League 42, in conjunction with partners at Visit Wichita, Wichita State Athletics, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, and It Takes a Village, Inc., has announced plans to host 150 for 150: A Celebration of Wichita’s Best High School Athletes. The event will take place at Charles Koch Arena on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
Wichita will celebrate the city’s 150th birthday in 2020. This event will feature outstanding athletes that graduated from Wichita high schools. Over 150 athletes will be recognized as part of this event, including three of the city’s all-time greats in their respective sports: Lynette Woodard, Jim Ryun, and Barry Sanders.
"I've always considered it shortsighted that we, as a city, have neglected to truly appreciate the great athletes who have come out of our high schools,” said League 42 Founder and Executive Director, Bob Lutz. “It could be argued that Barry Sanders is the greatest football player in history, that Lynette Woodard is the greatest women's basketball player in history and that Jim Ryun is the greatest middle-distance runner in history, especially at the high school level. And they all grew up within blocks of one another in our city. Not to mention the many other great athletes we have produced. It's time to shine a light on the accomplishments of these tremendous athletes and people.
League 42 is an urban youth baseball league that makes baseball affordable for families. League 42 stresses sportsmanship and education and will open a facility in 2020 for offices, indoor baseball training, and a learning center emphasizing third grade reading and middle school math skills for the league’s nearly 600 participants.
“Wichita is an incredible sports city. From the quality of sporting events residents have the opportunity to watch or partake in to the remarkable level of athletic talent to come from our city, we have much to celebrate,” said Brian Hargrove, Executive Director of Sports Development at Visit Wichita. “We look forward to commemorating the top 150 athletes to come from Wichita, and to continue the momentum of the great sports community in our city in 2020.
“The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is excited to be a part of the 150 for 150 event celebrating the top athletes from our state’s largest city,” said Kansas Sports Hall of Fame President and CEO, Jordan Poland. “The flavor of Wichita is sprinkled throughout our state’s rich history of athletics that is on display everyday at the KSHOF and we’re honored to be a part of this once in a lifetime event for the City of Wichita.”
“As a product of Wichita City League sports, what a wonderful opportunity to bring together ‘the best of the best’ for a once in a lifetime experience at the 150 for 150 recognition banquet,” said Terry Atwater, CEO and Executive Director of It Takes a Village, Inc. “To gather the caliber of athletes who will be represented from all sports, will be a ‘must see’ event. We look forward to seeing you there.
Tables and sponsorships, including title and presenting sponsorships, are available now. All named sponsorships include: tables at the event, dinner, visibility rights on printed materials and at the event, and seating options with featured athletes from the program. For more information on sponsorships or for information about purchasing a table at the event, please contact Bob Lutz at league42wichita@gmail.com.
General admission tickets for seating in the Koch Arena bowl will go on sale in spring 2020. General Admission tickets will start at $20 per seat. General admission tickets do not include dinner options. For more information on the 150 for 150: A Celebration of Wichita’s Best High School Athletes, please contact Bob Lutz at league42wichita@gmail.com.
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About League 42
League 42, named in honor of the great Jackie Robinson, is a youth baseball league comprised primarily of inner-city players, ages 5 – 14. Many of our players have not had the opportunity to play baseball before. McAdams Park at 17th & Wabash (I-135 & 13th Street area) is home to the League and where we practice and play our games.
About the KSHOF
The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame believes that sports are an integral piece of our culture and that sports have an amazing power to unite, inspire, and energize our communities. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame works to preserve and protect the athletic heritage of Kansas through our mission: To honor those that significantly contributed to the history of sports in Kansas and to educate and inspire the public regarding the value of athletics and Kansas athletic history by providing the requisite leadership and resources.
About Visit Wichita
Visit Wichita markets the greater Wichita area as a major convention and tourism destination, thereby enhancing the economic development of the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2017 travel and tourism contributed more than $1.1 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.
About Wichita State University
The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling about 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas.
