501-313-4158
2023 Induction Banquet Photos and Videos
The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inducted eight well deserving new inductees Friday, April 14th. A 2-day event honoring the inductees included a VIP reception at the ASHOF Museum at the Simmons Bank Arena Thursday evening, April 13.
Friday morning, in the Arkansas Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel a luncheon was held for the inductees at which special gifts were given them commemorating their inductions.
Here are some photos and videos from a very special and wonderful weekend for our new inductees!
2023 Inductee Highlight Videos, Sponsor Reel and In Memoriam
2023 Inductee Highlight Videos, Sponsor Reel and In Memoriam
Jimmy Walker Highlight Video
Freddie Scott Highlight Video
Glen Ray Hines Highligth Video
2023 Inductees
Regular Category
JEFF KING - BASEBALL
KING, JEFF (DOB: December 26th, 1969) – Baseball – A native of Marion, Indiana, Jeff King is a member of the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor (2000) and the SWC Hall of Fame (2019) and spent his Razorback career over the 1984 - 86 seasons. He led the Razorbacks to a trip to the College World Series in 1985. King was an All-America selection all three seasons. He still holds the third-highest batting average over an Arkansas career, hitting .372. King was an All-Southwest Conference (SWC) selection in 1985 and ’86, as well as making the SWC All-Tournament Team as a freshman and sophomore. He was a key part of Arkansas’ run to the 1985 CWS where he had 93 hits, 26 doubles, 17 home runs and 82 RBIs. The RBI total still stands as the single season record in school history. King was named to the 1985 CWS All-Tournament Team, where Arkansas reached the semifinals for the second time in program history. After his junior year, King entered the 1986 MLB Draft and was taken as the No. 1 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates. King remains as the only first overall pick in Razorback history. King played 11 years at the pro level from 1989-1999, spending eight years in Pittsburgh and three years in Kansas City. He reached the playoffs with the Pirates in 1990 and 1992, playing in the National League Championship Series both times and played 100 or more games in a season seven times. King finished his career with a .256 average, 1,091 hits and 154 home runs. His best seasons came in his final year in Pittsburgh (1996) where he hit .271 with 30 home run and 111 RBIs. That led to his signing with Kansas City in 1997, where he batted .238, but drove in 112 RBIs and hit 28 home runs.
SHEKINNA STRICKLEN - Basketball
STRICKLEN, SHEKINNA (DOB: July 30th, 1990) – Basketball – Shekinna Stricklen was named All-State and All-Conference all four years of her Morrilton high school career. Stricklen totaled 2,690 points, 1,400 rebounds, 726 assists, 474 steals and 605 blocked shots. She was twice named Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2007 and 2008), McDonald’s All-American (2008)., Parade Magazine All-America Second Team (2008) and Third Team (2007), 2008 USA Today All-USA First Team, and helped the Red Team win in the 2008 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association High School All-America Game. She played collegiately for the Tennessee Lady Vols. She was selected Freshman of the Year by the USBWA. College Highlights: Wooden Award and Wade Trophy finalist, All-SEC First Team pick during 2011-2012 season, SEC’s No. 2 scorer and top 10 finisher in rebounds and three-point field goal percentage, SEC Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and to the All-SEC First Team by the coaches and AP as a junior, State Farm All American becoming the 20th Lady Volunteer to earn the honor, USBWA All-American and a Third Team AP All-American, SEC Tournament MVP after recording 16 points per game and 5 rebounds per game, AP Second Team All-SEC as a sophomore, Freshman of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and SEC All-Freshman Team by the league’s coaches as a unanimous selection. Stricklen was selected second overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2012 WNBA Draft. She was traded to the Connecticut Sun in 2015 and re-signed to a two-year contract with the Sun in 2016 and in 2018. In 2020, Stricklen signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Dream as an unrestricted free agent.
STEVE SULLIVAN - Broadcasting
SULLIAN, STEVE (DOB: September 22nd, 1959) – Broadcasting – Steve Sullivan has spent 30 years in Arkansas television, including 14 years at KATV. Sully has been named Arkansas Sportscaster of the year three times and has won the AP best sportscast award 13 times at KATV. The Arkansas Activities Association honored Sully with its distinguished media member award and Sully has been inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. From Basil “The Great Shabazz” to “Lightning” Freddie Knighten, no one enjoys Friday night football more than Sully. KATV’s Friday Night Touchdowns has won multiple awards. Sully’s Little Heroes has become one of the stations’ most popular features.
Senior/Posthumous Category
FRED ALLEN - Basketball
ALLEN, FRED (DOB: June 14, 1953) – Basketball – A native of Little Rock, AR, Fred Allen played basketball at Little Rock Central. He became the first African American 10th grader to become a full-time starter on varsity. He guided Central to two state championships, a second-place finish, and an overall state championship. He consistently led his team in scoring and assists, averaging 30 points per game and set an all-time high scoring record of 40 points in one game. His talents led him to shatter previous records, including scoring 125 points in four games. He was selected All-Conference three times, All-State twice, became the first African American to earn an MVP award, played in the All-Star game, and was named to the “Scouting Systems of America” All-America team in 1972. He started playing collegiately at Western Texas College and then transferred to Middle Tennessee State. He led the Blue Raiders in scoring his sophomore year and was voted Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention All-Conference. For a career, Allen scored 1,108 points, averaging 13.7 PPG (1973-76).
GLEN RAY HINES SR. - Football
HINES, SR. GLEN RAY (DOB: October 26, 1943 – February 1, 2019) – Football – A native of El Dorado, AR, Glen Ray Hines was a mainstay in the middle of the Razorbacks’ offensive front during Arkansas’ historic run in the mid-1906’s. He was a three-year letterman and helped lead the Hogs to a 25-7 record in his tenure, including a 11-0 record in 1964 on the way to a national championship. He was also a part of a school-record 22-game winning streak. Hines was a consensus All-American in 1965, recognized by the American Football Coaches Association, the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, and the Walter Camp Foundation. He also earned All-Southwest Conference (SWC) honors in both 1965 and 1966. The Houston Post named Hines the SWC Most Outstanding Player for the 1965 season. He was selected to the SWC All-Time team in 1996. He was named to the Coaches All-American Game, College All-Star Game, and the Hula Bowl. A member of the UA All-Century team, Hines was named to the Razorbacks’ 1960’s All-Decade squad. Hines went on to an eight-year professional football career with Houston (1966-70), New Orleans (1971-72), and Pittsburgh (1973). Throughout his time in the NFL, he played in 115 consecutive games, including three playoff games. Hines was an AFL All-Star game selection in both 1968 and 1969 before retiring in 1973. In the December 2005 issue, Hines was named to the Football Digest All-Time Oilers Team. He was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor in 2001, Union County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and SWC Hall of Fame in 2018.
FREDDIE SCOTT - Football
SCOTT, FREDDIE (DOB August 5, 1952) – Football – A native of Grady, AR, Freddie Lee Scott played high school football at Pine Bluff. He went on to play collegiately at Amherst College in Amherst, MA 1971-73. Scott set New England records on the way to being named Little All-America. In his first season, Scott caught 29 passes for 614 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games. In 1972, he had his best season as a collegian, compiling 936 receiving yards and breaking New England records for most receptions in a season with 66 and most touchdowns in a season with 12. As a senior co-captain, Scott caught 48 passes for 786 yards and nine touchdowns running his career receiving yardage to 2,336 yards and touchdown total to 27--both New England records. In just 23 career games, Scott averaged more than 100 yards receiving per game and was named New England College Division Player of the Year by UPI. A two-time ECAC All-Star and selected to play in the North-South game, Scott received Amherst's Tom Ashley Award for outstanding play in football. He is still ranked #1 in the following categories at Amherst College: Career yds 2,336, career receptions 143, career TD’s 27, and single season TD’s 12 (1972). He played in the NFL for 10 seasons with the Baltimore Colts (1974-77) and the Detroit Lions (1978-83). Then in the USFL for the LA Express in 1984. In 2001, Scott was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
JIMMY WALKER - Football
WALKER, JIMMY (DOB: December 30th, 1957) – Football – A native of Little Rock, AR, Jimmy Walker played linebacker at Central High in the early 70’s. He led the team in tackles as a senior. At the summer All-Star game, where he moved to tackle and was named MVP, Arkansas took notice and offered a scholarship. Walker played defensive tackle for the Razorbacks 1975-78 and was selected to the 1970’s All-Decade Team. He led the team in tackles for loss during his final two seasons, compiling 15 in 1977 and 19 in 1978. He ranks tied for 4th on the Razorbacks single season tackles for loss with 19 in 1978 and tied for 4th all-time career tackles for loss with 37. In 1978, Walker earned 1st-Team All-America honors and was selected the outstanding defensive player in the Fiesta Bowl, where the Hogs ended in a 10-10 tie with UCLA. He was also a two-time All-SWC honoree. Walker was inducted into the U of A Sports Hall of Honor in 2011 and the SWC Hall of Fame in 2018.
LARRY WALTON - Tennis
WALTON, LARRY (DOB: April 7, 1942) – Tennis – Larry Walton designed and oversaw construction of the South’s first indoor tennis complex at Burns Park Tennis Center, North Little Rock. Walton was its first director and head tennis professional. He was the first to bring professional tennis tournaments to AR in the 1970’s, at the same time coaching some of AR’s top ranked junior and college players. During Walton’s tenure, Burns Park became the first public park in America to host Davis Cup matches, when in 1973, the longest doubles match in the competition’s history entertained the crowd. For six years, Walton hosted the AR International Tennis Tournament, with world #1 Jimmy Connors being the marquee for two years in a row. Walton created a qualifying event for the tournament so aspiring players had a chance to compete. During his 13 years at Burns Park, he brought a total of 18 pro tennis tournaments, including World Team Tennis and women’s first professional tour (the Lionel Cup) to Burns Park. As a coach, Walton taught young tennis players winning strategies and the mental aspects of the game. Several went on to play professionally; one was ranked #1 in AR for seven consecutive years and #4 in the South; two were #1 in the South in doubles; one had several victories over top five nationally ranked players; many went to college on tennis scholarships; and at least ten of his students later became teaching professionals. His UALR tennis team had victories over teams ranked in the top 25 nationally, came within one point of defeating the nation’s #1 team (SMU), and hosted a national NCAA tournament. He established AR’s first tennis academy at Fairfield Bay Resort and established an annual mixed doubles tournament that drew 350-plus players. Walton was the Arkansas Tennis Association’s first executive secretary in 1973 and was inducted into the Arkansas Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990.