Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Herb Brooks To Be Inducted

Into U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Tomorrow

Event To Be Staged at Harris Theatre in Chicago

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The late Herb Brooks, one of the most legendary coaches of all time, will be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame tomorrow (Dec. 8) at the Harris Theatre in Chicago.

Brooks was the architect of arguably the most famous achievement in American hockey history when he led the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey team to an improbable gold medal in Lake Placid, N.Y. Brooks also was the head coach of the 2002 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that won the silver medal in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition, the St. Paul, Minn., native played on the 1964 and 1968 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Teams.

Three members of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that captured gold in Squaw Valley, Calif., will be on hand for Brooks’ induction, including Robert Owen, Robert McVey and Weldon Olson.

In addition, 1980 team members Jim Craig, Mike Eurizone and Jack O’Callahan will be part of tomorrow’s award ceremony.

Brooks’ wife Patti, son Dan and daughter Kelly will be in attendance to accept the honor on behalf of Herb.

Brooks died in a car accident on August 11, 2003, when returning home from a fundraising event for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Brooks will join the 1984 Men’s Gymnastics Olympic Team; Olympians Evelyn Ashford, Rowdy Gaines, Bob Hayes, Shannon Miller and Kristi Yamaguchi; Paralympian Diana Golden-Brosnihan; Jack Shea in the Veterans category; and Special Contributor Dick Ebersol as the Class of 2006.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Presented by Allstate Induction Ceremony is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. CST. Jim Lampley will host the event.

In addition to the formal induction ceremonies, a nationally-televised special will air on NBC on Jan. 1, 2006, from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. EST to enable sports fans across the United States to relive the moments that catapulted the Class of 2006 inductees to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame status.