June 26, 2013
National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame Sports Hall of Fame Announces Inductees
Michael Cox READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The first of its kind, the nonprofit National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame for openly gay athletes and allies, announced its first inductees and is still taking nominations.
The goal of the Hall of Fame is to "honor people and organizations that have 'stood up to stereotypes' and embraced gay and lesbian athletes," said Bill Gubrud, executive director and board chairman, according to the Chicago Tribune. "We're not just going to honor gay athletes, but other athletes who helped those gay athletes along and provided a safe haven."
Through this nonprofit Gubrud wants to debunk the stereotype that gay people dislike sports, and he hopes to eventually start outreach programs in schools and park districts.
"The current list of inductees includes tennis legends Billie Jean King, Renee Richards, and Martina Navratilova; Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis; former baseball player Glenn Burke; NBA player Jason Collins; pro boxer Orlando Cruz; former Major League Lacrosse goalie Andrew Goldstein; the Chicago Cubs; Standup Foundation founder Ben Cohen; ESPN contributors LZ Granderson and Christina Kahrl; Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell; Outsports.com; "Bleacher Preacher" Jerry Pritikin; International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA); and Anheuser-Busch," reported out.com
The induction ceremony will be August 2 in Chicago. Nominees can be amateur or profession and organizations can be included. To download the nomination form, contact or donate go to their website.
