Advertisement

The Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame ceremony is coming up. Here's what to know

wes huett, journal star
·2 min read

The 2023 banquet and ceremony for the newest Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame class is scheduled for Saturday, March 25 at the Peoria Civic Center Ballroom. Here's what you need to know about the event:

When and where is the GPSHOF banquet?

  • WHEN: Social begins at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony.

  • WHERE: The event is at the Peoria Civic Center Ballroom. Those attending should enter the Civic Center near the Toyota Box Office, located off the Marquee Lot at 201 SW Jefferson Ave., just off of Klumpf Boulevard.

Background: MLB's Ben Zobrist leads the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame class for 2022

How can you get tickets to the GPSHOF banquet?

  • COST: $65. No tickets will be sold at the door.

  • RESERVATIONS: Call Susie Stockman at (309) 691-3553 or reach her at susie1026@comcast.net. More information online at gpshof.com.

Who is being inducted into the GPSHOF?

  • INDIVIDUALS: Former MLB veteran Ben Zobrist of Eureka, Metamora coach Pat Ryan, cross country coaches Gene Jones of Metamora and Ed McGraw of East Peoria and Pekin multi-sport star Priscilla Welch DeLaere. Winner of the Neve Harms Award for meritorious service to sports is Chuck Leonard, a longtime volunteer from Metamora. Zobrist will be available for autographs after the banquet, limit of one per person.

  • TEAMS: The 1996, '97, '99 and 2000 Metamora football teams; the 2005-06 Illinois Central College women's basketball team and the 1983 Limestone football team.

  • TRI-COUNTY AWARDS: Peoria Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel is the Male Coach of the Year, while former Brimfield girls basketball coach Maribeth Dura is the Female Coach of the Year. The Male Athlete of the Year is Peoria High football player Malachi Washington, while the Female Athlete of the Year is Illinois Valley Central volleyball player Kenna Wollard.

Peoria Civic Center: The city's hub for entertainment. Here's what you need to know

How to be prepared for the GPSHOF banquet

  • CLEAR BAG POLICY: Besides being clear, regulations require the bag to be a 1-gallon plastic bag or a clear bag that does not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” in measurement. One small clutch not larger than 5” x 8” is also permissible.

  • CASHLESS: Both parking and the bar at the banquet are cashless. Only credit and debit are accepted.

  • AUTOGRAPHS: Zobrist will be available for autographs after the event, not during. He will sign one item per person.

  • BOB MICHEL BRIDGE: When heading to the Peoria Civic Center, remember that the Bob Michel Bridge is closing to all vehicular traffic at the lights at River Road in East Peoria and Southwest Adams Street in Peoria for eight months beginning Monday, March 13.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: What to know about the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame ceremony