It has been a long time in the planning, years actually, and on Friday it becomes a reality: Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs celebrates the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Dozens of the state's finest athletes and coaches will spend a day at the races and then be on hand at a reception for pictures and autographs in Horner Hall at the Hot Springs Convention Center. The cost is just $25 and includes hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.
The winner of every race that day will be presented his trophy by a Hall of Famer, starting with Kevin McReynolds, a two-time baseball All-American at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, who was drafted with the sixth pick of the first round by the San Diego Padres in 1981. McReynolds spent 12 years the major leagues.
He will be followed up by two of the greatest names in auto racing, driver Mark Martin and owner Bill Davis. Martin is also in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and won five IROC championships. Davis' cars won numerous races including the Daytona 500.
The third race will have Pat Bradley, David Bazzel and yours truly handing out the hardware. Bradley is still the No 1 three-point shooter in Razorbacks' history, making 366. He is currently a co-host at KABZ-FM, 103.7, The Buzz, and a game and studio analyst for the SEC Network. Bazzel is former captain on the Arkansas football team, founder of several football awards, including the Broyles Award, also a co-host of the morning drive-time show on The Buzz.
Former teammates, longtime friends and always fierce competitors, Ken Hatfield and Fred Marshall have fourth-race honors. Hatfield and Marshall started on Arkansas' undefeated 1964 national champion football team. Marshall was the starting quarterback and ran for 438 yards and passed for 787 that season. Hatfield, who became a successful college football coach including at the UA (he still has the program's highest winning percentage), led the nation in punt return yards in 1964 with 518.
The fifth race will have Frank Broyles' daughter, Betsy Arnold, and his granddaughter Molly Arnold, representing Arkansas' all-time winningest football coach and the former athletic director . The Arnolds now run the Broyles Foundation, which teaches and trains, among other things, caregivers how to deal with Alzheimer's disease.
Former Razorbacks receiver Chuck Dicus, a two-time All American, has the sixth race. An inductee into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Honor, Dicus has been named president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, taking over on July 1.
Next up will be legendary hard-hitter Cliff Harris, who was undrafted out of Ouachita Baptist University, the only school to offer him a football scholarship, but made the Dallas Cowboys and and played 10 years, including in five Super Bowls. Experts say he redefined how to play free safety.
The eighth and feature race will feature Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Charlotte Jones Anderson, Arkansas' No. 1 football family. Jerry, who was also on the Razorbacks' 1964 championship team, is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys. Stephen is a former Razorbacks linebacker and is COO and executive vice president of the Cowboys. Charlotte is the Cowboys' executive vice president and chief brand officer, and last year she was named one of the NFL's most important people by USA Today.
The final race of the day will have Joe Kleine presenting the trophy. Kleine played 15 years in the NBA after playing for the Razorbacks and was on the U.S. Olympic gold medal team in 1984. He also won an NBA world championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.
Great people kicking off a great event. To be a part of this historic sports night, call (501) 313-4151.
Sports on 03/22/2017