Class of 2022 inducted into Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame

Ceremony conducted Thursday in La Salle

The 1988 St. Bede  state champion baseball team was inducted into the NewsTribune's Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Thursday evening.

The Class of 2022 was inducted into the Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame Thursday at the Auditorium Ballroom in downtown La Salle.

The lineup of inductees honored were:

• Carol Pratt - Ironman Runner, Fieldcrest/Putnam County coach

• Vince McMahon - IVCC football coach

• Jim Mini - St. Bede Academy/LPO/Loyola basketball great

• Leo Cahill - L-P alumnus/well known Canadian Football League coach/GM

• Richard Nesti - Hall football coach and namesake of Red Devils football field

• John Skibinski - L-P, Purdue University and Chicago Bears football great

• Lew Flinn - Princeton High School/Northern Illinois University all sports standout, PHS coach

• Gary Vicini - Two-time state champion football coach at Hall

• Donald “Rusty” Wells - IHSA State pole vault champion from Ottawa

• Willie Hanson - All-sports standout from Mendota/NIU

• Gerald “Chips” Giovanine - Basketball coach for Bureau Township, Buda Western and L-P

• The 1983 state champion Streator High School softball team

• The 1988 state champion St. Bede Academy baseball team

• Special award recipients were legendary L-P coach and namesake of Cavs football stadium, Howard “Foxy” Fellows, who received the Legacy Award, and Robert “Bo” Windy, who received the Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award.

This story will be updated at www.newstribune.com, bcrnews.com and mywebtimes.com and in Saturday’s print editions.

Two-time state champion football coach Gary Vicini was inducted into the NewsTribune's Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.