CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame has announced four new members that they will induct this year.
The 2023 class comprised of Josh Cribbs, Bob Kain, Renee Powell and Lou Slapnik will be inducted on Oct. 17, at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center.
Officials say that the class represents "the best of Cleveland-area sports, from the high school coaching level to the apex of athlete representation. This year’s inductees broke racial barriers, managed careers, inspired countless young men and women, and showed innumerable skills on the football field."
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. Applications are due by Friday, Sept. 9.
Below are the bios of each inductee:
Editor's note: The bios were provided by the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame.
JOSH CRIBBS
Cribbs had a sterling career with the Cleveland Browns as a returner, receiver, and occasional quarterback, and at Kent State, where he set several school records as a four-year starter at quarterback. Cribbs’ 11 total punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns are fifth in NFL history, and his eight kickoff returns rank second. His success with the Browns came after he went undrafted. He made the team and became an all-purpose standout who could score from anywhere on any play. Cribbs had never returned kicks until he tried it with the Browns. Browns fans especially enjoyed Cribbs’ success against the Pittsburgh Steelers; his kickoff return for a touchdown in ’07 is one of the most memorable in team history and came after he had 90-yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs, who played one season with the Raiders and Colts before retiring, now calls the Cleveland area home.
BOB KAIN
Kain is the former President and CEO of International Management Group (IMG). His achievements in his 31 years are a testament to the impact of IMG in the sports world. Kain, who lives in Gates Mills, graduated in 1971 from the University of Virginia, where he was a four-year letterman in tennis. He sought to be involved in tennis in some way for his life’s work, and in 1976 he was hired by Cleveland-based IMG to represent professional players and to build IMG’s tennis business. His clients over the years included Rod Laver, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the men’s side, and Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Venus and Serena Williams on the women’s. In 1984, Kain created and built IMG’s figure skating business. Clients included Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming and Scott Hamilton. Kain was in charge of the building of IMG Fashion and became CEO of IMG in 2003 after the death of founder Mark McCormack. He retired in 2006. Kain worked for the Cleveland Browns in 2007 and 2008 and has been a senior advisor to the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and as chairman helped build the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission into one of the most respected in the country. He also is an accomplished amateur golfer; he played in four U.S. Senior Amateur Championships and three British Senior Amateurs.
RENEE POWELL
Powell was the second African American to compete on the LPGA Tour and the first African American woman to become a member of the PGA. In 2022, Powell was honored by the World Golf Hall of Fame as the first recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award. Powell played in more than 250 tournaments from 1967-1980. In 2003, she was honored with the First Lady of Golf Award from the LPGA. Born in East Canton, Powell attended Central Catholic High School. Renee’s father Bill encountered racial discrimination on the golf course after he had served in World War II. That prompted him to design and build a course where all are welcome. Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, the first course in the country designed, built, and owned by an African American, opened its first nine holes in 1948, the second nine in 1978. Renee would eventually work as Clearview’s Head Professional. “Renee Powell and her family’s remarkable life-long commitment to changing the face of golf cannot be overstated,” LPGA Commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in an LPGA press release. “Renee is a global ambassador and trailblazer within the game and has provided a model for how to use golf as a means of inclusion.”
LOU SLAPNIK
Slapnik won nine state championships in his 17 years as Collinwood’s girls track coach. He also won the Jesse Owens Cleveland City championship every year he coached. His nine state titles rank third in Ohio history and is the most by any coach in Cleveland history. Slapnik – called “coach Slap” by his students -- was inducted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross-Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012. In his career, his athletes won 41 individual events in state championship meets. Prior to coaching Collinwood, Slapnik spent nine years coaching at Patrick Henry Middle School, where his teams won eight MS Cleveland City Championships. Slapnik grew up in Cleveland and went to St. Joseph High School and Ashland University, where he pitched on the baseball team. He spent 32 years teaching physical education in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Athletes coached by Slapnik have talked about his emphasis on classwork and team. Collinwood’s Athletic Complex is named after him.
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
• Website: www.clevelandsportshall.com and complete reservation form
