The Board of Trustees of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame announced the nine individuals selected to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on April 18, 2026.
The 1966 Texas Western Miners basketball team, coached by Don Haskins, made sports and civil rights history by winning the NCAA championship with the first all-Black starting lineup ever to play in the title game. The team triumphed over the heavily favored, all-white Kentucky Wildcats with a 7265 victory on March 19, 1966—an iconic contest that marked a turning point for integration in college athletics. The five starters in that landmark game were Bobby Joe Hill, David Lattin, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley, and Harry Flournoy, whose performance and perseverance remain celebrated as a symbol of progress and equality in sports history.
Clint Dempsey, born March 9, 1983 in Nacogdoches, Texas, is widely regarded as one of the greatest American soccer players of all time. Playing as a dynamic forward and midfielder, Dempsey began his professional career with the New England Revolution before making a significant impact abroad at Fulham in the English Premier League, where he became the club’s top scorer and played in a historic Europa League final. He later joined Tottenham Hotspur and returned to MLS, starring for the Seattle Sounders and helping secure an MLS Cup in 2016. Dempsey is tied with Landon Donovan as the joint all-time leading scorer for the U.S. Men’s National Team, with 57 goals in 141 appearances, and was the first American to score in three different World Cups (2006, 2010 & 2014) before retiring in 2018.
Chad Hedrick, born on April 17, 1977, in Spring, Texas, is celebrated as one of the most versatile and accomplished athletes in both inline and ice speed skating, revolutionizing the sport with his innovative “double push” technique. Amassing an extraordinary 50 world championships and 93 national titles as an inline skater, he became a legend before transitioning to ice skating after witnessing fellow skater Derek Parra’s Olympic success in 2002. Hedrick made an immediate impact on the ice, quickly setting world records and winning the World Allround title in 2004. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, he captured gold in the 5000 meters, silver in the 10,000 meters, and bronze in the 1500 meters, and later added two more Olympic medals at the 2010 Games, making him the second American in history to claim five Olympic medals in long track speed skating. His remarkable legacy extends beyond the rink, as Hedrick continues to inspire generations of athletes and contributes to sport through coaching, motivational speaking, and philanthropy.
Charmayne James, born June 23, 1970, in Amarillo, Texas and raised in Clayton, New Mexico, is widely regarded as the most accomplished barrel racer in rodeo history, securing 11 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world championships— the most ever— ten of them consecutively between 1984 and 1993, and a final title in 2002. Beginning her legendary run at just 14 years old with her iconic horse Scamper, James became the first barrel racer to earn over $1 million and won a total of seven National Finals Rodeo average titles. Her and Scamper’s historic bridleless run at the NFR remains one of the most celebrated moments in rodeo lore, and both have been inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. After retiring Scamper in 1993 and eventually stepping away from competition herself in 2002, James solidified her legacy as an enduring ambassador and icon for the sport.
Zack Martin was a cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line for eleven seasons (2014– 2024), becoming one of the most decorated guards in NFL history. Drafted 16th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Martin made an instant impact and anchored the line with exceptional skill and consistency, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and being named a First-Team All-Pro seven times. He also secured a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, signed a record-breaking contract extension in 2018, and helped the Cowboys achieve offensive line dominance during his tenure. Despite battling injuries late in his career, Martin’s leadership, durability, and performance set a new standard for offensive linemen in Dallas, and he officially retired after the 2024 season, leaving a legacy as one of the greatest players in Cowboys history.
Steve McMichael, known by the nickname “Mongo,” was an American football defensive tackle who played 15 seasons in the NFL, most notably with the Chicago Bears, having begun his career with the New England Patriots and finishing with the Green Bay Packers. Born in Houston on October 17, 1957, and starring at the University of Texas, McMichael earned unanimous First Team All-American honors and set the school’s career records for tackles and sacks before entering the NFL in 1980. With the Bears, he became a stalwart of their legendary defense, starting 191 consecutive games, earning two Pro Bowl selections, four All-Pro honors, and helping secure the team’s Super Bowl XX championship in 1986. After football, he achieved success as a professional wrestler with WCW and coached indoor football, while battling ALS in his later years until his death on April 23, 2025, at age 67.
Von Miller, born March 26, 1989 in DeSoto, Texas, is a celebrated American football linebacker renowned for his speed, power, and gamechanging prowess in the NFL. After a standout college career at Texas A&M where he won consensus All-American honors and the 2010 Butkus Award, Miller was selected second overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2011 NFL Draft. He became one of the league’s most dominant defenders, amassing over 120 sacks and earning eight Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro honors, and the Super Bowl 50 MVP award for leading the Broncos to a championship. Miller later played for the Los Angeles Rams—winning another Super Bowl—and the Buffalo Bills, before joining the Washington Commanders, where he continues to be a force on defense.
Gary Patterson served as the head football coach at TCU from 2000 to 2021, becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach with 181 victories during his tenure and transforming the Horned Frogs into a national powerhouse. Patterson guided TCU to six conference championships across four different leagues, a 2014 Big 12 title, and 11 seasons with double-digit wins. Under his leadership, TCU had a historic 13-0 season in 2010 that culminated with a 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl and a No. 3 spot in the final BCS rankings. Patterson had a record of 11-6 in bowl games as head coach. He cultivated a culture of toughness and attention to detail, coached dozens of future NFL players, and made significant academic progress for student-athletes while earning national Coach of the Year honors and establishing the Horned Frogs as one of college football’s most respected programs.
Louis Santop, born on January 17, 1890, in Tyler, Texas, was one of the earliest superstars of Negro League baseball and its first legitimate home run slugger, often known as “Big Bertha”. A towering figure at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Santop played primarily as a catcher but also filled first base, third base, and outfield positions with remarkable skill and presence from 1909 through 1926. Renowned for both his power and high batting averages—often hitting above .400 in the dead-ball era—Santop dazzled fans with tapemeasure home runs and showmanship, such as calling his home runs before hitting them. He starred for teams including the Fort Worth Wonders, Philadelphia Giants, New York Lincoln Giants, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Chicago American Giants, and Hilldale Daisies, and caught for Negro League legends like Smokey Joe Williams. Santop also served in the U.S. Navy during World War I, was highly paid for his era, and continued his baseball and public life after retirement in broadcasting and politics in Philadelphia. He passed away on January 6, 1942, and was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, remembered as black baseball’s first great slugger and enduring legend.
