The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1973. The mission of the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize and preserve outstanding achievement by individuals of Polish heritage in the field of sports and to educate the entire community with the hope of encouraging and inspiring personal excellence. The hall is located in Troy, Michigan.[1]
Each year, inductees are elected in a nationwide vote among NPASHF officers, Hall of Fame inductees and more than 500 members of the Sports Panel Council. With over 150 inductees, the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame has an outstanding collection of historic artifacts on display at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Michigan. Stan Musial, the first inductee, is represented with items worthy of being in Cooperstown. Visitors can also see uniforms worn by greats such as Steve Gromek, Carol Blazejowski, Mark Fidrych and Ed Olczyk; the boxing gloves used by 1940s heavyweight champion Tony Zale; basketballs, baseballs, footballs, and bowling balls used and signed by Mike Krzyzewski, Whitey Kurowski, Ted Marchibroda, and Eddie Lubanski. Among other items is a football signed by Bob Skoronski, Vince Lombardi and other members of the 1967 Super Bowl I Champion Green Bay Packers.
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame held its 47th Annual Induction Banquet on June 20, 2019 inducting Mike McCoy, Allison Mleczko, Arlene Limas and Mark Grudzielanek. David Dombrowski and Adrian Wojnarowski will be honored with the NPASHF Excellence in Sports Award and the NPASHF Tony Kubek Media Award, respectively.
Baseball
- Oscar Bielaski (2005)
- Stan Coveleski (1976)
- Art "Pinky" Deras (2011)
- Moe Drabowsky (1999)
- Mark Fidrych (2009)[2]
- Steve Gromek (1981)
- Mark Grudzielanek (2019)
- Ryan Klesko (2014)
- Ted Kluszewski (1974)
- Jim Konstanty (2008)
- Tony Kubek (1982)
- Whitey Kurowski (1988)
- Bob Kuzava (2003)
- Eddie Lopat (1978)
- Stan Lopata (1997)
- Greg Luzinski (1989)
- Bill Mazeroski (1979)
- Barney McCosky (1995)
- Stan Musial (1973)
- Joe Niekro (1992)
- Phil Niekro (1990)
- Danny Ozark (2010)
- Tom Paciorek (1992)
- Ron Perranoski (1983)
- Johnny Podres (2002)
- Jack Quinn (2006)
- Ron Reed (2005)
- Jenny Romatowski (1999)
- Ray Sadecki (2007)
- Al Simmons (1975)
- Bill Skowron (1980)
- Frank Tanana (1996)
- Alan Trammell (1998)
- Carl Yastrzemski (1986)
- Richie Zisk (2004)
Basketball
- Carol Blazejowski (1994)
- Vince Boryla (1984)
- Ann Meyers Drysdale (2016)
- Mike Gminski (2003)
- Tom Gola (1977)
- Bobby Hurley (2006)
- Larry Krystkowiak (2018)
- Mike Krzyzewski (1991)
- Mitch Kupchak (2002)
- Bob Kurland (1996)
- Christian Laettner (2008)
- June Olkowski (2012)
- John Payak (1982)
- Juliene Brazinski Simpson (2017)
- Kelly Tripucka (2000)
Bowling
- Johnny Crimmins (1976)
- Billy Golembiewski (1981)
- Cass Grygier (1984)
- Eddie Lubanski (1978)
- Aleta Rzepecki-Sill (2008)
- Ann Setlock (1983)
Boxing
- Duane Bobick (2014)[3]
- Bobby Czyz (2009)[2]
- Stanley Ketchel (1984)
- Teddy Yarosz (2005)
- Tony Zale (1975)
Fencing
- Janusz Bednarski (2017)
Figure Skating
- Janet Lynn (1990)
- Elaine Zayak (2013)
American Football
- Danny Abramowicz (1992)
- Pete Banaszak (1990)
- Steve Bartkowski (1993)
- Zeke Bratkowski (1995)
- Bob Brudzinski (2005)
- Lou Creekmur (2001)
- Zygmont Czarobski (1980)
- Mike Ditka (2001)
- Conrad Dobler (2018)
- Jim Dombrowski (2013)
- Forest Evashevski (2000)
- Frank Gatski (1989)
- Jim Grabowski (1993)
- Jack Ham (1987)
- Leon Hart (1988)
- Vic Janowicz (1987)
- Ron Jaworski (1991)
- Mike Kenn (2006)
- Joe Klecko (1999)
- Ed Klewicki (1982)
- Gary Kubiak (2017)
- Frank Kush (1998)
- Ted Kwalick (2005)
- Greg Landry (2012)
- Johnny Lujack (1978)
- Ted Marchibroda (1976)
- Chester Marcol (2016)
- Mike McCoy (2019)
- Lou Michaels (1994)
- Walt Michaels (1997)
- Dick Modzelewski (1986)
- Mike Munchak (2003)
- Tom Nowatzke (2008)
- Bill Osmanski (1977)
- Walt Patulski (2014)
- Frank Piekarski (2005)
- Bill Romanowski (2011)
- Mark Rypien (2006)
- Tom Sestak (2007)
- Bob Skoronski (2000)
- Hank Stram (1985)
- Dick Szymanski (1994)
- Frank Szymanski (1995)
- Frank Tripucka (1997)
- Steve Wisniewski (2004)
- Alex Wojciechowicz (1975)
Golf
- Billy Burke (2005)
- Betsy King (2000)
- Warren Orlick (1983)
- Bob Toski (1987)
- Al Watrous (1979)
- Evan Williams (2018)
Gymnastics
- George Szypula (1985)
Ice Hockey
- Walter Broda (2005)
- Len Ceglarski (1993)
- Joe Kocur (2016)
- Tom Lysiak (2012)
- Allison Mleczko (2019)
- Ed Olczyk (2004)
- Bryan Smolinski (2015)
- Pete Stemkowski (2002)
Motor Sports
- Tony Adamowicz (2016)
- Tom D'Eath (2011)
- Alan Kulwicki (2001)
Skiing
- Kristina Koznick (2015)
Softball
- Ed Tyson (1974)
Sports Journalism
- Ed Browalski (1983)
- Billy Packer (1988)
Sports Officials
- Steve Javie (2017)
- Stan Javie (2011)
- Red Mihalik (1996)
Swimming
- Rachel Komisarz Baugh (2018)
- Chet Jastremski (2007)
- Kristy Kowal (2010)
- Joe Verdeur (2009)[2]
Taekwondo
- Arlene Limas (2019)
Tennis
- Jane "Peaches" Bartkowicz (2010)
- Frank Parker (1988)
Track & Field
- Bob Gutowski (1980)
- Stella Walsh (1974)
Volleyball
- Andy Banachowski (2009)[2]
- Randy Stoklos (2015)
Water Polo
- Monte Nitzkowski (2016)
Weightlifting
- Norbert Schemansky (1979)
- Stanley Stanczyk (1991)
Wrestling
- Władek "Killer" Kowalski (2007)
- Stanley Zbyszko (1983)
See also
- Polish American Museum
- Polish Museum of America
References
- ^ Honoring Ethnicity
- ^ a b c d Banachowski Inducted Into National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Duae Bobick | National Polish-American Sports Hall Of Fame