Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame

The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1994 to recognise Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) that have achieved at the highest level of their chosen sport. It was a joint project of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and Macquarie University, under the management of Colin Tatz. Inductees are sometimes referred to as "Black Diamonds", being the name of the first book of the project, published in 1996.

History

The Hall of Fame was an outcome of Chris "Honky" Clark, a director of Aboriginal-owned and -operated sports complex in Condobolin, New South Wales. Clark saw the need to inspire indigenous youth through sports photographs. The costs of establishing a permanent photographic exhibition was too expensive. Musician and historian Ted Egan recommended a low-cost book. The outcome was the book Black Diamonds: The Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, published in 1996.

The Hall of Fame was a joint project of ATSIC and Macquarie University, under the management of Colin Tatz with photography by Paul Tatz.

The inaugural list of 129 members was determined by well-known Indigenous athletes: Mark Ella; Sydney Jackson; Faith Thomas; and Charlie Perkins. They were assisted by three non-Indigenous historians: Ted Egan; Colin Tatz; and Alick Jackomos.

In 1999, the list of members was increased by 43. The 1999 selection committee comprised: Arthur Beetson; Evonne Goolagong Cawley; Lloyd McDermott; Mark Ella; Gary Ella; Charlie Perkins, Ted Egan, Ken Edwards, and Tatz. The committee was assisted by three statisticians/historians: Colin Hutchinson (Australian rules footballer), David Middleton (rugby league player) and George Bracken (boxing). After the 1999 selection, the full list of 172 members with brief biographies was published in the book Black Gold : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame.

As of 2000 there was no permanent home for the Hall of Fame, but there had been several photographic exhibitions in Australia. Colin and Paul Tatz donated 110 photographs from the Sports Hall of Fame to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).

The 2008 selection panel included seven Aboriginal selectors: Arthur Beetson; Carl Currey; Gary Ella; Sydney Jackson; Lloyd McDermott; John Maynard; and Nova Peris.

The 2018 selection panel comprised Gary Ella, Katrina Fanning, Gilbert McAdam, John Maynard, Nova Peris, David Middleton, George Bracken, ColHutchinson and Colin and Paul Tatz. In 2018, there were 276 members of the Hall of Fame.

Selection criteria

Members were selected if they met the following selection criteria: represented Australia or their state/territory held a national or international record or title achieved a notable first or distinguished performance in the case of Australian football, were acclaimed senior players and/or medal winners had notable success as referees or umpires those who through their coaching, administration or organisation have helped create Indigenous teams and a space for them in competitions person's contribution to Aboriginal or Islander identity

Members Inductees are sometimes referred to as "Black Diamonds".

Athlete Sports Notes1868 Aboriginal cricket teamCricketToured to EnglandDes AbbottField hockeyOlympianMichael Ah MattBasketballOlympianWillie AllenAustralian football, shooting, soccerGeorge AmbrumRugby leagueBob AndersonAthleticsKyle AndersonDartsBob AppoLawn bowlsLeo AppoWoodchoppingGeorgina ArcherVigoro, Field hockeyAlbert 'Pompey' Austin"Albert "Pompey" Austin is acknowledged as being the first indigenous Australian to play in an organised Australian Rules football game", which he did when he played for Geelong in a match against Carlton on 25 May 1872 (Dickman, Sharron, "The tale of 'Pompey' Austin", Geelong Cats, 28 May 2014) — the match report is at Football: Geelong v. Carlton, The Geelong Advertiser, (Monday, 27 May 1872), p.3. For more about Austin, see Hay, Roy, "Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin, 1846?–1889: A Man between Two Worlds", Sports & Editorial Services Australia, 26 January 2017.Australian football, athletics Ben AustinSwimmingParalympianLawrence "Baby Casius" AustinBoxingSam BackoRugby leagueBadger Creek teamAustralian footballSoli BaileySurfingCharmaine BarneyDartsTracy BarrellSwimmingParalympianRay BarrettAthleticsParalympianAshleigh BartyTennisKurtley BealeRugby unionArthur BeetsonRugby leagueElliott BennettBoxingEddie BettsAustralian footballLindsay BlackRoughridingNathan BlacklockRugby leagueAdrian BlairBoxingOlympianSteve BowditchSquash racketsMatt BowenRugby leaguePatrick BowmanAthleticsGeorge BrackenBoxingBorn 1935. Australian Lightweight Champion. Active 1950s to 1960s.Gordon BriscoeSoccerRoger BrownCricketPeter BurgoyneAustralian footballShaun BurgoyneAustralian footballDonna BurnsBasketballParalympianBarry CableAustralian footballJohnny CadellRoughridingJimmy CallaghanShow ring riding Mabel CampbellCricketPreston CampbellRugby leagueWally CarrBoxingJoel CarrollField hockeyOlympianMay ChalkerGolfTommy ChapmanBoxingBaeden ChoppyField hockeyOlympianTrevor ChristianBoxing, RefereeingPhynea ClarkField hockeyMal CochraneRugby leagueLouisa CollinsBasketball, soccer, field hockeyKevin CoombsBasketballParalympianLynch CooperAthletics & FootballWon 1928 Stawell Gift & 1929 World Professional Sprint Championships.Reuben CooperAustralian footballLarry CorowaRugby leagueGary CowburnBoxingRohanee CoxBasketballOlympianEdna CrouchCricketGlen CrouchRugby leagueJustann CrawfordBoxingOlympianRobert CrowtherAthleticsTony CurrieRugby leagueNicole CusackNetballJohnny CuzensCricketLaurie DaleyRugby leagueRose DamascoBasketball, netball, softball and field hockeyTom DanceyAthleticsBo de la CruzTouch football, Rugby sevensBill DempseyAustralian footballSteve DennisBoxingBernie DevinePowerliftingJoseph DonovanBoxing, JudgingOlympianLeslie DuncanJudoCaremelita DunnBasketball, netball, softball and soccerJeffrey DynevorBoxingLeanne EdmundsonSoccerJoanne 'Jodi' EdwardsPowerliftingGary EllaRugby unionGlen EllaRugby unionMark EllaRugby unionMarcia Ella-DuncanNetballSteve EllaRugby leagueKatrina FanningRugby leaguePolly FarmerAustralian footballJeff FarmerAustralian footballKarl FeifarAthleticsParalympianJohn FergusonRugby leagueSharon FinnanNetballSharon FirebraceBasketball, volleyballFrank FisherRugby leagueEileen FosterDartsBianca FranklinNetballLance FranklinAustralian footballShane FrederiksenTouch footballCathy FreemanAthleticsOlympianDaniel GealeBoxingOlympianRon GibbsRugby leagueEddie GilbertCricketJason GillespieCricketAdam GoodesAustralian footballLeigh-Anne GoodwinHorse racingEvonne Goolagong CawleyTennisJeff GoolagongSoftballMichael GrahamAustralian footballGeorge GreenRugby leagueIvy HamptonDartsKenneth HamptonAthleticsBenn HarradineAthleticsOlympianJack HassenBoxingAlec HaydenRodeoMaley HaywardAustralian footballAlec HenryCricketStephen HillAustralian footballRollo HintonBoxingPercy HobsonAthleticsDonna HunterSoftball, Field hockey, netball, basketballFelicity HuntingtonSoccerGreg InglisRugby leagueFrank IvoryRugby unionSydney JacksonAustralian footballDes JamesAustralian footballGlenn JamesAustralian footballKaylen JanssenSoccerNathan JawaiBasketballJerry JeromeBoxingDick Johnson (rugby league)Rugby leagueChris JohnsonAustralian footballJoe JohnsonAustralian footballLindsay JohnsonRugby leaguePatrick JohnsonAthleticsOlympianBilly JonasShowring ridingDavid KantillaAustralian footballDale KickettAustralian footballDerek KickettAustralian footballTed KilmurrayAustralian footballIan KingCricketShane KingSoftballRobert KinnearAthleticsJohn KinsellaWrestlingOlympianPeter KirbyAthleticsParalympianJim KrakouerAustralian footballPhil KrakouerAustralian footballLake Tyers TeamAustralian footballJulie Landy-ArielRugby league, OztagSteve LarkinField hockeyWarren LawtonAthletics, goalballParalympianJoanne LeisputtySoftball, indoor cricketBennie Lew FattBasketball, Australian footballClifford Lew FattBasketball, Australian footballTerry Lew FattBasketball, Australian footballChris LewisAustralian footballDavid LilliardRugby league, Youth sportMichael LongAustralian footballKevin LongbottomRugby leagueGreg LovellWoodchoppingCliff LyonsRugby leagueMallee Park Football ClubAustralian footballBrian MansellCyclingJack MarshCricketAnthony MartinWeightliftingOlympianAndrea MasonNetballPeter MateraAustralian footballMerv MaynardHorse racingSon of Fred Maynard, father of John MaynardGilbert McAdamAustralian footballWally McArthurRugby leagueDarby McCarthyHorse racingLloyd McDermottRugby unionNorm McDonaldAustralian footballRobert McDonaldAthleticsJohn McGuireCricketKelly McKellar-NathanSoftballMichael McLeanAustralian footballAndrew McLeodAustralian footballMal MeningaRugby leagueKaren MenziesSoccerStephen MichaelAustralian rulesPatrick MillsBasketballOlympianLionel MorganRugby leagueJohn MoriartySoccerLorrelle MorrisseyField hockeyDanny MorseuBasketballOlympianJohnny MullaghCricketCheryl MullettBadmintonSandra MullettBadmintonAnthony MundineBoxing, Rugby leagueTony MundineBoxingMichelle Musselwhite (née Cosier)BasketballPhil NarkleAustralian footballNarwan Football ClubRugby leagueNew Norcia teamCricketDoug NichollsAustralian footballJade NorthSoccerOlympianMichael O'LoughlinAustralian footballBruce OliveRugby leagueShane ParkerWrestlingDavid PeacheyRugby leagueRobbie PedenBoxingOlympianNova PerisField hockeyOlympianBrooke PerisField hockeyOlympianCharlie PerkinsSoccerByron PickettAustralian footballStacey PorterSoftballOlympianScott PrinceRugby leagueCecil RamalliRugby unionChad ReedMotorcyclingAmanda ReidSwimmingParalympianSteve RenoufRugby leagueRedfern All Blacks teamrugby leagueFrank ReysHorse racingRon RichardsBoxingSamantha RileySwimmingOlympianCyril RioliAustralian footballMaurice RioliAustralian footballBrian RobertsBoxingFrank RobertsBoxingOlympianBilly RoeAustralian footballLionel RoseBoxingJosh RossAthleticsOlympianRovers Football ClubAustralian footballRon SaddlerRugby leagueWendell SailorRugby leagueCharlie SamuelsAthleticsDave SandsBoxingAdam SchreiberSquash racketsColin ScottRugby leagueHorrie SedenDartsDean SemmensWater poloOlympianDale ShearerRugby leagueEric SimmsRugby leagueMatt SingRugby leagueBobby SinnBoxingDelma SmithVolleyballPeter St AlbansHorse racingSt Mary's Football ClubAustralian footballBridgette StarrSoccerOlympianJames SwanBoxingOlympianTimana TahuRugby leagueGorden TallisRugby leagueSam ThaidayRugby leagueFaith ThomasCricket, field hockeyNathan ThomasWater poloOlympianHector ThompsonBoxingJonathon ThurstonRugby leagueMark TuttonVolleyballReg TuttonVolleyballSteve TuttonVolleyballTwopennyCricketKyle Vander KuypAthleticsOlympianBilly WaiteHorse racingRicky WalfordRugby leagueAndrew WalkerRugby unionAndrew WalkerAustralian footballLloyd WalkerRugby unionShannon WalkerRugby sevensRobert WandonAthleticsGavin WanganeenAustralian footballJack WatsonRoughridingDaniel WellsAustralian football Darryl WhiteAustralian footballDean WiddersRugby leagueBobby WilliamsBoxingClaude WilliamsRugby league, basketballFirst and only Aboriginal basketball coach, in 1987Gary WilliamsBoxingHarry WilliamsSoccerJesse WilliamsAmerican footballJimmy WilliamsRodeoJim WilliamsRugby unionLydia WilliamsSoccerOlympianMariah WilliamsField hockeyOlympianFred WilsonRoughridingNicky WinmarAustralian footballHarley WindsorIce skatingOlympian David WirrpandaAustralian footballRebecca Young (née Anderson)Rugby league, Rugby union

Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame

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