Entries by admin
Jim Donovan
Jim Donovan grew up in the Boston area aspiring to be a hockey play-by-play announcer. It turned out that calling games at the NHL level of the sport he most loved as a kid was one of the few things he didn’t accomplish in his long and illustrious career. After radio stints in Minnesota and […]
Cheryl White
Cheryl White was just 17 years old when she dared to become the first female Black jockey in history in 1971 at Thistledown Racetrack in Cleveland, Ohio. With her chestnut thoroughbred Jetolara, bred and trained by her father Raymond, she went on to become the first female Black jockey to ever win a race too, […]
Anderson Varejão
Anderson Varejão joined the Cavaliers as a Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador in August 2022. He is responsible for assisting the Cavaliers in their ongoing mission to grow the game of basketball globally, while engaging with coaches and Cavaliers players in varying on-court development roles during the season. He also travels internationally for basketball […]
Holly Koester
A 2006 graduate of Cleveland State University, Holly Koester served in the U.S. Army from 1981 to 1991 until she was injured. She is the first person to complete a marathon in all 50 states from a wheelchair. Koester is currently working on her second tour of marathons in all 50 states. She won six Gold Medals in […]
Wayne Embry
Wayne Embry embodies and lives by “P” words: preparation, perception, perseverance, persistence, pride and passion. Others will use another “P” word—pioneer—to describe a man who has made his mark during a long and storied basketball career. Embry joined the Raptors on June 7, 2004, as senior basketball advisor and continues to serve in that capacity. […]
Slapnik, Lou
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 […]
Powell, Renee
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. […]
Kain, Bob
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 […]
Cribbs, Josh
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 ranks second. His success […]