Abq Sports Hall of Fame to Induct LG and Cooper

[BigDaddyCool]

According to NMPREPS LG Henderson and Cooper Henderson will be inducted to the Abq Sports Hall of Fame in February of 2012. Congrats to both.

[crispysdad]

About time! But to tell you the truth I am a little surprised that LG is not already there. I am a little confused though.......I have never heard of the ALBQ sports hall of fame. To me at least, this would seem to indicate coaches from Albq. Pretty sure I've heard of the NM high school coaches hall of fame. I could be wrong. Could this be the same thing? I also found a reference on the NMAA site to a "NMAA Hall of Fame". Not sure just how many HOFs there are in NM. I have also been to the NMAA Hall of Pride And Honor at 6600 Palomas NE in Albq. It is sort of a HOF isn't it? At least that's the way I remember it but it has been a few years.

The Hall of Pride and Honor is AWESOME. If you have never seen it you really should! We were there in the late 90s I believe. Walked in with my wife and son with the intentions of looking around for just a few minutes and walked out about 1 1/2 hours later.

[nmsooner80]

Article in today's Journal:

Sports Hall of Fame Class Announced

By Rick Wright / Journal Staff Writer on Dec. 13, 2011

Coaches L.G., Cooper Will Enter Sports Hall of Fame

The Albuquerque/New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame has long been a family affair.

In 1974, race-car driver Bobby Unser was part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural induction class. He was followed by his brother, Al, in 1976 and his nephew, Al Jr., in 1995.

In 1999, an entire family — Albuquerque’s Henrys of track-and-field fame — was inducted together.

The tradition continues. On Feb. 28 at the Marriott Pyramid Hotel, Artesia football coaching legends L.G. and Cooper Henderson will be inducted as part of the 2012 class.

Joining the Hendersons will be Guy Wimberly, PGA golf professional and former UNM All-American, and the late John Lomasney, whose Gallup High School girls basketball teams won four state titles and 14 district championships.

Cooper Henderson, whose teams have won 13 state titles during his 26-year head-coaching career at Ruidoso and Artesia, said it is especially thrilling to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame with his father. L.G. Henderson’s Artesia teams won five state titles in six years between 1964-69.

Artesia’s 6,500-seat Bulldog Bowl, one of the showcases of New Mexico high school sports, was built during that span.

“It’s a highlight for me to be able to speak on (his father’s) behalf,” Henderson said on Monday at a news conference. “He no doubt made a big difference in the state of New Mexico in football, but I think all coaches and educators would like to be known as (having) made a big difference in the lives of a lot of young men.

“As we look around the state today, probably the things he would be most proud of are the number of people that have gone into coaching and are coaching today, and hopefully are having the same kind of influence that he had on the young men that he worked with during his tenure as a coach.”

L.G. Henderson, 82, was unable to attend Monday’s news conference in the New Mexico Activities Association offices in Albuquerque. But Cooper Henderson said he was hopeful his father would be able to attend the Feb. 28 induction ceremonies.

In 2001, Cooper Henderson surpassed his father as Artesia’s all-time winningest coach. His most recent state title came in 2010.

For Wimberly, 2011 has been a year of laurels. Earlier, he was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame and into the UNM Athletic Hall of Honor.

Wimberly was unable to attend Monday’s news conference but was represented by Dana Lehner, director of development for the PGA’s Sun Country Golf House.

“Guy has had an unbelievable influence on the golf world here in Albuquerque, specifically, and in the entire section of the Sun Country PGA,” Lehner said. “It’s easy to take Guy for granted just because we had him for 30-plus years down the street at Arroyo del Oso (golf course).

“But what we found out is that if you compare him to golf professionals and golf business leaders around the country, we really had a gem. … He’s sort of our George Washington.”

Lomasney, a basketball star at Highland High School in the 1960s, coached girls basketball at Gallup for 28 years before retiring in 2009. Stricken with cancer, he died last April.

Lomasney’s teams compiled a 503-187 record. He was inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006 and into the National High School Hall of Fame this year.

In Gallup, Lomasney also was responsible for the creation of community youth basketball camps and leagues.

“If you know anything about Gallup girls basketball and the community of Gallup, New Mexico, you know (Lomasney’s influence) was tremendous,” said Hall of Fame board member Gene Pino. “… If Gallup High School makes it to the (state tournament) semifinals, the Pit’s gonna be packed.”
— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal