The Hall of Fame’s mission is to broaden the public’s understanding of the role of diversity in the growth of professional sports. Honorees have played an invaluable role in helping African-Americans and other people of color achieve their goals.
Joining Lapchick among this year’s inductees are Tim Brown, Earl Campbell, Bob Lilly and Rayfield Wright (football), Eddie Robinson (baseball) and Spencer Haywood (basketball).
The induction ceremony took place at Leigh Steinberg’s annual Super Bowl party on Saturday, Feb. 5. Steinberg is widely recognized as the country’s leading sports attorney.
Nationally known for his work on race and diversity, Lapchick is the director of both the National Consortium for Academics and Sports and the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. Lapchick is known for his ability to use sport to combat racial, gender and social inequities in the United States and internationally.
Under his leadership, UCF’s DeVos Sport Business Management Program focuses on the business skills necessary for graduates to succeed in the sports industry, as well as diversity and community service. The DeVos program has been named one of the nation’s top five programs by ESPN The Magazine, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.