Decatur, IL – Ten individuals, Decatur’s most successful boys basketball head coach, and an undefeated football team will be the charter class inducted in Decatur Pubic School’s Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies Saturday, Aug. 27th when Eisenhower and MacArthur play at 3:00pm at Frank M. Lindsay Field at Millikin University for the Tate & Lyle Braggin’ Rights Game.
Michael Dugan, interim co-superintendent of District 61, presided over the committee meeting where administrators, retired coaches and media representatives selected the class.
In alphabetical order, these are the former Decatur Public School athletes selected for induction: Ken Barnes, Marsha Bond, Hubie Carter, Wayne Dunning, Penny Hammel, Bill Madlock, Mark Malley, Rudy Phillips, Lee Sentman Jr. and Deana Simmons.
In addition, the committee selected Gay Kintner to be recognized for all his achievements at Decatur High where his teams won three state championships. And the committee agreed Lakeview’s 1965 undefeated football team should be enshrined as well. That was before the Illinois High School Association created the football playoffs.
“We are thrilled with the quality the selection committee has come up with for our inaugural athletic Hall of Fame class,” said Dugan. “Their picks provide a great balance for inductees with all schools represented–Decatur High/Stephen Decatur, Eisenhower, Lakeview and MacArthur.”
“These men and women excelled in their respective sports as student-athletes in the Decatur school district of which we could not be more proud for what they achieved here and after they left us,” enthused Dugan about the quality and depth of the class. In addition, he also praised the committee for their recommendation to include a coach and a team with their picks of Kintner and the 1965 undefeated Lakeview football team.