Sports Commission sets date for 2024 Hall of Fame ceremony
By Riley Funk
The St. Joseph Sports Commission announced the enshrinement ceremony for its 2024 Hall of Fame class will take place in August.
Brett Esely, executive director of the sports commission, said the event for the fourth induction class will take place on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
Nomination for the 2024 class must be submitted by April 1. Selections from the nominations will take place at the beginning of May, with an official announcement of the class later in the month.
Esely said each class is unique and different in its own right.
“All Hall of Fame classes are great or they wouldn’t be Hall of Fame classes. These are individuals and teams that were best of the best elite at the top of their craft,” Esely said. “It doesn’t matter what level of athletics that was at. I think all of our classes have taken on a personality of their own.”
Some former inductees into the Hall of Fame include former Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder (class of 2021) and the 1976 Layafette High School Boys Basketball Team (class of 2023).
Esely said each class shows the rich sports history that St. Joseph provides.
“People always say you’re after, ‘How are you going to top that? Are you going to top that next year?’ We don’t have to top that. We just have to continue to grow and expand,” Esely said. “I think our classes, all three of them, have said this is why St. Joe sports are the way they are and they have really encompassed our history very, very well.”
Nominees must qualify for one of three requirements before being selected: The individual must have been born in Buchanan County, made their sports career or accomplishments in Buchanan County or they must be contributing to sports in Buchanan County at present. This means that a nominee doesn’t have to be retired to be inducted.
The nomination portal is open 365 days a year. If a nominee isn’t selected within five years of the first nomination, they can once again be nominated.
Esely encourages local residents to participate in nominating. He says the Hall of Fame isn’t possible without community support.
“That’s how the Hall of Fame grows is through the community, through people nominating people that are worthy, that in some cases we may know, but in some cases we may not know,” Esely said. “If you’re thinking about, ‘Man, is this person worthy for consideration?’ Realistically, if you’re thinking about them, they probably are. That’s how we grow, that’s how the stories continue to be told.”
To submit a nomination for the 2024 St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Class, check the official website for more information.
