By Andy Furman
NKy Sports Hall of Fame
A total of six former athletes will be inducted into the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, Wednesday, May 19th at the Villa Hills Civic Club.
The announcement was made by Joe Brennan, President of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame.
The six new inductees will bring the total over 1,500 members in the Hall. The Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame was formed in 1982, and the non-for-profit organization aids local athletes with scholarship opportunities.
The inductions and meeting are open to the public and commence at 1 p.m.
The inductees include:
Bill Brauns
Brauns, a Lexington native moved to Northern Kentucky in 1953, After a stint in the United States Army he joined the Bellevue (Ky.) Vets and helped form their youth football and baseball programs. His teams won several league titles as well as numerous knothole championships.
Today, Brauns owns and operates the B&K Trucking Company, and continues to sponsor many knothole and softball teams and other youth activities.
Roth Coleman
Coleman was a standout dual athlete at DeMatha High School (Maryland) playing football and basketball and earned a football scholarship to UCLA, He was a linebacker for the Bruins, 1973-76.
As a basketball official, Coleman worked the California Boys State Basketball Tournament – regionals and district. He moved to the college ranks and officiated 35 years, in NCAA Division II and III as well as NAIA competition.
Nathan Gilbert
The versatile Gilbert has been coaching wrestling at Simon Kenton High School since 2005, but has also been instrumental in the re-birth of the Lady Pioneers tennis program. He went winless his first season, a two-win second season and in 2010 they qualified for the state tournament –a first in school history.
A former coach at Summit View Middle School, Gilbert was named the 2012 Coach of the Year in the Commonwealth and nominated for national Coach of the Year honors.
Dave (Crazy Legs) May
May was a member of the 1953-54 Dixie Heights NKAC championship football team – a team that led the Commonwealth in scoring averaging over 40 points-per-game.
As a track star at the University of Kentucky, May won the javelin event, high jump and was a member of the winning 880-relay.
As a tennis star, he’s captured two doubles titles at Five Seasons Sports Club and played and captained seven Kentucky USTA championship doubles teams. He’s played in seven Southern Regional Seniors Championships – winning the 2013 title against teams from North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
As a golfer, he’s amassed three holes-in-one.
Jimmy Porter
A 1975 grad of Campbell County High School, Porter was three-year wrestler and was regional champion in 1974 while placing fourth in the Commonwealth.
In 1975, he repeated as regional champion and was an undefeated title holder in Kentucky while winning the AAU State Championship.
He lettered in track four years – as a pole vaulter – and attended Northern Kentucky University on a wrestling scholarship. His record for the Norse includes – most and fastest pin. He was the lobe performer to score points at the nationals.
Porter is a member of the Campbell County Hall of Fame.
Paul Tipton
Tipton played basketball for Ludlow High School (1942-44) and in baseball was a member of the NKY amateur championship title team.
He coached girls volleyball at St. Agnes School and girls softball at Lookout Heights Civic Club. He started soccer programs from Ft. Wright, Lookout Heights and Park Hills and was Notre Dame Academy’s first soccer coach. He is a member of the Notre Dame Hall of Fame.
