The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce five new members will be inducted into The Hall on Thursday, November 6 as part of the Oregon Sports Awards. The event takes place at the Patricia Reser Theatre in Beaverton, Oregon.
GALEN RUPP, the native Portland distance running ace who embodied the spirit of the great Steve Prefontaine. Rupp also rose to prominence as a high school athlete winning three individual OSAA track title, setting state records, and two cross country championships. He set the American HS record at 3000 meters in 2004. At the University of Oregon, he helped the Ducks to multiple championships in track and cross country and swept the Pac-12 5,000 and 10,000 meter track titles in 2007. Internationally, Rupp won the gold at the PanAm junior championships and Olympic silver at 10,000 meters and bronze in the marathon. Rupp has run the second-fastest marathon and half-marathon by an American and is on seven other World and US top ten lists.
SUSIE GRIMES, a multiple Paralympic medalist in basketball, now live in Eugene where she continues to advocate for disabled rights and athletes. Grimes was part of team USA at three different Para Games, winning gold and silver as a player in Seoul and Barcelona and bronze as a coach at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She was also part of three other US teams that medaled at the Gold Cup championships. Grimes began playing wheelchair basketball in the early '80s after a forestry accident. She found her community in both Eugene and Berkeley, CA, starting, playing on and coaching multiple teams.
JERRY ALLEN, the "Voice of the Oregon Ducks" is special recipient of the Bill Schoneley Lifetime Achievement Award, given to individuals who combine long careers of excellence with exemplary community service. Allen began his broadcasting career in Southern Oregon while still in high school in Grant's Pass. By the early 1980's he was a fixture in the Rogue Valley, hosting morning drive radio, calling play-by-play of sporting events and anchoring sports on television. Jerry also was active the community as part of fundraisers and events. His dream job of announcing UO sports came true in 1987 and Jerry Allen has been on the mic for Ducks since then.
LAURIE MILLIGAN, A Tigard native who knows a lot about winning helped cut down the nets as part of four NCAA basketball championship teams at the University of Tennessee. Milligan played in a record 24 NCAA post-season games. At Tigard High School, Milligan was a multiple All-League and All-State winner, helping the Tigers to four state tournament appearances. On the soccer field, she was a key member of back-to-back state championship teams. In her professional life, now known as Laurie Vizzini, she is a winner again... a top real estate producer.
2015 PORTLAND TIMBERS The first MLS Cup winner in franchise history took a roller coaster ride to the title. This group went through the regular season without winning any competition; 5th in MLS Supporter's Shield standings, out in the 5th round of the US Open Cup and dead last in the Cascadia Cup. The team jelled in October, going undefeated over the final nine matches, including six playoff games. Fanendo Adi led the attack and team legends Diego Valeri, Nat Borchers and Darlington Nagbe were in their prime,. The tension of the MLS Cup final came crashing down in the very first minute when Valeri scored just 27 seconds in. The Timbers won the final 2-1. It was the city's first men's professional sports championship since the Trail Blazers 1977 NBA title.
Tickets are available for the Oregon Sports Awards ceremony at www.sportsoregon.org