National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame accepting nominations

Tue. April 8, 2014 12:03 PM by GoPride.com News Staff

The National Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame 2014 ceremony will be held July 12 at Chicago's Center on Halsted.

Chicago, IL - The National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame (NGLSHOF), the first of its kind in the United States, is now accepting nominations for the Class of 2014.

Nominees can be gay or lesbian individuals, organizations that have made tremendous strides in recognizing gay and lesbian athletes, or individual allies, according to a news release from the NGLSHOF.

The Chicago-based organization was established in 2013 to honor individuals and organizations whose achievements and efforts have enhanced the fields of sports and athletics for the LGBT community.

"The NGLSHOF recognizes those who have stood up to LGBT stereotypes and worked to break down barriers by bringing people together for the good of sport," said Bill Gubrud, executive director.

Gubrud noted an exciting year in the LGBT sports community as collegiate athletes Michael Sam and Matt Kaplon shared their respective coming out stories with the world and Jason Collins became the first active, openly-gay NBA player.

The Hall of Fame will induct its second class of honorees at a ceremony on July 12, 2014 at Center on Halsted in conjunction with Out at Wrigley, the nation's largest "Gay Day" at a major league sporting event. Some of the current members of the Hall of Fame include Martina Navratilova, Greg Louganis, Billy Jean King, Jason Collins and the Chicago Cubs.

A campaign is also underway to raise funds in support of efforts in the community and establish a physical location to display the contributions of inductees. A complete list of the inductees and the giving information can be found at www.gayandlesbiansports.com.

Editor's note: ChicagoPride.com is a presenting sponsor of Out at Wrigley, part of the National Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame weekend in Chicago. For more information on Out at Wrigley, visit www.outatwrigley.com.  
 

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