HALL PASS

Fred Faour: Houston's Sports Hall of Fame is a great idea, but they better have a LOT of room

Fred Faour: Houston's Sports Hall of Fame is a great idea, but they better have a LOT of room
Hakeem Olajuwon is perhaps the greatest athlete in Houston's history. Photo by Tim DeFrisco/ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Last week’s Houston Sports Awards were a rousing success. Several of Houston’s best were honored, including the three “34s,” Hakeem Olajuwon, Earl Campbell and Nolan Ryan. As an offshoot, the Houston Sports Hall of Fame was announced, with those three as the first inductees.

The Hall is an excellent idea. It will be a cool addition to Houston’s downtown area and a great way to highlight Houston’s greatest. There will be no shortage of deserving athletes. As with any Hall, the question will be who is voting, what is the criteria and who will be eligible?

Campbell and Olajuwon are no-brainers. Ryan’s selection is a little questionable, as he had his best years in California and Arlington and is in the baseball Hall of Fame as a Ranger. But he is a legend in the city and would no doubt be inducted at some point, and he played into the “34s” theme, so no real complaint there.

But who else should be in there? You could induct more than 30 additional athletes/contributors right now. Astros Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell are locks. So, too, is Warren Moon. The Rockets have no shortage of additional potential honorees such as Clyde Drexler, Yao Ming, Rudy Tomjanovich and Calvin Murphy. Olympian Carl Lewis might be the most accomplished athlete this city has ever seen and gets overlooked in any “best of” list. Mary Lou Retton and Laura Wilkinson should make it as Olympians. If you consider Tara Lipinski as part of Houston, she is in. Simone Biles has already done enough.

Andre Johnson will be the Texans representative. The Oilers could also offer up Robert Brazille, Dan Pastorini, Bruce Matthews and Mike Munchak.

You could also devote an entire wing to University of Houston quarterbacks. Andre Ware won a Heisman. David Klingler shattered many records, including Ware’s. Case Keenum’s UH career topped them both. Greg Ward, Jr. was the most successful of all of them.

The Cougars also had several basketball players who belong besides Drexler and Olajuwon. Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney in particular should be in.

As for coaches? Guy V. Lewis and Bill Yeoman. Wayne Graham at Rice. Bum Phillips. Dave Williams, the legendary UH golf coach.

If you put in owners? Les Alexander was already honored with a lifetime achievement award and would also belong. So, too, would Bob McNair, simply for bringing the NFL back to Houston.

Boxer George Foreman and race car driver A.J. Foyt are Houston legends and absolute locks as well.

In 2004, the city saluted 38 legends as a tie-in to Super Bowl 38. You could certainly argue against many on that list, but there have also been several new faces since then. After all, that was 14 years ago.

As John Granato wrote last week, the city has more star power than anyone right now, so when the current crop becomes eligible, you already have several players who would be first ballot, starting with Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt and James Harden. DeAndre Hopkins, Jadeveon Clowney and Deshaun Watson are Texans who could someday make enough of an impact to qualify. The Astros are loaded with young talent and could easily dominate the Hall in a few years. Having already won a title, guys like Carlos Correa and George Springer are well on their way.

For a city short on championships, Houston has no shortage of great athletes. The Hall of Fame better have a lot of room.

 

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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