LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Fairdale High School inducted its first-ever Athletic Hall of Fame Class on Sunday.

"Most high schools in Jefferson County have had these and we've just never had one at Fairdale, and it's about time we had one, because we have a lot of great athletes that come through this school that have never been put into a Hall of Fame or celebrated in this way," said Darrell Gaus, a Fairdale High School Alumni and Hall of Fame Board Member. "A lot of our recipients are older and we want to make sure they can enjoy it."

A banquet-style ceremony was held at Fairdale to honor the impact each inductee has made.

"There are a lot of legends in this group as you've seen," Gaus said. "There are professional football players, professional basketball players. We have prisoners of war who were all state high school and sports, many many all-state athletes in different sports, a lot of coaches and mentors of young men that are legends in the community and well known across Jefferson county."

The inaugural class includes 20 people with graduates from all the way back to 1951. Nominees have to be out of school for at least 10 years.

Inductees include:

  • Forest ‘Frosty’ Able
  • Harry Allen
  • David Arroyo
  • Jermaine Brown
  • Mike Fletcher
  • Lloyd Gardner
  • George ‘Butch’ Greschel
  • Stan Hardin
  • John Mitchell
  • Maurice Morris
  • C’iera Ricketts
  • Jerry Schenkenfelder
  • Dewey Smith
  • Jeff Speedy
  • Leland Taylor
  • Betty Thornsbury
  • David Trosper
  • Kathy Underwood
  • Craig Walker
  • Mark Willoughby

This year, the event was tied around the Fairdale fair, but Fairdale High School said the Hall of Fame inductions will now be a yearly event, maybe centered around a Friday football game.

"We are one big family here," Gaus said.

For more information about Fairdale High School, click here.

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