The Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast

On this week's episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, We sits down with 2014 Ford C. Frick Award winner and 2020 TSHOF inductee Eric Nadel!

Eric takes us through his fascinating career journey, from his early days as a die-hard hockey fan in New York dreaming of calling games for the Rangers, to his transition into baseball. He shares how he painted the picture for radio listeners over the decades, why he resisted the jump to television, and how the digital age revolutionized game preparation.

He also breaks down the organic origin story behind his signature home run call, "That ball is history!" and dives into the unforgettable, emotion-packed night in 2023 when the Texas Rangers finally captured their first World Series title. Eric reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the handwritten note in his wallet that inspired his legendary winning call: "Ranger fans, you’re not dreaming."

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On this episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, host Zach Burke sits down with one of the most resilient and inspiring athletes in Texas sports history. Three-time Olympian, 2000 Sydney Olympic Gold Medalist, and 2010 TSHOF inductee Laura Wilkinson!

Laura shares her remarkable journey from the Houston area to the global stage. She opens up about starting the sport of diving at an age when others told her it was "too late," using that doubt as fuel to launch an incredible collegiate career at the University of Texas.

She takes us behind the scenes of her historic 2000 Olympic run, detailing the excruciating foot injury just months before the Olympic trials that shattered three bones and forced her to train almost entirely on land through visualization. Against all odds, she stood atop the 10-meter platform in Sydney to capture the first gold medal for an American female diver in decades.

Laura also dives into her powerful later-career comebacks. She breaks down what it was like to return to the pool in her late 30s while raising four children, navigating complex international adoptions, and overcoming a major two-level cervical spine fusion to compete at the 2021 Olympic Trials. Plus, she discusses transitioning into an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and why she views her career's many setbacks as her greatest tool for coaching the next generation.

As a proud, deep-rooted Texan, Laura's story is a beautiful testament to faith, determination, and never looking back.

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On this week's episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, We sit down with four-time Olympic gold medalist, University of Texas icon, and 2014 TSHOF inductee Sanya Richards-Ross!

Sanya reveals how she knew from a very young age that she had a special gift, telling her teacher at just nine years old that she would be an Olympic champion. She opens up about her family’s incredibly difficult choice to leave Jamaica when she was 12 years old to seek better opportunities in the United States, and how finding her footing in sports helped her build a village and feel like she truly belonged in South Florida.

We follow her journey to the University of Texas, where she immediately felt the undeniable warmth of Southern hospitality. Surrounded by an elite group of athletes, a black female coach, and a Jamaican-born academic advisor, the perfect energy helped her capture national titles and meet her future husband, Longhorn football star Aaron Ross.

Sanya also shares the fascinating story of how the grueling 400-meter race actually "found her" after a major hamstring injury during her junior year of high school. Fueled by intentional research with her father on how track greats built their speed endurance, she shattered indoor and outdoor high school national records in her very first season running the distance. She pulls back the curtain on the intense training required to hold full sprint mechanics for an entire lap, which famously included doing 1,000 sit-ups a day, five days a week, for the majority of her career.

Reflecting on her professional career, Sanya delivers a deeply emotional tribute to legendary Baylor coach Clyde Hart, who stepped in as a father figure, became her calm in the storm, and promised to make her an Olympic champion. She revisits the heartbreak of the 2008 Beijing Olympics where she missed individual gold, how Coach Hart helped her rebuild, and her unforgettable redemption arc winning the individual 400m gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games, her true "fairy tale ending". She also breaks down her incredibly special anchor leg in the 4x400m relay in Beijing, where she came from behind against Russia to capture a spectacular gold for Team USA.

Finally, Sanya gives us an update on her busy life today in Atlanta. As the "queen of the castle" raising three young boys with her husband, she discusses her continuing work as an elite track commentator for NBC, her role as a Nike brand ambassador, and her clothing company, Coordinates, which features licensed loungewear lines for Team USA and the University of Texas co-op.

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On this week's episode of the podcast we talk about golf legend Byron Nelson and The CJ Cup Byron Nelson with Tournament Director Jon Drago

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On the final installment of our coverage of the 2026 TSHOF Induction Banquet, We bring you the historic conclusion of the evening's ceremonies!

1966 Texas Western Miners Basketball Team Induction: For the first time in the organization's 75-year history, a full team is enshrined. A representative accepts on behalf of Coach Don Haskins' squad, reflecting on their historic journey as the first all-black starting lineup in an NCAA championship game. He shares humorous stories of splashing water on their jerseys to look like they were working hard in Haskins' grueling practices, and emphasizes their ultimate message: walking by faith to turn negative energy into positive, historic action.

Clint "Deuce" Dempsey Induction: The legendary soccer star from Nacogdoches shares a hilarious birth story involving a barbed wire fence that proves he’s "been a fighter ever since birth". Dempsey honors his parents for their grueling six-hour round trips to Dallas to keep his dream alive, thanks his older brother Ron for teaching him the game, and praises his sister Crystal for inspiring him to take risks.

Von Miller Induction: The star pass-rusher delivers a vibrant, deeply personal speech tracing his path from DeSoto High School to Texas A&M and NFL greatness. Miller shares heartwarming stories of his childhood, including how his mother ran a extension cord from the family Suburban to power his asthma nebulizer between plays. He credits Coach Mike Sherman for rescuing his career after kicking him off the Aggies squad, reflects on his championship runs, and shares his dream of a future front-office executive career.

Lamar Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award: The Executive Committee announces the 8th-ever recipient of this prestigious honor: legendary Texas A&M head football coach R.C. Slocum, the winningest coach in Aggie history, with an official celebration dinner scheduled in College Station this fall.

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Pete visits with Betty Odel about Texas Sports Hall of Fame Golfer Kathy Whitworth

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On this episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, We bring you part two of the 2026 TSHOF Induction Banquet!

Gary Patterson Induction: TCU’s all-time winningest coach delivers a powerful reflection on his 45-year journey. Patterson breaks down his coaching philosophy, emphasizing that "greatness happens in a period where hard work and dreams meet". He credits his legendary friend Grant Taft for guidance, details his choice to write a new coaching chapter as the defensive coordinator at USC, and shares a touching memory of seeing his parents tear up after TCU won the Rose Bowl.

Charmayne James Induction: The barrel racing trailblazer commands the room with the incredible life story of her legendary horse, Scamper. Bought out of a feedlot after being labeled a dangerous "outlaw" who sent his first rider to the hospital, Scamper went on to anchor 11 world titles. James details his miraculous recovery from open-joint knee surgery, her historic 11th title on her second horse, Cruiser, and her current passion for mentoring young riders.

Steve "Mongo" McMichael Enshrinement: Kathy McMichael accepts the honor on behalf of her late brother, the legendary Texas Longhorn and Chicago Bears Super Bowl champion. She reads a hilarious, moving passage from his book detailing his earliest memory of seeing the Astrodome under construction. Kathy recalls his deep pride in his Texas roots, his fierce battle with ALS, and shares a touching final message she delivered to him right before his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2024.

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On this week’s episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, We catch up with a legendary voice of Texas sports journalism, Waco's own John McClain! A former longtime writer for the Houston Chronicle, McClain wears multiple hats as both a 2020 TSHOF media inductee and an active member of its selection committee.

John pulls back the curtain on the incredible, top-secret story of how the Texas Sports Hall of Fame first opened its doors to media icons. He recounts a fateful committee meeting where, in the absence of legendary chairman Dave Campbell, the committee voted to alter the bylaws on the spot to induct the inaugural media class. You'll hear about Dave Campbell’s stunned reaction, the frantic silence in the room, and the emotional journey that eventually led to John’s own shocking induction into the hall years later,an honor that moved him to tears on his patio as he remembered his father, Curtis McClain.

The conversation dives deep into John's roots growing up in Waco, from being a self-proclaimed "terrible student" at Richfield High School to finding his footing at McLennan Community College (MCC) and Baylor University. He shares a hilarious story from his youth working at a men's clothing store, where he unknowingly bragged about his football knowledge to Dave Campbell's wife, Reba, leading to a surprise meeting with his sportswriting idol that changed his life forever.

John also treats listeners to classic lore from his decades covering the NFL, including his deep love for the Dallas Cowboys and an emotional, behind-the-scenes look at presenting Chuck Howley for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Plus, he shares a classic childhood memory of sneaking into the back door of the Waco Coliseum to watch Baylor basketball, only to be saved by future Rockets and Comets legend Carol Dawson.

Finally, John discusses the process for nominating individuals to the TSHOF today, reminding fans that to make the ballot, an athlete or coach must truly be "one of the best in history". He concludes with a special plug for his documentary project PBIL Stories: Separate But Equal, which honors the history of the all-black Prairie View Interscholastic League.

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On This Week's Episode Texas Longhorns great and World Series Champions, Greg Swindell.

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On this episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast, we take you to the main stage for part one of our coverage of the 2026 TSHOF Induction Banquet! 

Opening Remarks & Milestones: Executive Board member Bruce Gietzen highlights the museum's unprecedented growth, including the newly upgraded Red & Charline McCombs Great Hall and record-breaking Lone Star Luncheons featuring legends like Mack Brown, Vince Young, and Art Briles.

Grant Teaff Beyond the Game Award: Emcee Brad Sham introduces the 2026 high school recipient: the Brazoswood High School Lady Bucks Soccer Team. Led by Coach Blank, the team is recognized with a $5,000 grant for their extensive community service, including impactful outreach at a local women's refuge center.

Zack Martin Induction: The legendary Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman takes the stage to test drive his future Canton speech. Martin reflects on moving from Indiana to carry the high expectations of the Cowboys' star, the humbling culture of mentorship in the Dallas O-line room, and his remarkable NFL record of having fewer accepted holding penalties than Pro Bowl selections.

Louis Santop Historical Enshrinement: The Hall pays tribute to "Big Bertha," the Fort Worth native who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the first true superstars of Negro League baseball and a proud World War I U.S. Navy veteran.

Chad Hedrick Induction: The five-time Olympic medalist reflects on the immense sacrifices of his skating journey and his groundbreaking "double push" technique. Hedrick shares a deeply moving personal testimony, revealing how he truly met Jesus right after achieving his ultimate dream of winning an Olympic gold medal, framing his legacy through the lens of 1 Corinthians and a crown that never fades.

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