CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame has announced five new members that they will induct this year.
The 2024 class, comprised of Wayne Embry, Holly Koester, Anderson Varejao, Cheryl White and Jim Donovan, will be inducted on Oct. 15 at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center.
"From the beloved voice of the Cleveland Browns to leaders of the Cavs to inspirations who overcame personal and societal hurdles, the 2024 class represents the best of what Cleveland sports has to offer," said the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in a press release.
3News previously learned of Donovan's induction when Guardians Senior Vice President Bob DiBiasio, the hall's president, announced it during Donovan's final broadcast at WKYC.
The moment when Donovan found out he was being inducted can be watched below:
Additionally, the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame is currently accepting nominations for the Jack Herrick Youth Sports Grant Funding.
Youth sports organizations interested in applying can click HERE.
Below are bios, provided by the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, of each inductee:
WAYNE EMBRY
- 5X NBA All-Star; Played for 3 teams 1958-1969
- 1985-1992 VP & GM of the Cleveland Cavaliers
- NBA’s first African American to hold General Manager Position (MILW)
- NBA’s first African American Team President with Cavs in 1994
- NBA Executive of the Year 1992 and 1998
- Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999
HOLLY KOESTER
- Army veteran
- First person to complete a marathon in all 50 states from a wheelchair
- 6X Gold Medal winner at 2016 National Veterans Wheelchair Games
- 2017 Induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame
- On her second 50-state marathon competition tour
- Spent 26 years as sports director for the Buckeye Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America; currently serves as secretary
ANDERSON VAREJAO
- “Wild Thing” enjoyed a 13-year career with Cavaliers (2004-2016)
- One of Cleveland’s all-time fan favorites
- NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team
- 2003 Pan American Games Gold Medal winner w/Brazil
- Joined CAVS as Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador Jan 2023
CHERYL WHITE (1953-2019)
- Decades-long career included 750+ wins, including the first woman to win 5 races in one day
- First female Black jockey in USA when she was just 17 years old
- Pioneering ride was at Cleveland’s own Thistledown Racetrack in 1971
- The Jockey and Her Horse – a book published in 2023 inspired by her life, authored by her brother Raymond White, Jr., and NYT reporter Sarah Maslin Nir.
- First woman to serve as California horse racing steward
- The Cheryl White Project is a non-profit organization that brings horse racing to at-risk youth
JIM DONOVAN
- Sports anchor at Channel 3 from 1986-2024
- Cleveland Browns radio announcer since 1999
- Three-time Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award winner
- Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame (2005)
- Cleveland Press Club Journalism Hall of Fame (2009)
- 2016 Cleveland Sports Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
Anyone interested in reserving a table for the event is asked to contact one of the following:
- Call the GCSHOF office at 216-241-1919
- Email: admin@clevelandsportshall.com
- Complete reservation form on www.clevelandsportshall.com
