We asked Plant City: The Bing Rooming House Museum is building up its Sports Hall of Fame exhibit for local legends of the playing fields and beyond. Which Plant City-area athletes of the past should be considered to go in the hall of fame one day?
“The Derrick Gainer played for the Cowboys.” — Hugo Martinez
“Kenny Rogers would be a good one. Kenny Kelly would also be a good selection.” — David Mattair Jr.
“The Broadnax Boys” — Michelle Turgeau Williamson
“Horace Broadnax” — Bud Olliff
“Nick Fabrizio” — Dallas Cline
“Kellyanne Hurst and Kacie Booth” — Diana Corzine
“Brilynn Hallman” — Olivia Charron
Sports/Associate Editor Justin Kline’s picks:
“It’s really hard to top Brooke Bennett’s resumé in or out of the swimming pool. She’s got three Olympic gold medals to her name (one in Atlanta 1996, two in Sydney 2000) for the 400 and 800 freestyle events and her 800 time in Sydney set what was then a new Olympic record. She was only a junior at Durant when she won that first gold medal in Atlanta.
A few honorable mentions that come to mind are Russell Evans, Arthur Cox, Ryan Raburn, Ashley Blessin, Omar Castro, Aliyah Gregory and Cornelius Wiggins. I know there are plenty more local legends who could make the cut, too — there is and has been so much athletic talent in this town, it’s ridiculous.”