National Track and Field Hall of Fame


The National Track and Field Hall of Fame is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field. It is located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The stated goal of the Hall is to reflect upon, appreciate, and honor the past by saluting Americans who have made important contributions to the history of Track and Field. Inductees to the Hall of Fame include athletes, coaches, contributors, officials, event directors, journalists and administrators. The USA Track & Field has been inducting members into the Hall since 1974. Currently there are 249 people enshrined.

History

The National Track and Field Hall of Fame was founded in Charleston, West Virginia in 1974. The museum moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1985 when it came under the auspices of USA Track & Field, the national governing body for the sport of track and field in the United States. The Indianapolis museum closed in 1996 when the exhibits were moved for the 1996 Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The exhibits were then displayed in Los Angeles, California before touring across the nation as a traveling museum until 2002 when The Armory building was chosen as its permanent location.
Exhibits include the original 1976 Nike Waffle Trainers and a singlet and shorts worn by Hall of Famer Steve Prefontaine.

Nomination criteria

The nomination criteria differs for the type of inductee as follows:

Athlete

Only open class accomplishments are considered. In order to be considered, an athlete must have participated in an open competition at least three years prior to consideration, except when an athlete has reached forty years of age, and must fall into one or more of the following criteria:
To be nominated, a coach must have been retired for at least one year from active full-time coaching, except where the nominated person has coached for thirty-five years or more, and must fall into the following criteria:
In order to be nominated as a Contributor, the nominee must have served the Athletics community with special distinction and worked within the athletics community in its best interests in an outstanding manner for at least twenty years. Contributors may also be nominated for having achieved other outstanding accomplishments.

Additional categories

Also under USATF is the Masters Hall of Fame, created in 1996 and the created in 2007. The membership of those two halls are selected by separate committees of those divisions of USATF for separate achievements in those divisions. As such, there is some duplication of names. Those members currently exist as a list of honored names, but have no physical representation at the hall in New York City.

Selection process

Each February, the National Track & Field Board and Screening Committee begins to actively seek nominations which are due by May 1 each year. On May 15, all nominations are compiled by the national staff of USA Track & Field. All nominations are then reviewed by the Hall of Fame Screening Committee which is charged with forwarding the best candidates eligible to the voters. The membership of the Committee is confidential. The Committee has full authority to make nominations to create the best ballot possible. The Staff Coordinator for the Hall of Fame creates the ballot of ten nominees and accompanying documentation by June 30. The ballot is then reviewed by the President of the Hall of Fame and chair of the Screening Committee before being forwarded to the voters near the end of July. The voters include inducted Hall of Famers, the Hall of Fame committee members and selected members of the Track and Field Writers of America. Each voter has one vote and any voter who fails to cast a ballot for two consecutive years may be removed from the list of eligible voters until they request and cast a ballot in a subsequent year. All ballots must be returned to the accounting firm responsible for tabulation of votes by August 29. In the beginning of September, Accounting firm, chair of the Screening Committee, and President of the Board review the ballots and declare the inductees who are announced later in the month.

Museum

Located at The Armory Foundation, at 216 Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights, New York the museum is split into three levels. The first level contains main lobby, the Hall of Fame Theater and the Hall of Fame History Gallery, where the Olympic Moment film produced by Bud Greenspan can be viewed. The second level holds the Hall of Fame Atrium, the Hall of Fame Champion Gallery and the Fred Lebow Marathon Hall. The third level holds the Hall of Fame Gallery featuring a -long etched glass wall with the names of all the inductees engraved upon it. Through the glass wall visitors can see the arena that is home to the largest indoor collegiate and high school invitational events in the world.

Inductees

The following table lists all persons who have been inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
NameInduction YearCategoryRef
Abbott, Cleve1996Coach
Abrahamson, Jesse1981Journalist
Albritton, Dave1980Athlete
Andersen, Roxanne1991Athlete
Ashenfelter, Horace1975Athlete
Ashford, Evelyn1997Athlete
Austin, Charles2012Athlete
Bakjian, Andy1986Official
Banks, Willie1999Athlete
Barney Ewell, Norwood1986Athlete
Baskin, Weemie1982Coach
Batten, Kim2012Athlete
Bausch, James1979Athlete
Beamon, Bob1977Athlete
Beard, Percy1981Athlete
Beatty, Jim1990Athlete
Bell, Earl2002Athlete
Bell, Greg1988Athlete
Bell, Sam1992Coach
Blozis, Al2015Athlete
Boeckmann, Delores1976Athlete
Borican, John2000Athlete
Boston, Ralph1974Athlete
Botts, Tom1983Coach
Bowden, Don2008Athlete
Bowerman, Bill1981Coach
Bragg, Don1996Athlete
Brisco, Valerie1995Athlete
Brown, Doris1990Athlete
Brown, Earlene2005Athlete
Brundage, Avery1974Administrator
Burke, Thomas 'Tom'2014Athlete
Burleson, Dyrol2010Athlete
Burrell, Leroy2017Athlete
Bush, Jim1987Coach
Calhoun, Lee1974Athlete
Campbell, Milt1989Athlete
Carlos, John2003Athlete
Carnes, Jimmy2008Coach
Carr, Bill2008Athlete
Carr, Henry1997Athlete
Cassell, Ollan2006Contributor
Cawley, Rex2006Athlete
Cheeseborough, Chandra2000Athlete
Clark, Jearl Miles2010Athlete
Clark, Ellery1991Athlete
Clay, Bryan2017Athlete
Coachman, Alice1975Athlete
Cochran, Roy2010Athlete
Conley, Mike2004Athlete
Connolly, Harold1984Athlete
Conway, Hollis2015Athlete
Copeland, Lillian1994Athlete
Corbitt, Theodore 'Ted'2014Contributor
Courtney, Tom1978Athlete
Craig, Ralph2010Athlete
Cromwell, Dean1974Coach
Cunningham, Glenn1974Athlete
Curtis, William1979Contributor
Davenport, Willie1982Athlete
Davis, Glenn1974Athlete
Davis, Harold1974Athlete
Davis, Jack2004Athlete
Davis, Otis2004Athlete
Deal, Lance2014Athlete
Dellinger, Bill2000Athlete
DeMar, Clarence2011Athlete
Dennis, Evie2004Contributor
Devers, Gail2011Athlete
Didriksen, Mildred1974Athlete
Diggs, Joetta Clark2009Athlete
Dillard, Harrison1974Athlete
Doherty, Ken1976Athlete
Dragila, Stacy2014Athlete
Drake, Elvin2007Coach
Duffey, Arthur2012Athlete
Dumas, Charles1990Athlete
Dunaway, James2010Journalist
Eastman, Ben2006Athlete
Easton, Millard1975Coach
Edelen, Buddy2016Athlete
Elliot, James1981Coach
Ellis, Larry1999Coach
Evans, Lee1983Athlete
Ewry, Ray1974Athlete
Faggs, Mae1976Athlete
Farmer-Patrick, Sandra2019Athlete
Ferrell, Barbara1988Athlete
Ferris, Dan1974Administrator
Feuerbach, Al2016Athlete
Flanagan, John1975Athlete
Forman, Ken2009Coach
Fosbury, Dick1981Athlete
Foster, Greg1998Athlete
Frederick, Jane2007Athlete
Fuchs, Jim2005Athlete
Giegengack, Bob1978Coach
Gill, Harry2015Coach
Godina, John2013Athlete
Gordien, Fortune1979Athlete
Gray, Johnny2008Athlete
Greene, Charles1992Athlete
Greene, Maurice2011Athlete
Griffith, John1979Administrator
Griffith Joyner, Florence1995Athlete
Hahn, Archie1983Athlete
Hall, Evelyne1988Athlete
Hamilton, Brutus1974Athlete
Hammond, Kathy2018Athlete
Hardin, Glenn1978Athlete
Harrison, Kenny2013Athlete
Haydon, Ted1975Coach
Hayes, Billy1976Coach
Hayes, Bob1976Athlete
Haylett, Ward1979Coach
Held, Franklin1987Athlete
Hersh, Bob2018Contributor
Higgins, Ralph1982Coach
Hillman, Harry1976Athlete
Hines, Jim1979Athlete
Houser, Bud1979Athlete
Hubbard, DeHart1979Athlete
Huntsman, Stan2004Coach
Hurt, Edward1975Coach
Hutsell, Wilbur1975Coach
Jackson, Nell1989Athlete
James, Larry2003Athlete
Jenkins, Charles1992Athlete
Jenner, Bruce 1980Athlete
Jennings, Lynn2006Athlete
Johnson, Allen2015Athlete
Johnson, Cornelius1994Athlete
Johnson, Michael2004Athlete
Johnson, Rafer1974Athlete
Jones, Hayes1976Athlete
Jones, Thomas1977Coach
Jordan, Payton1982Coach
Joyner-Kersee, Jackie2004Athlete
Kelley, John1980Athlete
Kingdom, Roger2005Athlete
Kiviat, Abel1985Athlete
Kraenzlein, Alvin1974Athlete
Laird, Ron1986Athlete
Larrabee, Mike2003Athlete
Larrieu, Francine1998Athlete
Larsen, Bob2013Coach
Lash, Don1995Athlete
Laskau, Henry1997Athlete
Lebow, Fred1994Event Director
Lewis, Carl2001Athlete
Lewis, Steve2019Athlete
Lindgren, Gerry2004Athlete
Liquori, Marty1995Athlete
Littlefield, Clyde1981Coach
Long, Dallas1996Athlete
Mann, Ralph2015Athlete
Manning, Madeline1984Athlete
Marsh, Henry2001Athlete
Mathias, Bob1974Athlete
Matson, Randy1984Athlete
Matthews, Vincent2011Athlete
McCluskey, Joe1996Athlete
McDaniel, Mildred1983Athlete
McDonald, Pat2012Athlete
McDonnell, John2005Coach
McGrath, Matt2006Athlete
McGuire, Edith1979Athlete
Meadows, Earle1996Athlete
Meredith, James1982Athlete
Metcalfe, Ralph1975Athlete
Milburn, Rod1993Athlete
Mills, Billy1976Athlete
Moakley, John F.1988Coach
Montgomery, Eleanor2013Athlete
Moore, Charles1999Athlete
Moore, Tom1988Event Director
Morris, Glenn2007Athlete
Morrow, Bobby1975Athlete
Mortensen, Jess1992Coach
Moses, Edwin1994Athlete
Murphy, Mike1974Coach
Myers, Laurence1974Athlete
Myricks, Larry2001Athlete
Nehemiah, Renaldo1997Athlete
Nelson, Albert1991Contributor
Nelson, Cordner1988Contributor
Nieder, Bill2006Athlete
O'Brien, Dan2006Athlete
O'Brien, William1974Athlete
Oerter, Al1974Athlete
Osborn, Harold1974Athlete
Owens, Jesse1974Athlete
Paddock, Charley1976Athlete
Patton, Mel1985Athlete
Peacock, Eulace1987Athlete
Pennel, John2004Athlete
Phillips, Andre2009Athlete
Phillips, Dwight2018Athlete
Powell, John2019Athlete
Powell, Mike2005Athlete
Prefontaine, Steve1976Athlete
Price-Smith, Connie2016Athlete
Prinstein, Meyer2000Athlete
Ray, Joie1976Athlete
Remigino, Lindy2017Athlete
Reynolds, Butch2016Athlete
Rice, Greg1977Athlete
Richards, Bob1975Athlete
Ritter, Louise1995Athlete
Robinson, Arnie2000Athlete
Robinson, Elizabeth1977Athlete
Rodgers, Bill1999Athlete
Rose, Ralph1976Athlete
Rosen, Melvin1995Coach
Rudolph, Wilma1974Athlete
Ryun, Jim1980Athlete
Ryan, Patrick 'Pat' or 'Paddy'2014Athlete
Salazar, Alberto2001Athlete
Samuelson, Joan2004Athlete
Santee, Wes2005Athlete
Schmertz, Fred2012Contributor
Schmertz, Howard2012Contributor
Schmidt, Kate1994Athlete
Scholz, Jackson1977Athlete
Schul, Bob1991Athlete
Scott, Steve2002Athlete
Seagren, Bob1986Athlete
Seidler, Maren2000Athlete
Sheppard, Mel1976Athlete
Sheridan, Martin1988Athlete
Shiley, Jean1993Athlete
Shorter, Frank1989Athlete
Silvester, Jay1998Athlete
Sime, Dave1981Athlete
Simpson, Robert1974Athlete
Slaney, Mary2003Athlete
Smith, Calvin2007Athlete
Smith, Tommie1978Athlete
Snyder, Larry1978Coach
Squires, Bill2017Coach
Stanfield, Andy1977Athlete
Steers, Les1974Athlete
Steele, Willie2009Athlete
Stephens, Helen1975Athlete
Stones, Dwight1998Athlete
Sullivan, James1977Administrator
Taylor, Frederick2000Athlete
Temple, Ed1989Coach
Templeton, Dink1976Coach
Tewksbury, Walter1996Athlete
Thomas, John1985Athlete
Thompson, Fred2019Coach
Thomson, Earl1977Athlete
Thorpe, Jim1975Athlete
Timmons, Bob2011Coach
Tolan, Eddie1982Athlete
Toomey, Bill1975Athlete
Torrance, Jack2015Athlete
Torrence, Gwen2002Athlete
Towns, Forrest1976Athlete
Tyus, Wyomia1980Athlete
Van Wolvelaere-Weirich, Patty2017Athlete
Virgin, Craig2011Athlete
Walker, LeRoy1983Coach
Walsh, Stella1975Athlete
Warmerdam, Cornelius1974Athlete
Watson, Martha1987Athlete
Wefers, Bernie2008Athlete
White, Willye1981Athlete
Whitfield, Mal1974Athlete
Wilkins, Mac1993Athlete
Williams, Archie1992Athlete
Williams, Randy2009Athlete
Williams, Steve2013Athlete
Wilt, Fred1981Athlete
Winter, Lloyd1985Coach
Wohlhuter, Rick1990Athlete
Wolcott, Fred2005Athlete
Wolfe, Vern1996Coach
Woodruff, John1978Athlete
Woods, George2007Athlete
Wottle, Dave1982Athlete
Wright, Stan1993Coach
Wykoff, Frank1977Athlete
Yancey, Joe1984Coach
Young, George1981Athlete
Young, Kevin2006Athlete
Young, Larry2002Athlete
Zarnowski, Frank2016Contributor