When the lights come on Friday night the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame will have inducted eight new members bringing the 65-year total to 424 honorees.
That doesn't include six teams that were honored.
Almost every sport is represented and definitely every college and university. There is no race, creed or color when it comes to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Over the years, the banquet has grown to be one of the grandest sports nights in Arkansas. But it has also emerged as an academic source, handing out numerous college scholarships.
The evening begins with an introduction of past inductees -- it is a who's who of the state's history -- and when it ends, Greg Hatcher will pass the president's gavel to Rodney Peel.
Over the course of history, a little known fact is that three people actually turned down induction, but one of those later regretted it.
Who they are is not important. But after professional careers, the two did not opt to return to Arkansas and were removed from the HOF's list of candidates, which is lengthy.
We have inducted people by video, at an Arkansas Razorback basketball and have on more than one occasion put off induction until the person could be there -- such as top vote-getter Jeff Glasbrenner, a world class para-athlete who is halfway around the world climbing a mountain, an event that was years in the planning.
All members of the Hall are eligible to nominate and membership is open and costs only $100 a year and $50 for former coaches and past inductees.
Last year when the votes were being cast at the HOF board meeting for the final five spots, KATV Channel 7's Steve Sullivan asked to not be considered.
He had done the same thing the year before, but the board talked about all he had done to promote high school and youth athletics and voted him in. He joins an exclusive group of broadcasters that includes Pat Summerall, Paul Eells, Bud Campbell, Jim Elder and Charlie Jones.
"Sully," as he is known throughout Arkansas, is a team player and when the tornado ripped through Little Rock recently, he grabbed his phone and started sending the KATV weather team video of damaged property.
Joining Sully on the podium will be Jeff King, who played baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks and is the only Hog to be the No. 1 draft pick in the major league draft.
Shekinna Stricklen, who grew up in Morrilton, was an All-American basketball player for the Tennessee Volunteers, playing for legendary coach Pat Summit, before playing professionally.
Fred Allen, who led Little Rock Central High School to two basketball state championships and was named an All-American at Middle Tennessee State.
Glen Ray Hines, who played on the 1964 national champion football team for the Arkansas Razorbacks and played in 115 consecutive games in the NFL.
Freddie Scott is one of the greatest success stories in the state's history as he was talked into playing football at tiny Amherst College and went on to have a 10-year career in the NFL.
Jimmy Walker played on the Razorback team that beat Oklahoma in the 1978 Orange Bowl and has been declared the greatest defensive linemen he ever played with by All-Pro Dan Hampton.
Larry Walton, a legendary tennis teacher and promoter in Arkansas and Florida, rounds out the great class of inductees.
By Friday, all of these deserving honorees will have had an in-depth story about their lives and careers in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The festivities begin Thursday night at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Simmons Bank Arena at North Little Rock with a VIP reception.