Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, College World Series Champion baseball coach Paul Mainieri, and LSU’s all-time leading receiver Wendell Davis are going into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Chairman Doug Ireland says former LSU pitcher Paul Byrd and W-N-B-A all-star Alana Beard are also part of the class
“It’s just a fabulous group but most joyfully for us, and not surprisingly for anybody that been watching these folks for years. Just wonderful people who are proud to represent Lousiana” said Ireland.
Mainieri led the LSU Tigers to a national championship in 2009. Ireland says during 15 seasons at LSU, Mainieri won 641 games.
“And also a guy who’s a wonderful representative and ambassador for Louisiana. He’s somebody that’s excelled at the highest level and scored, we are just tickled to have him officially in the class,” said Ireland
Ireland says Beard led Southwood High School in Shreveport to four consecutive state championships, the Duke Blue Devils to two Final Four appearances and she helped the Los Angeles Sparks win a WNBA title.
“And there’s no question Alana Beard was a transient figure in college basketball, and certainly a defining player in the WNBA for years”, said Ireland
Four more inductees were added including, New Orleans native Ron Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to a pair of World Series appearances and last year helped the Atlanta Braves win the World Championship. Walter Davis, two-time LSU track and field and the USA Olympian and World Champion. Slidell native Matt Forte, a Tulane Great, and Chicago Bear two-time Pro Bowl running back.
World-class weightlifter Walter Imahra, a UL- Lafeyette legend, and retired Baton Rouge Parkview Baptist baseball coach M.L woodruff, whose teams claimes 11 state championships, were also added to the class.
The 2023 class will be enshrined on July 29th in Natchitoches.
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