National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame facts for kids
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was started in 1973. Its main goal is to honor and remember the great achievements of people with Polish backgrounds in sports. It also aims to teach and inspire everyone to be their best. The Hall of Fame is located in Troy, Michigan.
Each year, new members are chosen through a nationwide vote. This vote includes officers, current Hall of Fame members, and over 500 sports experts. With more than 150 inductees, the Hall of Fame has many cool historical items. You can see them at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Michigan. Stan Musial, who was the very first person inducted, has items that are important enough for any major sports museum.
Visitors can also see uniforms worn by famous athletes like Steve Gromek, Carol Blazejowski, Mark Fidrych, and Ed Olczyk. You can also find boxing gloves used by the 1940s heavyweight champion Tony Zale. There are also basketballs, baseballs, footballs, and bowling balls signed by Mike Krzyzewski, Whitey Kurowski, Ted Marchibroda, and Eddie Lubanski. Another cool item is a football signed by Bob Skoronski, Vince Lombardi, and other members of the 1967 Super Bowl I Champion Green Bay Packers.
In 2013, the Hall of Fame started a new award called the NPASHF Excellence in Sports Award. Race car driver Brad Keselowski was the first person to receive it. Other winners include Liz Johnson, Frank Kaminsky, Gary Kubiak, Joe Maddon, Dave Dombrowski, Sam Mikulak, Natalie Wojcik, and Paul Juda.
On June 20, 2019, the Hall of Fame created its first Excellence in Media Award. They named it the Tony Kubek Award. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was the first to win it. Sportswriter Joe Posnanski won in 2021, and hockey broadcaster Ken Kal won in 2024.
At the Avenue of Stars, called "Aleja Gwiazd Sportowców Polonijnych," in Rzeszów, Poland, special bronze plates were revealed on July 15, 2023. These plates have handprints of amazing Polish athletes. They include NPASHF inductees Bob Brudzinski and Ann Meyers Drysdale.
The NPASHF celebrated its 50th anniversary with a big dinner. Almost two dozen Hall of Fame members were there. Ann Meyers Drysdale gave the main speech, and Jon Paul Morosi was the host. The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame held its 52nd Annual Induction Banquet on June 26, 2025. Matt Shepard was the host for that event.
Contents
- Baseball Stars
- Basketball Stars
- Billiards Stars
- Bowling Stars
- Boxing Stars
- Bull Riding Stars
- Fencing Stars
- Figure Skating Stars
- American Football Stars
- Golf Stars
- Gymnastics Stars
- Ice Hockey Stars
- Lacrosse Stars
- Motor Sports Stars
- Skiing Stars
- Softball Stars
- Sports Journalism Stars
- Sports Officials Stars
- Speed Skating Stars
- Swimming Stars
- Taekwondo Stars
- Tennis Stars
- Track & Field Stars
- Volleyball Stars
- Water Polo Stars
- Weightlifting Stars
- Wrestling Stars
- See also
Baseball Stars
- Oscar Bielaski (2005)
- Stan Coveleski (1976)
- Art "Pinky" Deras (2011)
- Moe Drabowsky (1999)
- Mark Fidrych (2009)
- Steve Gromek (1981)
- Mark Grudzielanek (2019)
- Mark Gubicza (2022)
- Ryan Klesko (2014)
- Ted Kluszewski (1974)
- Jim Konstanty (2008)
- Mike Krukow (2020)
- Tony Kubek (1982)
- Whitey Kurowski (1988)
- Bob Kuzava (2003)
- Eddie Lopat (1978)
- Stan Lopata (1997)
- Greg Luzinski (1989)
- Bill Mazeroski (1979)
- Barney McCosky (1995)
- Stan Musial (1973)
- Joe Niekro (1992)
- Phil Niekro (1990)
- Danny Ozark (2010)
- Tom Paciorek (1992)
- Ron Perranoski (1983)
- A. J. Pierzynski (2020)
- Johnny Podres (2002)
- Jack Quinn (2006)
- Ron Reed (2005)
- Jenny Romatowski (1999)
- Ray Sadecki (2007)
- Al Simmons (1975)
- Bill Skowron (1980)
- Frank Tanana (1996)
- Alan Trammell (1998)
- Connie Wisniewski (2020)
- Carl Yastrzemski (1986)
- Richie Zisk (2004)
Basketball Stars
- Carol Blazejowski (1994)
- Vince Boryla (1984)
- Ann Meyers Drysdale (2016)
- Mike Gminski (2003)
- Tom Gola (1977)
- Bobby Hurley (2006)
- Larry Krystkowiak (2018)
- Mike Krzyzewski (1991)
- Mitch Kupchak (2002)
- Bob Kurland (1996)
- Christian Laettner (2008)
- June Olkowski (2012)
- John Payak (1982)
- Susan Wojcewicz (2025)
- Juliene Brazinski Simpson (2017)
- Kelly Tripucka (2000)
Billiards Stars
- LoreeJon Ogonowski-Brown (2022)
- Frank Taberski (2020)
Bowling Stars
- Johnny Crimmins (1976)
- Billy Golembiewski (1981)
- Cass Grygier (1984)
- Eddie Lubanski (1978)
- Aleta Rzepecki-Sill (2008)
- Ann Setlock (1983)
Boxing Stars
- Duane Bobick (2014)
- Bobby Czyz (2009)
- Stanley Ketchel (1984)
- Teddy Yarosz (2005)
- Tony Zale (1975)
Bull Riding Stars
- Lynn Jonckowski (2025)
Fencing Stars
- Janusz Bednarski (2017)
Figure Skating Stars
- Janet Lynn (1990)
- Elaine Zayak (2013)
American Football Stars
- Danny Abramowicz (1992)
- Pete Banaszak (1990)
- Steve Bartkowski (1993)
- Zeke Bratkowski (1995)
- Bob Brudzinski (2005)
- Lou Creekmur (2001)
- Zygmont Czarobski (1980)
- Mark Dantonio (2022)
- Mike Ditka (2001)
- Conrad Dobler (2018)
- Jim Dombrowski (2013)
- Forest Evashevski (2000)
- Frank Gatski (1989)
- Stephen Gostkowski (2025)
- Jim Grabowski (1993)
- Jack Ham (1987)
- Leon Hart (1988)
- Vic Janowicz (1987)
- Ron Jaworski (1991)
- Mike Kenn (2006)
- Joe Klecko (1999)
- Ed Klewicki (1982)
- Gary Kubiak (2017)
- Frank Kush (1998)
- Ted Kwalick (2005)
- Greg Landry (2012)
- Johnny Lujack (1978)
- Ted Marchibroda (1976)
- Chester Marcol (2016)
- Mike McCoy (2019)
- Lou Michaels (1994)
- Walt Michaels (1997)
- Dick Modzelewski (1986)
- Mike Munchak (2003)
- Bronko Nagurski (2020)
- Tom Nowatzke (2008)
- Dominic Olejniczak (2020)
- Bill Osmanski (1977)
- Walt Patulski (2014)
- Frank Piekarski (2005)
- Bill Romanowski (2011)
- Mark Rypien (2006)
- Tom Sestak (2007)
- Bob Skoronski (2000)
- Emil Sitko (2020)
- Hank Stram (1985)
- Dick Szymanski (1994)
- Frank Szymanski (1995)
- Frank Tripucka (1997)
- Steve Wisniewski (2004)
- Alex Wojciechowicz (1975)
Golf Stars
- Billy Burke (2005)
- Betsy King (2000)
- Warren Orlick (1983)
- Bob Toski (1987)
- Al Watrous (1979)
- Evan Williams (2018)
Gymnastics Stars
- George Szypula (1985)
Ice Hockey Stars
- Walter Broda (2005)
- Len Ceglarski (1993)
- Joe Kocur (2016)
- Tom Lysiak (2012)
- Allison Mleczko (2019)
- Ed Olczyk (2004)
- Bryan Smolinski (2015)
- Pete Stemkowski (2002)
- Craig Wolanin (2025)
Lacrosse Stars
- John Danowski (2022)
Motor Sports Stars
- Tony Adamowicz (2016)
- Tom D'Eath (2011)
- Alan Kulwicki (2001)
Skiing Stars
- Kristina Koznick (2015)
Softball Stars
- Ed Tyson (1974)
Sports Journalism Stars
- Ed Browalski (1983)
- Billy Packer (1988)
Sports Officials Stars
- Steve Javie (2017)
- Stan Javie (2011)
- Red Mihalik (1996)
Speed Skating Stars
- J.R. Celski (2020)
Swimming Stars
- Rachel Komisarz Baugh (2018)
- Chet Jastremski (2007)
- Kristy Kowal (2010)
- Joe Verdeur (2009)
Taekwondo Stars
- Arlene Limas (2019)
Tennis Stars
- Jane "Peaches" Bartkowicz (2010)
- Frank Parker (1988)
Track & Field Stars
- Bob Gutowski (1980)
- Stella Walsh (1974)
- Frances Sobczak Kaszubski (2020)
Volleyball Stars
- Andy Banachowski (2009)
- Randy Stoklos (2015)
Water Polo Stars
- Monte Nitzkowski (2016)
Weightlifting Stars
- Norbert Schemansky (1979)
- Stanley Stanczyk (1991)
Wrestling Stars
- Władek "Killer" Kowalski (2007)
- Stanley Zbyszko (1983)
- Ivan Putski (2025)
See also
