‘Sports Legends’ to Be Immortalized
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has announced who will be honored in a series of 16 bronze statues to be part of the $35 million Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience. They include modern stars, such as the Pacers’ Reggie Miller and the Fever’s Tamika Catchings, as well as big names from Indiana’s past such as NBA Hall of Famer Bobby "Slick" Leonard and members of the Indianapolis Clowns Negro League baseball team. The 7.5-acre experience is set to open in the spring.
The sports legends to be honored on the Old National Bank Sports Legends Avenue of Champions include:
DaMarcus Beasley: Fort Wayne native who is the only American male to play in four FIFA World Cups
Larry Bird: The only person in NBA history to win MVP as a player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, the last two being with the Indiana Pacers
Tamika Catchings: Four-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion with the Indiana Fever
Indianapolis Clowns: Members of the Negro League team including Hank Aaron, Mamie "Peanut" Johnson and Marcenia Lyle "Toni" Stone
Pete and Alice Dye: Prominent golf course designers, including Crooked Stick in Carmel and the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course
A.J. Foyt: First of only three drivers to win the Indy 500 four times, current IndyCar team owner
Wayne Gretzky: National Hockey League legend who scored his first professional goal with the World Hockey Association’s Indianapolis Racers
Bobby ‘Slick’ Leonard: NBA Hall of Famer , three-time ABA championship coach, current Indiana Pacers broadcaster
Reggie Miller: NBA Hall of Famer who spent his entire 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, playing in 1,389 games and making 2,560 three-point shots
Oscar Robertson: Former Indiana "Mr. Basketball," NBA champion and hall of famer
Wilma Rudolph: Overcame polio to become an Olympic gold medalist; former DePauw University track coach
Reggie Wayne: Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts, six-time Pro Bowl selection
Barbara Wynne: Founder of the Indianapolis chapter of the National Junior Tennis League, serving more than 50,000 youths to date
The attraction will feature sports experiences featuring organizations including the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NCAA. The Sports Legends Experience represents the largest investment at the attraction since it opened some 40 years ago.