UM Sports Hall of Fame starts GoFundMe page, pleads to fans: ‘Help keep our doors open’

The extraordinary athletes in the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame could rival most halls of fame reserved for the the greatest in the world: Michael Irvin, Ted Hendricks and Ray Lewis in football; Greg Louganis in diving; Ryan Braun in baseball; Rick Barry in basketball; Lauryn Williams in track and field; Tracy Kerdyk in golf; Gardnar Mulloy in tennis...

And those are just a smattering.

Now, the not-for-profit organization that houses their accomplishments and those of dozens of other greats among a treasure trove of historic UM sports artifacts, is publicly pleading for help in light of the funds it has lost after canceling or postponing two of its biggest events — including the 2020 induction banquet — because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame needs your help to keep our doors open when this pandemic has passed,’’ the Hall wrote to fans last Friday in a letter that links to a GoFundMe campaign it initiated this week.

Additionally, UM Sports Hall of Fame executive director John Routh and a volunteer board of directors have selected Hurricanes memorabilia, much of it signed by former UM greats, to sell online to help raise money. Some of the items have sold out, such as a special edition box of cereal after the Hurricanes won their fifth national title in 2001, with the signatures of all five quarterbacks (Bernie Kosar, Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson, Gino Torretta and Ken Dorsey).

There’s also a 1992 UM baseball card set ($129.99) signed by the late, heralded coach Ron Fraser, whose final season was that year; as well as a framed 2016 UM Hall of Fame class poster ($129.99) signed by almost all the inductees, including 2001 football stars Willis McGahee and Joaquin Gonzalez.

Sponsorship opportunities/naming rights for various areas of the Hall are also available.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe page had raised $1,850 of its $10,000 goal, and the memorabilia sale — which does not include historical artifacts housed in the Hall but has some very hefty signatures — has raised more than $4,500. The Hall is shipping out all the items.

The UM Sports Hall of Fame, founded in 1966 by eight Miami-Dade County circuit court judges who have since passed away, raised the money to open its free-standing, 5000-square-foot building in 1989, Routh told the Miami Herald. The university donated the land adjacent to the Hecht Athletic Center for the hall to construct its building, and “we deeded it back to UM so they could do the upkeep. We are the ones responsible for having the doors open, doing the displays and everything else.’’

Harry Rothwell, a longtime fan, former president of the Hurricane Club and general manager of AllCanes retail shop across the street from the UM campus, bought items that included a collectible poster signed at the 2017 UM Hall’s Celebrity Fishing Tournament in Islamorada. The 27 signatures included Hendricks, coach Jimmy Johnson, Bennie Blades and Charles Johnson.

The fishing tournament is the hall’s biggest fundraisers and raised $40,000 last year, but had to be canceled. “We have to find ways to help one another during these trying times,’’ Rothwell said. “The UM Sports Hall of Fame is an undiscovered treasure that many people don’t even know exists. This was a way to help them stay alive during a time of need.”

Even Hall of Famers have pitched in to help. Eric Brown, UM’s second-leading basketball scorer of all time behind Barry, helped resurrect the sport in 1985 and was inducted in 2001. Brown, a Miami-Dade police officer, bought two golf shirts.

“There isn’t one day that goes by where I don’t think how blessed I am for being in the that Hall of Fame,’’ said Brown, who has a room in his home that he calls his “Hall of Fame room, my shrine to UM.

“I was like, ‘OK, anything to keep the UM Sports Hall of Fame going.’’’

The UM Sports Hall of Fame banquet induction ceremony, originally scheduled for April 2, was put on hold because of the pandemic. Routh said the board is hopeful it can be moved to October, but now that seems in jeopardy as well. The newest inductees: Jay Brophy, Phillip Buchanon and Kevin Williams from football; Yasmani Grandal from baseball; basketball’s Johnny Hemsley; soccer’s Brittany Steinbruch, Laura Vallverdu from tennis and former track and field coach Mike Ward.

“I’ve been pretty active with the Hall of Fame since I retired,’’ said Ward, 65, who volunteers as a committee member and still announces at UM track meets. “I’ve been attending the banquets for 25 years and appreciating the feedback from athletes and coaches about what a significant impact the University of Miami had on their careers and life.

“There’s too much history there for us to lose it. Hopefully that doesn’t happen.’’

Call 305-284-2775 for more information.