Former NFL stars Ted Hendricks and Anthony Munoz are among six announced today as the sixth class to be inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame. Interestingly enough, it was a former star for the Kansas City Chiefs, Christian Okoye, that created the organization in the first place. From the official release:
The California Sports Hall of Fame was created by Christian Okoye, the former all-pro running back for the Kansas City Chiefs out of the University of the Pacific. Okoye’s mission has been to promote education and sports programs for children throughtout the state.
Other new inductees include NBA great Rick Barry, former L.A. Kings player Marcel Dionne and Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
As the site details, the mission is not to immortalize and celebrate sporting greats, but instead to use this awareness to help the less fortunate. From the website:
The primary mission of the California Sports Hall Of Fame is to capture the passion children and young adults have for sports, and direct that energy to enhance their educational and personal goals. Through the organization’s efforts and resources, the California Sports Hall of Fame support and promote education and sports among children and young men and women throughout the state of California.