TriCounty The Outstanding Tri-County Sports Figure for 1990 is 25-year-old Tony Wysinger of Peoria, a superb athlete now excelling in his second sport.
First known for his basketball prowess, it was his skill as a bowler that earned him his Tri-County award.
A stand-out basketball player at Central High School and the University of Illinois, and currently a part-time coach for Bradley, Wysinger has also been an accomplished bowler for several years. He hit his peak last December 10 when he produced the biggest series in the history of the Greater Peoria Bowling Association.
Bowling for Paul's Pipe Shop at Mount Hawley Bowl, Wysinger put together a 852 series on games of 300, 255, and 297. And early this year, he bowled a second 300 game.
Wysinger bowls in three leagues and at the time of his big series was averaging over 200 in all three.
Tony paced the Central Lions to a second place finish in the 1983 state basketball tournament. He was also named to the five-man little AllAmerican team as a senior at the University of Illinois.
During his historic series, he had strikes in all frames but four and missed a second 300 game when his final bowl clipped the head pin and left three pins standing.
He has been a spokesman for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the past five years.
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Neve Harms Award
The Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame Neve Harms Award, formerly the Peoria Advertising and Selling Club's Annual Meritorious Service to Sports Award, was named the Neve Harms Award in 1966 and for a very good reason.
 As Director of Proctor Recreation Center, Harms observed the need for all youths to experience participation in sports activities, and not just the few who excelled. He, therefore, adopted a firm policy which assured that all youths would have an opportunity to play in games of the various sports controlled by Proctor Center. This plan met with much success and certainly with acceptance by parents whose children became more interested in sport activities at Proctor and consequently made good use of their free time. Neve carried through this policy when he was appointed Superintendent of the Peoria City Recreation Department which later became part of the Peoria Park District. In addition, he also developed a system of recognition for all youths so that each young person could feel good about his or her efforts. This kind of interest in all youths regardless of ability came from a most competitive and outstanding athlete. Neve was a four-sport player at Manual High School and a three-sport letter winner at Bradley University. He was a member of the 1929 Manual High School State Championship Basketball team.
Awards prior to 1981 were offered through the Peoria Advertising Club, rather than the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. We don't have biographies for these individuals. If anyone would be able to provide the bios that were written by the club at the time of the awards, we would very much appreciate receiving them for posting. We are also missing the Bruce Saurs' bio that was written in the 1991 Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame Banquet book, and we would like to receive it also. We are specifically interested in the bios written at the time of the awards, not more or less current. Please contact Rick at rkestner@pekinhigh.net. |
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Newsletters/Banquet Programs2017 Newsletter2017 Hall of Fame Program 2016 Hall of Fame Program 2016 Newsletter 2015 Newsletter 2015 Hall of Fame Program 2014 Hall of Fame Program 2014 Newsletter 2012 Newsletter 2011 Newsletter 2010 Newsletter 2009 Newsletter Mission StatementThe first official Board of Directors meeting was held October 14, 1979. Officers were elected. Early decisions determined that the Hall of Famers would be from the Greater Peoria Area; the name would be The Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame; its purpose would be to promote and encourage the many varied sports programs in our area, to share with the area the pride we have in the accomplishments of area athletes, and to honor those men, women and teams contributing to our enjoyment and rich sports history.
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