African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Comes to Harlem Honoring Athletic Greats - Saturday, July 8th @ Historic Alhambra Ballroom

The African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame, which is dedicated to honoring black and other ethnic sports legends, will induct former boxing champion Emile Griffith and Harlem Rens basketball star John Isaacs at the historic Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem on Saturday, July 8, 2006. The theme: Harlem Renaissance…Looking Back…Moving Forward.

The event will begin with its signature black-tie “VIP Reception with the Stars” at 6:30 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony in the Alhambra ballroom, located at 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard.

Special honors will go to former NBA forward Kermit Washington who will receive the Global Outreach Award for his many years of humanitarian work in Africa. Washington’s work abroad will be detailed in an ESPN special on May 5th. Other inductees and honorees will soon be announced upon confirmation.

A fan favorite in New York, Emile Griffith fought more main events in Madison Square Garden than any other boxer. In 1966, he held both the middleweight and welterweight titles. Consider all of boxing’s all-time greats, and none of them fought more title rounds than Griffith’s 339. The native of the Virgin Islands was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

Throughout the 1920s-1940s, most of America’s best black professional basketball players were on the rosters of the touring New York Rens and the Harlem Globetrotters. Isaacs, a New York City native, played on the Rens from 1936-40, and also during the 1942-43 season. He was a member of the Rens team that won the 1939 world’s championship of basketball and compiled a record of 112-7.

This year, Isaacs was nominated to join the Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor that was given to the Rens as a team in 1963.

Washington played 10 seasons as an NBA power forward, retiring after the 1987-88 season. Since then, his passion has become helping refugees in places such as Nairobi, Kenya, through his organization, Project Contact Africa.

This event will allow us to recapture, remember and honor some of the greatest athletes ever who have become living legends, and you are invited to participate. While witnessing the induction of the class of 2006, you will be demonstrating a sense of community and helping make dreams come true for our academic achievers. These athletes have a rich history worth telling, one that reflects commitment, determination and dignity.

The AAESHOF is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, and is dedicated to the development of opportunities for young, less fortunate people to gain exposure to positive aspects of life.

This is its major scholarship fund-raiser for students to attend historically black colleges and universities. It helps students from economically challenged backgrounds fund their education through our “Academia Achievers Award Program.”

The event will be broadcast on WSRN radio web cast and streamed on the Internet. Negotiations are in the process for televising the event. It will be video taped for presentation via the Internet by Pay2ViewTV.com. National, international and local print media, television and radio will be represented. Interviews will be conducted on a regular basis, prior to and during the event.

Sponsored in part by Southwest Airlines, Just Ask Miranda and Overslab
Posters.

For more information, contact Miranda Roberson , justaskmiranda@yahoo.com / 301-257-1650, Arif Khatib , afrosportshall@aol.com / 510-508-3309.

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Media Contact:
LaNiece Jones
510.568.5899