CELEBRATING HOUSTON LEGENDS
The Houston Sports Hall of Fame honors legendary sports figures from or associated with the Houston area that have made a significant impact in their sport.
Located in downtown Houston at GreenStreet.
CLASS OF 2023
CLASS OF 2022
CLYDE DREXLER
Named one of the top 50 Greatest Players in NBA history, Drexler got his start at the University of Houston where he went from unheralded recruit from Sterling High School to “Clyde The Glide’’, a player known for his high flying, effortless glides to the baskets as a member of UH’s Phi Slama Jama teams. Drexler helped lead the Cougars to two Final Four appearances but left UH after his junior season as the only player in school history with combined totals of at least 1,000 career points, 900 rebounds and 300 assists. Portland made him the 14th pick of the 1983 draft where he went on to play for 12 seasons and led the Trailblazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 where they lost to Detroit. In February 1995, he was traded to the Houston Rockets where he teamed back up with fellow Phi Slama Jama teammate Hakeem Olajuwon and the two led the Rockets to their second-straight NBA title. Drexler played two more seasons for the Rockets, retiring after being named to 10 All-Star teams in 15 seasons, the 1992 Olympic Dream Team and making the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Star team. His No. 22 jersey has been retired by UH, Portland and the Rockets and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice – in 2004 for his playing career and in 2010 as a Dream Team member.
SHERYL SWOOPES
One of the early faces of the WNBA, Swoopes burst onto the scene in 1993 when she led the Texas Tech Red Raiders to the NCAA title. That year she was named Naismith College Player of the year and Honda Sports Awards winner. After graduation, she played for Team USA and was on the first of three straight Olympic gold medal teams in 1996. The following year, Swoopes became the first player to sign with the WNBA when she signed with the Houston Comets. She played only one third of that inaugural season, coming back six weeks after giving birth to her son. She still helped lead the Comets to the first of four consecutive WNBA titles and went on to become, among other things, a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time WNBA scoring champion and six-time WNBA All-Star. After 11 years with the Comets, she signed with the Seattle Storm and late played for the Tulsa Shock. She is a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and was named one of the top 15 Players in the first 15 years of the WNBA. She was the first women’s player to have a Nike shoe named after her – Air Swoopes.
ROGER CLEMENS
One of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Clemens won a record seven Cy Young Awards during his 24-year career, was an 11-time All Star, a two-time World Series champion and ranks third on the all-time strikeout list with 4,672 behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. He intimidated batters with his powerful pitches, earning him the nickname Rocket, and is the only pitcher to win over 350 games and strike out more than 4,500 batters. The Spring Woods High graduate led the University of Texas to a College World Series title in 1983 and was the Boston Red Sox’s first-round pick that year. He anchored Boston’s rotation for 12 years before spending two seasons with Toronto. Clemens had worn the No. 21 since college days, but when he was traded to the New York Yankees in 1999 that number was taken and he eventually chose No. 22, which he wore the remainder of his career. Following two World Series titles with the Yankees, Clemens retired at the end of the 2003 season, but a few months later, he rejoined Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte when he signed with to the Houston Astros. In that 2004 season, he went 18-4 and, at 42, won his seventh Cy Young making him the oldest ever to win that honor. He is also only one of six pitchers to win that award in both the American and National Leagues. The following year, he helped the Astros to their first World Series appearance in 2005 but they were swept by the Chicago White Sox. He played one final season with the Yankees in 2007 before retiring.
GUY V. LEWIS
Known for those red and white polka dotted towels he always had in his hand and his Phi Slama Jama team of the 1980s, Lewis was the legendary Houston Cougars coach whose teams played above the rim and who, along with Yeoman, was a force in changing the face of intercollegiate athletics in the South when he recruited African Americans Don Chaney and Elvin Hayes in 1964. He took a Hayes-led team to two Final Fours in the 1960s and his Cougars grabbed national attention when, in 1968, they beat UCLA 71-69 in the “Game of the Century” – the first nationally-televised regular season college game. He championed the dunk, a staple of his Phi Slama Jama teams led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler that went to the 1982, 1983 and 1984 Final Fours. Lewis, a center/forward on UH’s first team (1945-46), retired in 1986 leaving a legacy of 27-straight winning seasons, 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, and 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament. He passed away November 26, 2015 at the age of 93.
CLASS OF 2021
JEFF BAGWELL
One of the most consistent and well-rounded players of his generation, Baggy spent his entire 15-year career with the Houston Astros, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017. Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the amateur draft as a third baseman in 1989, he was traded the Astros in 1990. They moved him to first base where he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1991. He set club records, including 449 career home runs, was the unanimous NL MVP in 1994 as well as a four-time All-Star, three Silver Slugger winner and a Gold Glove recipient. A Texas Sports Hall of Fame honoree in 2005, he is only player in MLB history to have six consecutive seasons (1996–2001) with 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, 100 runs scored, and 100 walks and was just the fifth to achieve 300 home runs, 1,000 RBIs, and 1,000 runs scored in his first 10 seasons. He is one of 12 players in history to hit 400 home runs and record an on-base percentage of .400, and the only first baseman with at least 400 home runs and 200 stolen bases.
CRAIG BIGGIO
Hall of Famer who played all 20 seasons for the Astros and is regarded as the greatest all-around player in team history. A seven-time All-Star, Bidge is the player ever to be named an All-Star at both catcher and second base. He was originally called up as catcher but shifted to second base a few years later and played beside Bagwell – the other half of the Astros’ Killer Bs. Biggio went on to win four Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers. He led the National League in doubled three times and holds National League record for most career lead-off home runs in a career with 53. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2007 and his No. 7 jersey was retired by the Astros in 2008.
ANDRE JOHNSON
Johnson was the first honoree inducted into the Houston Texans’ Ring of Honor. The Texans’ first pick in the 2003 NFL draft – and third pick overall – Johnson was one of the most productive wide receivers in the league during his career. A seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, he led the league twice in both receptions and receiving yards and still holds most of the team’s receiving records. He played his first 11 seasons for the Texans and remains the only player in NFL history to have 60-plus receptions in his first eight seasons and holds or shares four other records. His Texans records include career receptions (1,012), career yards (13,597) and career touchdowns (64).
BILL YEOMAN
He was a University of Houston legend — the father of the veer offense and the man who, along with Lewis, helped change the face of major college intercollegiate athletics in the South when he integrated the University of Houston football team in 1964 by recruiting African American running back Warren McVea. Yeoman coached the Cougars to four Southwest Conference Championships and six post- season bowl championships and an overall record of 160-108-8. He played one year at Texas A&M before transferring to West Point where he was a three-year starter at center. After serving three years in the Army, he spent eight seasons as an assistant at Michigan State. He took the UH job in 1962 and coached 46 All-Americans, and 69 players who played in the NFL. He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He passed away August 12, 2020 at the age of 92.
CLASS OF 2020
CARL LEWIS
Named Olympian of the Century by Sports Illustrated, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist is one of only three athletes to win the same event in four consecutive Olympics. Lewis won the long jump in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996. In addition, the sprinter won back-to-back 100-meter gold medals in 1984 and 1988 was part of the gold medal 4 X 100-meter relay teams both of those years. At the 1984 Games, he won four golds, equaling Jesse Owens’ record set in 1936.
MARY LOU RETTON
America’s Sweetheart, Retton vaulted her way into our hearts at the 1984 Olympic when she became the first American woman to win the All-Around gold medal. On her final rotation, she earned a perfect 10 on the vault to edge Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo. Retton also won two silvers and two bronze medals at the ’84 Games. She was the first female athlete to grace the cover of a Wheaties cereal box and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
RUDY TOMJANOVICH
Known simply as Rudy T, Tomjanovich coached the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, giving the city its first – and second – World Championships. The second overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft, Tomjanovich also coached the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. A five-time NBA all-star, he played his entire 11-year career for the Rockets, including his first year for the San Diego Rockets before the franchise moved to Houston. He spent nine seasons as Rockets assistant coach before taking over the head coaching job in 1992 and finished with a record of 527-416.
CLASS OF 2019
JACK BURKE JR.
This Hall of Fame golfer and co-founder of Champions Golf Club won his first professional tournament in 1949 and went on to win 17 PGA TOUR events, including both the Masters and the PGA in 1956. He played on five Ryder Cup teams, captained two Ryder Cup teams, was an assistant captain once and hosted the 1967 Ryder Cup at Champions.
A.J. FOYT JR.
Houston native, A.J. Foyt, is the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the only driver to have started in 35 consecutive Indianapolis 500 mile races. A record seven-time national Indy car champion, the American racing legend is the only driver to have won the Indy 500, the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
GEORGE FOREMAN
A product of Houston’s Fifth Ward, George Foreman became one of the world’s most powerful punchers in boxing history. “Big George” won Olympic Gold in 1968 and went on to become a two-time World Heavyweight Champion. Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
DAN PASTORINI
Drafted by the Houston Oilers in the first round in 1971, Dan Pastorini was known as the golden boy with the golden arm. This tough quarterback thrived under Oilers coach Bum Phillips and led the Oilers to back-to-back AFC title games in 1978 and 1979. In 1978, he threw for a career-high 2,473 yards and 16 touchdowns.
CLASS OF 2018
EARL CAMPBELL
After winning the Heisman Trophy at the University of Texas, the Oilers made the 5-11, 232-pound running back the first pick of the 1978 NFL draft and he took the NFL by storm. The Tyler Rose, named for his hometown of Tyler, was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player, All-Pro, and Rookie of the Year in his first season, won league rushing championship with 1,450 yards and was named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad. The 62-year-old was one of the best power running backs the game has seen. He was named to the Pro Bowl in five of his first six seasons and finished his career with 2,187 carries for 9,407 yards.
HAKEEM OLAJUWON
The 54 year old, Nigerian-born Olajuwon first made waves in Houston as a member of the University of Houston’s Phi Slamma Jamma, leading the Cougars to three consecutive Final Four appearances. He was drafted by the Rockets and became one of the greatest players in NBA history, leading the Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995. In 1993-94 Hakeem had a storybook season, becoming the first player to be named NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Finals MVP in the same season. His incredible moves under the basket – The Dream Shake – made him almost unstoppable. In 18 NBA seasons, Hakeem averaged 21.8 ppg, and was a 12-time all-star.
NOLAN RYAN
Two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy called Ryan “the only pitcher you start thinking about two days before you face him.” The 70-year-old Alvin native’s career spanned four decades, 324 wins and a major league-record 5,714 strikeouts. When Ryan signed with the Houston Astros, he became baseball’s first one million dollar per year player. Nicknamed the Ryan Express, he was drafted by the New York Mets and then played for the California Angels before coming to Houston. He finished his career with the Texas Rangers and is now an executive advisor for the Astros.