National Athletic Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees Honored At Banquet

The list includes Premier Broadcasting's Greg Sapp and retired sports broadcaster Larry Wilson representing the radio station. Sportswriter Lindell "Smitty" Smith joined in the media category as a newspaperman.

Also included were former student-athlete Shawn Garrett who played for and graduated from South Central High School.

Dieterich High School scorekeeper Chuck Fritscher.

Coach/administrator Bert Bradley who played for Cumberland High School.

Former Teutopolis High School basketball coach Ken Crawford

Former Olney Central College baseball coach Dennis Conley

And, posthumously, former Eastern Illinois University baseball coach Tom McDevitt.

Also  recognized were professional athlete Clint Barmes who played at Olney Central College and Indiana State University as well as major league baseball.

Following are those who were inducted:

GREG SAPP -- With almost 50 years as a sports broadcaster and the former voice of the Effingham Hearts, Greg has called baseball, softball, basketball and football and has been a strong encourager of athletics.

LARRY WILSON -- Former sports broadcaster and the long-time voice of Effingham sports for over 41 years. During Larry's career, he called games for baseball, basketball and football.

LINDELL "SMITTY" SMITH -- Has covered sports in the area for many, many years and is a figure at area sporting events. Smith has owned the Clay County Republican newspaper since the early 2000's.

CHUCK FRITSCHER -- Is the Twelfth Man Award Inductee as the scorekeeper at Dieterich for 40 years after answering the call and saying yes to Coach Mike McCollum in 1984.

KEN CRAWFORD -- During Coach Crawford's career, he accumulated a record of 612 wins, seven sectional championships, 12 regional championships, first place state championship in 1985-86, second place in 1999-2000 and third place in 2006-07. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998.

DENNIS CONLEY -- Over the course of a 40-year plus career as the Olney Central College baseball coach, Conley accumulated 1,518 wins, 40 consecutive winning seasons and 45 of his players signed professional contracts. Conley was inducted in 2010 into the National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

BERT BRADLEY -- Former Minor League pitching coach and Cumberland High School baseball player, Bradley went on to play baseball at Lake Land College and Brigham Young University He was drafted by the Oakland A's. After a brief stint in the Major Leagues, Bradley became a Minor League pitching coach as the Minor League pitching coordinator for the Giants.

TOM MCDEVITT -- Former Eastern Illinois University baseball coach, he served at EIU from 1978-88 ending with a record of 299 wins along with 11 consecutive winning seasons. Coach McDevitt had 28 of his players go on to sign professional contracts with five players reaching the Major Leagues. After EIU, McDevitt became a Major League baseball scout.

SHAWN GARRETT -- Shawn played baseball from 1994-97 at South Central High School and went on to play college baseball at Olney Central College. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1997.

CLINT BARMES -- Former Major League baseball player. He played at Olney Central College and Indiana State University before being drafted ty the Colorado Rockies. Barmes played in the Major Leagues for the Rockies, Astros, Pirates and Padres.