By RYAN SKATIH
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph has a new slate of inductees to the Area Sports Hall of Fame.
St. Joseph Sports Commission Director, Brett Esley, says this year’s class features several firsts.
“We have an athlete in the sport of figure skating. That’s our first. We have athlete in the sport of track and field. That’s a first for us. Also, we have a member of the media as part of this class,” Esley tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And so, I think it just goes to show you the depth that we have here in our city and Buchanan County and we look forward to celebrating these men and women and our team coming up this August.”
Figure skater Ryan Blakely, multiple NCAA national track champion Heavin (Warner) Douglas, and sportswriter Bill Scott will be inducted.
Also among this year’s inductees: fastpitch softball standout Bobby Blakely; Missouri Western and PGA golfer, Brice Garnett; Dirck Clark and Charlie Shields, both instrumental in bringing the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp to St. Joseph; St. Joseph Mustangs founder Dan Gerson; Missouri Southern softball coach Pat Lipira; Missouri Western baseball coach Doug Minnis; the 2007 Benton High School Girls Basketball Team; and Special Olympics area Athlete of the Year Charlie Phillips.
Tickets to the induction will go on sale soon and can be purchased at the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau or online.
The induction ceremony will be held in memory of Frank O’Malley on August 25th at the Stoney Creek Inn presented by Altha Bros Ag.
Brent Martin contributed to this article.