First Class

The inaugural class of the PennThe inaugural class of the PennAthletic Hall of Fame includesThe inaugural class of the PennAthletic Hall of Fame includesOlympic gold medalists, NFL HallThe inaugural class of the PennAthletic Hall of Fame includesOlympic gold medalists, NFL Hallof Famers and some of the greatestThe inaugural class of the PennAthletic Hall of Fame includesOlympic gold medalists, NFL Hallof Famers and some of the greatestcollegiate athletes of all time The inaugural class of the PennAthletic Hall of Fame includesOlympic gold medalists, NFL Hallof Famers and some of the greatestcollegiate athletes of all time Olympic gold medalists, NFL Hall of Fame members and former NBA players are among those who will be honored with induction into the new Penn Athletic Hall of Fame. "And those are just the nominees that came to our attention," Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. "There are thousands of people who are eligible from a standpoint of people who have excelled." Among the inductees are Chuck Bednarik ('49), who played 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles as a center and linebacker and is a member of both the NFL and College Hall of Fames, and Eleanor Daniel ('74), a former Olympic swimmer who won a gold, a silver and two bronze medals during her career. "When you look at the list, you have to be impressed with the pure talent of the athletes," Committee Chairman Ed Fabricius ('55) said. "There's no one who made it just on the basis of league performance. These are world-class athletes who competed successfully on a national and international level. They're All-Americans, national champs and world champs." Three members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class went on to careers in the NBA, either as players and coaches. After setting the all-time scoring record at Penn, Ernie Beck ('53) was a first-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Warriors. Beck's six-year pro career was highlighted by a NBA championship in 1956 with the Warriors. David "Corky" Calhoun ('72) was drafted by the Phoenix Suns and played for four teams in his eight-year career, the longest professional playing career of any Penn basketball player. Dick Harter ('53) entered the NBA coaching ranks after having coached Penn from 1966 to 1971. He has served as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and as an assistant under Pat Riley with the New York Knicks. Currently, Harter is an assistant coach under P.J. Carlesimo with the Portland Trailblazers. During his tenure, the Quakers posted an 88-44 record and won two Ivy League championships. "It became obvious that anybody getting into this inaugural class had to have an athletic impact well beyond just being an all-league player," Bilsky said. "This is such an outstanding group that one isn't more impressive than another." The careers of the 46 Hall of Fame inductees have spanned nine decades, ranging from Bill Hollenback ('09), an All-American football player who captained Penn's undefeated (11-0-1) 1908 team, to Mary Jane O'Neill ('86), an All-American fencer who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. "There are so many great athletes who aren't in yet," Fabricius said. "That group could almost make up a separate Hall of Fame. Because the Hall of Fame will be an ongoing event, those who deserve to get in will eventually make it. And with 443 nominations that we've received, we already have a head start on next year." Approximately five to eight athletes will be inducted each year, according to Bilsky. To be considered for the Hall of Fame, an athlete must have graduated at least 10 years ago and a former coach must have served a minimum of five years at Penn. The inaugural class will be inducted on April 13 during a black-tie dinner at the Franklin Wyndham Plaza Hotel. "As great a historical record Penn has in athletics going back to the 1800s, we don't have a Hall of Fame," Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. "It's something that's long overdue."