Jimmy Rollins, David Akers, Phil Martelli among Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame 2022 inductees
Nikkie Franke, Fredia Gibbs, and Art McNally were also among the 2022 honorees.
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame added to its membership Thursday when most recent Philly legends Jimmy Rollins, David Akers, and Phil Martelli headlined 16 new inductees at the Blue Horizon.
Rollins, a four-time Gold Glove winner, three-time All-Star, former National League MVP in 2007, and World Series champion, finished as the Phillies franchise leader in hits, at-bats, and doubles during his 15 seasons with the team.
His 38-game hit streak that spanned the 2005 and 2006 seasons is also the longest in franchise history.
Akers is the Eagles’ all-time leader in points, field goals, and successful extra-point attempts. In his 12 seasons, Akers was also a five-time Pro Bowl selection, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2001. He was also inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2017.
Martelli, the former longtime coach of St. Joseph’s University, was named Naismith Coach of the Year in 2004, the same year he led the Hawks and Jameer Nelson to an undefeated regular season and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Martelli, who graduated in 1976 as Widener’s all-time leader in assists, won 444 games in 24 seasons as the head Hawk. He was also named the Atlantic 10 coach of the year four times and led the Hawks to seven NCAA tournament appearances.
Other inductees included:
Former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino, who led the Wildcats for 19 seasons, including the improbable 1985 upset against heavily favored Georgetown in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game.
Longtime Ursinus field hockey coach Adele Boyd, who led the Lady Bears to three consecutive field hockey championship finals. Boyd, a Cheltenham High School graduate, was also inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and was in the inaugural class of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.
Roman Catholic product Art McNally was an NFL referee for nine years, oversaw the first instant replay system in 1986, and was the director of officiating from 1988 to 1990. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
» READ MORE: Art McNally’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction was the dream of his late daughter
Charles Cooper joined the legendary all-Black basketball team, the New York Renaissance, in 1929 and led the Rens to 88 straight wins in 1932. The Central High School product was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ed Bolden was known as a businessman and baseball scout in Negro Leagues baseball for nearly 40 years. He also starred on the basketball court for Chester High School, where he was an all-American in basketball and track and field. He was an all-American on the court for Cabrini, finishing as the school’s leader in points and assists.
Fredia Gibbs, an All-American on the basketball court for Chester High School, was also an All-American at Cabrini College, where she is the school’s career leader in points and assists. She is also a three-time world Tae Kwon Do champion, a kickboxing champion, Cabrini and Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and recently became the first woman in the state to have a statue placed in her honor.
» READ MORE: ‘A woman king’: World kickboxing champion Fredia Gibbs honored with statue at Cabrini University
Nikki Franke was a two-time Fencing Association national champion, three-time Pan-American Games medalist, and led Temple University’s women’s fencing team for 46 years, including 26 championships with 22 coming in a row. She is also a member of the Temple Athletics, United States Fencing Association, and International Sports halls of fame.
» READ MORE: Title IX: Temple fencing coach Nikki Franke is as inspiring as ever
Ray Kelly was a sportswriter for more than 50 years at the Bulletin, where he covered the Athletics and the Phillies and was also once the national president of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He also won National Baseball Hall of Fame J.G. Spink Award in 1989.
Francis “Reds” Bagnell played tailback for Penn from 1948 to 1950, winning the Maxwell Award and Football Digest Player of the Year award in his final season. He also played baseball and basketball, earning nine varsity letters. Bagnell enlisted in the United States Navy instead of playing in the NFL. An award in his honor is given every year by the Maxwell Football Club.
Susan Francia was a two-time Olympic gold medalist in rowing and a 2004 All-American at Penn. She was also the 2009 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year award winner with Erin Cafaro.
The 1983 NBA champion 76ers, a team that nearly swept its way to the title, lost just one game during that playoff run. The Sixers were led by Hall of Famers Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones, and Billy Cunningham.
» READ MORE: Sixers playoff flashback: Sweeping the Lakers in 1983 for Dr. J’s long-awaited NBA title
Longtime radio personality Howard Eskin is a two-time Emmy award winning sportscaster and a member of the Pennsylvania Sports, Broadcast Pioneers’, and Philadelphia Jewish Sports Halls of Fame.