LATEST OKLAHOMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES,
JOE CASTIGLIONE Oct. 8, 1957-
Born and raised in Florida, a graduate of the University of Maryland, Castiglione has been the University of Oklahoma athletic director since 1998 and has led a Sooner renaissance, overseeing a department that has won 16 NCAA team championships in the 2000s after OU won just 13 in the entire 1900s. Castiglione hired coaches like Bob Stoops and Patty Gasso, led the facilities upgrades that have transformed Sooner athletics and has become one of the national leaders in intercollegiate athletics, serving on both the selection committees for the NCAA basketball tournament and the College Football Playoff.
LARRY COKER June 23, 1948-
Born and raised in Okemah, Coker attended Northeastern State University, then became a high school coach at Fairfax and Claremore. Coker entered the college ranks and eventually became offensive coordinator at Tulsa, OSU and OU. His 1988 OSU offense remains one of the greatest in NCAA history. Coker also coached at Ohio State and Miami U., and became the latter’s head coach in 2001, when he led the Hurricanes to the national championship. Coker had a record of 60-15 in six years at Miami, then helped start the Texas-San Antonio program and coached the Roadrunners for five seasons.
MAT HOFFMAN Jan. 9, 1972-
Hoffman was born in Edmond and taught himself to ride BMX bikes. By age 15, he was world-class at vert riding (tricks off a ramp) and joined the professional circuit. At age 19, Hoffman launched his own bike and promotions company. Hoffman Sports Association eventually became the organizing body for events such as ESPN’s X Games. In 2005, Hoffman was elected president of the International BMX Freestyle Federation and his Matt Hoffman Action Sports Park opened in OKC.
KEN MENDENHALL Aug. 11, 1948-
Mendenhall was born in Stillwater, raised in Pawhuska and graduated from Enid High School before becoming an All-American center at OU, where in 1969 he helped block Steve Owens to the Heisman Trophy. The Atlanta Falcons selected Mendenhall in the fifth round of the 1970 NFL Draft. Mendenhall didn’t make the Falcons but ended up with Baltimore in 1971 and spent 10 years with the Colts, retiring with 118 straight starts at center, a franchise record not broken until 2005, by Peyton Manning.
BILL PICKETT Dec. 5, 1870April 2, 1932
Pickett, descended from American Indians and black slaves in the Southwest, grew up in West Texas, where he learned to ride and rope as a boy. Pickett became a ranch hand, performed simple trick rides in town on weekends and eventually became a showman. In 1907, Pickett signed with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, based south of Ponca City. Pickett became a legendary rodeo figure for his handling of both wild and domestic animals. Pickett pioneered the modern rodeo technique of bulldogging, jumping from his horse and grabbing a steer around the neck or horns and wrestling it to the ground.
ALLAN TRIMBLE Aug. 14, 1963-
Born and raised in the Pawnee County town of Cleveland, Trimble played football at Northeastern State University, entered coaching and became the head man at Jenks in 1996. The Trojans won Class 6A state titles each of Trimble’s first six years as coach, and through 2017, Trimble has produced 13 state championships and a record of 242-41. In 2016, Trimble was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but remains the Jenks coach.
ROBIN VENTURA July 14, 1967-
The Californian came to OSU in 1986 and was a three-time All-American third baseman. Ventura was the National Player of the Year in 1988, had an NCAA-record 58-game hitting streak and, in 2006, was one of five players inducted into the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Ventura played 16 major league seasons, had 1,885 hits and made two All-Star Games. He spent five years, 2012-16, as manager of the Chicago White Sox.