Hall of fame: New York has its Cooperstown. Ohio has Canton. And Illinois has its Waukegan Sports Hall of Fame. Except Waukegan’s, currently housed at the city’s public library, doesn’t limit recognition to one sport. Begun in 1975 with the induction of Football Hall of Famer Otto Graham, the hometown celebrity sports roster this year includes stars of many sports.
Recently honored at a combined Keith Ryan Scholarship Fund benefit and Waukegan Lions Club Sports Banquet at Midlane Country Club in Wadsworth, the 1993 inductees included golfer Barbara Slobe Donohue, former NBA cager David “Corky” Calhoun, National Fastball League old-timer John Tonin and two members of a wrestling dynasty: Richard “Rick” Bay, the former University of Michigan head wrestling coach and recent president of the Cleveland Indians, and his dad, the late Oscar “Ott” Bay, Waukegan Twp. High School champion-producing wrestling and football coach.
“Obviously it’s a great honor. But what made it really special was the induction of my father posthumously,” Bay said of his dad, who died in 1966 at age 48. “After all, whatever I did was a single accomplishment. But his accomplishments touched so many other people it makes mine pale by comparison.”