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Latest Hall of Fame class tough one to beat

Arkansas coach Jimmy Dykes, right, and assistant coach Christy Smith speak during a game against Nicholls State on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Arkansas coach Jimmy Dykes, right, and assistant coach Christy Smith speak during a game against Nicholls State on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

Six weeks from tonight one of the most outstanding classes in the history of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame will be inducted at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

Anyone planning on attending may not want to wait too long as more than half the tables are sold and individual ticket sales are way up for what is expected to be a sellout.

For the first time ever tickets and tables may be purchased through PayPal at arksportshalloffame.com or drop by the museum/conference center in Verizon Arena. More information is available by calling (501) 663-4328.

Half of the class earned this great honor through football (by either playing or coaching or both), three basketball players will be inducted, and for the first time ever there will be three inductees from the sport of golf.

Stan Lee, who won 29 state titles and was the No. 1 amateur in the country in 2008, played on the PGA Tour for five years and won the USGA Senior Amateur in 2007.

Jack Fleck was internationally known for his 1955 victory in the U.S. Open, when he beat Ben Hogan in a playoff. He had 41 top-10 finishes during his career.

Carl Jackson is probably the most famous caddie in the history of golf. He became a caddie at 14 at Augusta National Golf Course and missed only one Masters during his career. He caddied for Ben Crenshaw both times Crenshaw won the Masters, and Crenshaw is trying to clear his schedule to be here Feb. 27 for the banquet.

Crenshaw won't be the only sports celebrity in the house that night as Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and a native Arkansan, will be there to witness Stephen Jones, his son and the executive vice president of the Cowboys, being honored.

As the outgoing president of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, it is my privilege to honor two people with meritorious service awards. They are Steve Eddington, who works for Arkansas Farm Bureau and is a longtime board member who donates countless hours to the Hall of Fame, and Greg Flesher of Frost, our accounting firm. Greg went above and beyond the call of duty the past two years to help us gain some financial stability.

There are a few sponsorships left, and they are going fast as well.

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame has open membership. It is $75 per year, and the members' votes determine most of the honorees.

Others receiving the highest sports honor in our great state are Pat Bradley, the former shooting guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks; Ron Calcagni, who led the Hogs to a 31-6 upset of Oklahoma in the 1978 Orange Bowl; Mike Malham Jr., who was an outstanding football player at Arkansas State and the most successful football coach in Cabot High School history.

Christy Smith, the former Arkansas women's basketball player who is now an assistant coach for Jimmy Dykes; Dwight Adams, a former Henderson State athlete who coached at Florida and Clemson before becoming the main scout for the Buffalo Bills and helping them advance to three Super Bowls.

Leon Clements set basketball scoring records at Ouachita Baptist that still stand. Eldon Hawley was a four-sport athlete in high school and college before his 40-year career as a coach, and Bowden Wyatt was known as the coach of the 25 Little Pigs while at Arkansas.

And finally Stephen Jones, who was an outstanding player for Catholic High, had a very good career as a Razorback and helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles. He also oversaw the building of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which is the finest football facility in the world.

It is a great class, and it will be a night to remember.

Sports on 01/16/2015

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