(FLINT, Mich. – March 11, 2025) The 1980 Beecher High School girls’ basketball team and the ’84-’85 Northwestern High School boys’ basketball teams – with three state championships between them – are among the 2025 class of inductees to the Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame (GFAASHOF).
Additionally, seven outstanding individual athletes in football, basketball and track & field will enter the Hall along with the founder of the Flint Inner City Youth Hockey Program. This year’s inductees:
- Demetrius Calip – Basketball, Flint Northern, 1986
- All-City, All-Valley, All-State
- Attended University of Michigan; played on 1989 Michigan National Championship Team
- NBA: Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets
- Thomas McGill – Basketball, Flint Northern, 1971
- All-City, All-Valley, All-State
- 1971 State Championship
- Played on Dream Team against the University of Michigan
- Attended Michigan State University
- Evette Ott – Basketball, Flint Northern, 1982
- Two-time All-City, All-Valley, All-State
- All-Michigan Team
- 1980\81 State Championships, Flint Northern
- Attended University of Kansas
- Anthony Pendleton – Basketball, Flint Northwestern, 1986
- Two-time All-City, All-Valley, All-State
- Parade and McDonald All American
- 1984-85 State Championships
- University of Southern California 1987-89
- Rico Phillips – Hockey, Flint Southwestern 1987
- Director of Cultural and Inclusion with NHL Ontario hockey club
- Awarded NHL Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award
- Founder/Director Flint Inner City Youth Hockey Program
- Hershel Pritchard – Baseball, Flint Northern, 1941 (deceased)
- All-Valley in Baseball
- Director of Flint Class A Basketball League
- First Black Referee in City League Basketball
- First Black Umpire in City League
- 1977 Walter Reuther Distinguished Service Award Winner
- Edward Taylor – Track & Field, Flint Northern, 1976
- State Championship in track & field
- All-City, All-Valley, and a Regional Champion in track & field
- Record-holder in hurdles event for Eastern Michigan University
- Eugene Taylor – Football/Track & Field, Flint Northern, 1954 (deceased)
- First Black linemen to make All-City, All-State and All-Valley
- State Champion in track & field
- Set a record in the shot-put event at Flint Northern
- 1980 – Flint Beecher Girls’ Basketball Team
- Class B State Championship
- Head Coach Dave Hollingsworth and Assistant Coach Faye Cotton
- Notable players include Shelly Sparks, Melody Bridges and Rhonda Jackson
- 1984/85 – Flint Northwestern Boys’ Basketball Team
- Class A State Championships 1984 & 1985
- Head Coach Grover Kirkland and Assistant Coach Eric Harvey
- Notable players include Glen Rice, Andre Rison, Jeff Grayer and Anthony Pendleton.
Tickets to the 39th GFAASHOF Induction Ceremony & Dinner benefit the GFAASHOF scholarship fund. The banquet begins at 4 p.m.
For tickets, contact Alisa Peaks at (810)-577-8993 or by email at info@gfaashof.org.
The GFAASHOF was founded in October 1983 to preserve and exhibit the rich history of former Flint African American professional, college, city, high school and sandlot players and teams. Its first induction ceremony was held in February 1985. The GFAASHOF is housed at the Flint Public Library. For more information, please visit aashof.org.
