Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame

08/07/2026

We are six weeks away from our Golf Classic Eagle Springs GCC on Sept. 17! Spaces are limited but we still have room for a few foursomes! Activities include breakfast, raffles and skills contests. Sign up today and mark your calendar for fun!

06/26/2026

We're still high on this guy and his latest recognition! Congratulations to 2004 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Jones on his selection to be inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Overland Park, Kansas. The 2026 ceremony is on Feb. 11, 2027. Jones enters with 20 other inductees including fellow MLB alums Barry Bonds, Buster Posey, Jeff Brantley and Huston Street. Jones went 32-9 with a 2.45 ERA at Fresno State (1989-1991) with 23 complete games and 342 strikeouts. He was the 1991 NCAA Player of the Year who went on to play in the majors for 10 years.

06/18/2026

Another Hall of Fame honor for Gena Strang-Behrens came last night before the Fresno City-County All-Star softball game. The former Hanford and Fresno State first baseman was ushered into the Fresno City County All Star Game game's HOF Before throwing out the first pitch of a marathon, record-setting offensive game. Big thanks to the organizers and congratulations to another graduating class. 👏🥎☀️

06/14/2026

Three of our Fresno Athletic Hall of Famers led a super group hosting young softball players from the Native Star Foundation Boys and Girls Clup. Margie Wright, Shelley Stokes and Gena Strang-Behrens were among the coaches who treated 38 girls to a Fresno State campus tour after a morning of fielding instruction. Coach Wright said she was happy to travel from Illinois for the occasion, even through a tornado and weather delays. Fresno Athletic HOF Presdent "Coach Gena" was as happy to chat with the girls during water breaks as she was to review fundamentals with such a receptive audience. A win-win for everyone! A big thank you to everyone involved in making the event happen. 😊🥎☀️

01/21/2026

SPORTS NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2026
CARR, FALCONS HEADLINE 2026 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES.

The 67th Class of the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame has been announced. Headlining the honorees is four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr. Joining Carr in the Class of 2026 is twenty-five time national sailing champion Ruth Barcus, longtime Caruthers High School football coach Tom Casanova, powerhouse auto racing team owners Dennis and Teresa Roth, and the late Bill Tatham who owned teams in the World Football League, United States Football League, National Basketball Association, and founded Fresno’s Copper River Country Club. The 2026 team honoree is the 1958 Coalinga College baseball team.
Carr, the 2014 recipient of the Sammy Baugh Award as college football’s best quarterback while at Fresno State earned four Pro Bowl selections during nine seasons with the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders. In 2016 he finished third in voting for league Most Valuable Player.
Kerman native Ruth Barcus earned her first national title in Seattle in 1973. Over the next thirty years she became the dominant figure in San Juan 21 division sailing amassing more national championships than anyone else in the sport.
When Tom Casanova retired in 2014 after twenty-eight seasons as head football coach at Caruthers High he had amassed 203 wins. The figure was second all-time behind Tim Simons among high school football coaches in Fresno County. In 2015 Casanova was among twelve coaches named a model coach by the California Interscholastic Federation.
Husband and wife team owners Dennis and Teresa Roth entered the world of auto racing in 1992 starting a sprint car team. In 1998 their team won the most prestigious event in sprint car racing, the Knoxville Nationals. Still active, the Roths are among the top five winningest team owners in the World of Outlaws sprint car series. In 2022 they were inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
The late Bill Tatham was owner of teams in both professional football and basketball. In 1974 he purchased the Portland Thunder of the World Football League, then ten-years later founded the Oklahoma Outlaws of the USFL. Tatham was part of the original group that owned the NBA expansion New Orleans Jazz. Locally he was the founder of Copper River Country Club.
The 2026 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame team inductee is the 1958 Coalinga College baseball team. That season the Falcons became the first community college baseball team from Fresno County to win the state championship. The teams star LeRoy Gregory later pitched in the big leagues for the Chicago Cubs.
Enshrinement ceremonies for the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be Thursday November 5. The annual enshrinement dinner will be held at the Fresno Convention Center’s Valdez Hall. For more information visit www. fresnoahof.org.
CONTACT: Dan Taylor (559) 824-3016 or [email protected]

01/08/2026

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Fraley (class of 2008), a respected coach, mentor, and true Bulldog legend. Bob dedicated his life to athletics and to shaping young people through leadership, discipline, and integrity. His passion for the sport and genuine care for those around him left a lasting impact on countless athletes, colleagues, and friends. He will be remembered not only for his accomplishments as a coach, but for the character, kindness, and guidance he shared with so many. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who were fortunate to know him. His legacy will live on through the lives he touched.

12/01/2025

🌟 This Giving Tuesday, Support the Legends Who Inspire Us! 🌟

Tomorrow, we invite you to join us in celebrating the athletes, coaches, and community leaders who have shaped Fresno’s rich sports legacy. The Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame preserves these stories, honors local excellence, and inspires future generations to dream big.

Your generosity helps us:
🏅 Maintain and grow our exhibits
🏅 Support educational programs for youth
🏅 Continue recognizing the incredible talent in our community

Every contribution—big or small—makes a meaningful impact.
💙 Donate today and help keep Fresno’s sports history alive: https://fresnoahof.org/support/

Thank you for supporting our mission and celebrating the champions who make Fresno proud.

09/06/2025

05/12/2025

A great night as Selma High pays tribute to all-time baseball greats, the ‘65-‘68 valley baseball champs who will be inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in November.

05/12/2025

Selma High honors the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025 team inductees, the ‘65-‘ 68 four-pete valley baseball champions!