (March 4, 1938 – June 9, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of New Mexico ...

* 1983 -

Mike Enich Mike Enich (September 20, 1918 – January 9, 1978) was an American college football player for the Iowa Hawkeyes Football, University of Iowa. He was a member of 1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football team, Iowa's 1939 "Ironmen" team and a first team All-Am ...

* 1985 -

Paul Krause Paul James Krause (born February 19, 1942) is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). Gifted with a great frame, speed and range, Krause established himself as a defensive force against opposing wide ...

* 1986 -

Ed Podolak Edward Joseph Podolak (born September 1, 1947) is a former professional American football player, a running back for nine seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League and National Football League. Early years Ed Podolak w ...

* 1987 -

Wally Hilgenberg Walter William "Wally" Hilgenberg (September 19, 1942 – September 23, 2008) was a professional American football player. A linebacker, he played 16 seasons in the National Football League, four with the Detroit Lions and 12 with the Minnesota V ...

* 1989 -

Forest Evashevski Forest "Evy" Evashevski (February 19, 1918 – October 30, 2009) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight ...

* 1998 - Roger Craig * 1999 -

Matt Blair Albert Matthew Blair (September 20, 1950 – October 22, 2020) was an American professional football player who was an outside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) for all 12 seasons of his career from 1974 ...

* 2000 -

Larry Station Larry W. Station Jr. (born December 5, 1963) is a former American football player. He played college football at the University of Iowa as a linebacker. He is Iowa's leader in career tackles and was twice named as a consensus first-team All-Am ...

* 2001 -

Chuck Long Charles Franklin Long Jr. (born February 18, 1963) is a former American football player and coach who is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL. He played quarterback in college at Iowa for Hayden F ...

* 2002 -

Ken Ploen Kenneth Ploen LAYN (born June 3, 1935) is a former star quarterback in American college football and for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). College football In 1956, Ploen became the University of Iowa Hawkeyes s ...

* 2002 - Chad Hennings * 2003 -

Reggie Roby Reginald Henry Roby (July 30, 1961 – February 22, 2005) was an American professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the Iowa H ...

* 2006 -

Andre Tippett Andre Bernard Tippett Sr. (born December 27, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was an outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football ...

* 2012 -

Marv Levy Marvin Daniel Levy (; born August 3, 1925) is an American former football coach and executive who was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for seventeen seasons. He spent most of his head coaching career with the Buffalo Bills, lea ...

* 2013 -

Tavian Banks Tavian Remond Banks (born February 17, 1974) is a former running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1998 and 1999. College and high school careers Tavian Banks was a high school standout in both ...

* 2014 -

Tim Dwight Timothy John Dwight Jr. (born July 13, 1975) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University ...

Basketball

* 1951 -

Murray Wier Murray Neal Wier (December 12, 1926 – April 6, 2016), nicknamed "Rampaging Redhead" and "Wizard Wier," was an American professional basketball player for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the present-day Atlanta Hawks) and the Waterloo Hawks. He i ...

* 1980 -

Carl Cain Carl Cecil Cain (born August 2, 1934) is an American retired basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Born in Freeport, Illinois, Cain played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes. His number is retired by the University ...

* 1983 -

Don Nelson Donald Arvid Nelson (born May 15, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. Nelson is second all-time in regular season wins of any coach in NBA history, with 1,335 (he held the record for most wins for almost 12 ...

* 1990 - Fred Brown * 1993 - John Johnson * 1994 -

Ronnie Lester Ronnie Lester (born January 1, 1959) is an retired American basketball player and basketball executive. Lester was an NCAA All-American at the University of Iowa, leading Iowa to the 1980 NCAA Final Four. Lester was a member of the 1979 USA Bask ...

* 1999 -

Bobby Hansen Robert Louis Hansen II (born January 18, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. A guard, he played nine seasons (1983–1992) in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hansen is currently a commentator for Iowa Hawkeyes ...

Baseball

* 1951 - "Cap" Anson * 1951 - Fred Clarke * 1951 - "Red" Faber * 1951 -

Bob Feller Robert William Andrew Feller (November 3, 1918 – December 15, 2010), nicknamed "the Heater from Van Meter", "Bullet Bob", and "Rapid Robert", was an American baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Clevel ...

* 1952 - "Dazzy" Vance * 1954 -

Dave Bancroft David James Bancroft (April 20, 1891 – October 9, 1972) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robi ...

* 1956 - "Jack" Coombs * 1961 - "Bing" Miller * 1962 -

Hank Severeid Henry Levai Severeid (June 1, 1891 – December 17, 1968) was an American professional baseball player and scout. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1926, most notably as a member of the St. Louis Browns where, he was kn ...

* 1963 -

Earl Whitehill Earl Oliver Whitehill (February 7, 1899 – October 22, 1954) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Detroit Tigers for the most significant portion of his career (1923–1932), and later with the Washington Senators (1933� ...

* 1965 -

Hal Trosky Harold Arthur Trosky Sr. (born Harold Arthur Trojovsky; November 11, 1912 – June 18, 1979) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Cleveland Indians (1933–1941) and the Chica ...

* 1968 -

Cal McVey Calvin Alexander McVey (August 30, 1849 – August 20, 1926) was an American professional baseball player during the 1860s and 1870s. McVey's importance to the game stems from his play on two of the earliest professional baseball teams, the origin ...

* 1970 - George Stone, batting champion * 1976 -

George Pipgras George William Pipgras (December 20, 1899 – October 19, 1986) was an American right-handed starting pitcher and umpire in Major League Baseball. Known as "The Danish Viking", he spent most of his playing career with the New York Yankees, breaki ...

* 1984 -

Chet Brewer Chester Arthur Brewer (January 14, 1907 – March 26, 1990) was an American right-handed pitcher in baseball's Negro leagues. Born in Leavenworth, Kansas, he played for the Kansas City Monarchs, and from 1957 to 1974 he scouted for the Pittsburgh ...

* 1988 -

Jack Dittmer John Douglas "Jack" Dittmer (January 10, 1928 – May 31, 2014) was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He played six seasons in the majors, from until , for the Boston / Milwaukee Braves and Detroit Tigers. As an amateur, Dittmer was a t ...

* 2000 -

Mike Boddicker Michael James Boddicker (born August 23, 1957) is an American right-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles (1980–1988), Boston Red Sox (1988–1990), Kansas City Royals (1991–1992), and Milwaukee Brewers (1993). ...

Other sports

* 1951 - "Farmer" Burns, wrestling * 1951 - Sabin Carr, track and field * 1951 -

Welker Cochran Welker Cochran (October 7, 1897 – July 26, 1960) was an American professional carom billiards player who won world titles in two different disciplines, balkline and three-cushion billiards. Biography He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but mov ...

, billiards * 1951 -

Frank Gotch Frank Alvin Gotch (April 27, 1877 – December 17, 1917) was an American professional wrestler. Gotch was the first American professional wrestler to win the world heavyweight free-style championship, and he is credited for popularizing professi ...

, wrestling * 1951 - George Saling, track and field * 1951 -

Morgan Taylor Frederick Morgan Taylor (April 17, 1903 – February 16, 1975) was an American hurdler and the first athlete to win three Olympic medals in the 400 m hurdles. He was the flag bearer for the United States at his last Olympics in 1932. In 19 ...

, track and field * 1952 -

Earl Caddock Earl Caddock (February 27, 1888 – August 25, 1950) was an American professional wrestler and World Heavyweight Champion who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century. As the first man to bill himself as "The Man of 1,000 Holds" ...

, wrestling * 1959 -

Harris Coggeshall Harris Coggeshall (September 23, 1907 – June 26, 1993) was an American tennis player in the 1920s and 1930s. Biography Coggeshall was born September 23, 1907, in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from the Harvard law school and practiced law in Des ...

, tennis * 1963 -

Ray Conger Raymond Milton Conger (November 12, 1904 – October 23, 1994) was an American middle-distance runner. He held the world record for the 1,000 yards and the American record for the 1,500 metres. In the U.S. national championships, Conger was ...

, track and field * 1972 -

Garfield Wood Garfield Arthur "Gar" Wood (December 4, 1880 – June 19, 1971) was an American inventor, entrepreneur, and championship motorboat builder and racer who held the world water speed record on several occasions. He was the first man to travel ...

, speedboat racing * 1972 -

Jack Fleck Jackson Donald Fleck (November 7, 1921 – March 21, 2014) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1955 in a playoff over Ben Hogan. Early years Born in 1921 and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa, Fleck's parents ...

, golf * 1973 -

Frank Wykoff Frank Clifford Wykoff (October 29, 1909 – January 1, 1980) was an American athlete, triple gold medal winner in 4 × 100 m relay at the Olympic Games. Career Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Frank Wykoff has a place in track and field h ...

, track and field * 1981 -

Doreen Wilber Doreen Viola Hansen Wilber (January 8, 1930 – October 19, 2008) was an American archer from Rutland, Iowa. Biography At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Wilber won the gold medal in the women's section of the first modern Olympi ...

, archery * 1981 -

Dan Gable Danny Mack Gable (born October 25, 1948) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Gable is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, a world gold medalist, ...

, wrestling * 1982 -

Bruce Jenner Caitlyn Marie Jenner (born William Bruce Jenner; October 28, 1949) is an American media personality and retired Olympic Games, Olympic Olympic medal, gold medal-winning Decathlon, decathlete. Jenner played college football for the Graceland ...

, track and field * 1990 - "Tiny" Lund, auto racing * 1993 - Francis Cretzmeyer, track and field * 1993 - Chris Taylor, wrestling * 1994 -

Nawal El Moutawakel Nawal El Moutawakel (Amazigh: ⵏⴰⵡⴰⵍ ⵍⵎⵓⵜⴰⵡⴰⵇⵇⵉⵍ ; ar, نوال المتوكل; born 15 April 1962) is a Moroccan former hurdler, who won the inaugural women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, ...

, track and field * 1997 -

Judy Kimball Judy Kimball Simon (born June 17, 1938) is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the LPGA Championship in 1962, a women's major championship. Amateur career Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Kimball graduated from the University of K ...

, golf * 2003 -

Danny Harris Danny Lee Harris (born September 7, 1965) is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in the 400-meter hurdles (400 mH), in which he won silver medals at the 1984 Olympics and the 1987 World Championships. Hurdling car ...

, track * 2012 -

Cael Sanderson Cael Norman Sanderson ( ; born June 20, 1979) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler who is the current head coach of Penn State University's wrestling team. As a wrestler, he won an Olympic Gold medal and was undefeated in four ...

, wrestling

External links

Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
webpage (DesMoinesRegister.com) {{State sports halls of fame All-sports halls of fame State sports halls of fame in the United States Halls of fame in Iowa Sports museums in Iowa Sports in Iowa Awards established in 1951

Partial list of inductees

Football

Basketball

Baseball

Other sports

See also

External links