Iconic sports legends have the power to transform lives in the Old National Bank Sports Legends Avenue of Champions within the 7.5-acre Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience at the world's largest children's museum (The Children's Museum of Indianapolis)

INDIANAPOLIS, July 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Old National Bank Sports Legends Avenue of Champions displays multiple bronze statues of some of the best athletes to ever compete and the most passionate coaches to ever lead. A path winds through the park-like setting of Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience at the world's largest children's museum. Sculptures of sports legends who have accomplished the extraordinary and have made a lasting impression upon their sport, community and the hearts of fans are featured along the way.

12 bronze statues representing 16 athletes include:

• Soccer star DaMarcus Beasley is the only American male to play in four FIFA World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014).
• Basketball legend Larry Bird is the only person in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. He's also an Olympic gold medalist and three-time NBA Champion.
• Tamika Catchings won her high school state championship, was named Illinois Miss Basketball, won the NCAA National Championship and was named MVP with her Tennessee Volunteers. She won the WNBA title with the Indiana Fever, was named MVP of the WNBA, MVP of the Championship Series and Defensive Player of the Year. She also won gold medals in four Olympics. Her interview is here.
• Following his NCAA Championship college championship, basketball legend Bobby "Slick" Leonard went on to become head coach of the Indiana Pacers. In 1985, the Hall of Famer joined the Pacers' radio team where he coined the phrase that still fires up the crowd today, "BOOM Baby!"
• The king of buzzer beaters, Reggie Miller's clutch play led the Indiana Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals six times, earning him a spot in the Naismith Hall of Fame.
• Oscar Robertson is the National Association of Basketball Coaches Player of the Century. He led Crispus Attucks High School to two Indiana state basketball championships (1955-56) – the first in the nation by an all-black high school. He was a three-time All-American at the University of Cincinnati and U.S. Olympic gold medalist, and led the Milwaukee Bucks to its only NBA Championship.
• The Indianapolis Clowns team was a Negro American League team that was among the first teams to hire female athletes.
• Hank Aaron is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He began his career in 1951 with the Indianapolis Clowns and helped them win the Negro League World Series. Aaron held MLB's career home run record of 755 from 1974 – 2007.
• Marcenia Lyle "Toni" Stone was the first woman to play Negro League baseball. In 1953, she entered the major league as second baseman for the Indianapolis Clowns, the position previously held by Hank Aaron.
• Mamie "Peanut" Johnson was one of only three women to play Negro League Baseball. Recruited in 1953 by the Clowns, she was the league's first female pitcher,
• Racing legend A.J. Foyt Jr. drove in 35 consecutive Indianapolis 500 four times. Foyt was in the inaugural class inducted in to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
• Golf legends Alice and Pete Dye are internationally known golf course architects who are both designers and past presidents of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Both were captains of their college golf teams and both are members of the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame.
• During his 21 years in the National Hockey League (NHL), hockey legend Wayne Gretzky set 61 records, all of which he continues to hold or share today. He also led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships.
• Track legend Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals during a single Olympic Games (1960). Yet as a young child she was left physically disabled from polio and had to wear leg braces until she was 8-years-old.
• Football Legend Reggie Wayne was a six-time Pro Bowl selection as a wide receiver and helped the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI with a 53-yard touchdown reception. He retired with his name in the record books multiple times and became the 15^th honoree in the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor (2018). Wayne had 1,070 receptions for 14,345 yards and 82 touchdowns in 14 seasons with the Colts.
• Tennis legend Barbara Wynne has been the face of youth tennis in Indianapolis for more than 50 years. More than 100,000 youths have taken part in tennis programs she established. She founded Riverside Upswing Program (1969), which later became the Indianapolis Chapter of the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) with a mission of developing young people's character  through tennis, life skills, educational enrichment and health living choices. Her interview is here.

*High resolution images and quotes are available upon request

SOURCE The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Related Links

http://www.childrensmuseum.org

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