Hamilton sports hall of fame inductees

The Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class of honourees in 2010, announced the class of 2014 Tuesday.

The late Irene MacDonald was a champion diver and diving coach and later television commentator. She won a bronze medal at the 1956 Olympic games. Kitch MacPherson was the first Canadian to receive an international basketball referees’ card. He is a legendary figure to countless basketball officials. Other inductees were Larry Bastedo, a champion motorcyclist and builder of the sport — David Hart was an athlete and builder in water polo — Don MacVicar was Canada’s record holding power lifter and one of the best in the world for more than 30 years. Bob Krouse joined the Tiger-cats straight out of high school, and was part of 4 Grey Cup championship teams from 1963 to 1975.

Larry Bastedo: “Well it’s a great honour, something I never expected really. The club that I belonged to for 60 years — the Steel City Competition Motorcycle Club — they’ve got about 500 members now. And they’ve supported me for 60 years I guess. So, I’m happy for that and to be put into this hall of fame is a great honour. I couldn’t be happier.”

David Hart: “It’s a bit overwhelming. I was sitting with a couple of the other inductees. The feeling was that never in our entire careers did we feel this could happen.”

Bob Krouse: “Ivor Wynne stadium was my home. I started running track in there in 1958. Then I played football there. Then I took wheelchairs to football games. I lived at Ivor Wynne stadium.”

Don MacVicar: “I was just a little guy. 4′ 11″ in the north end of Hamilton. I went for a walk — ran into the gymnasium and Bill Jamieson was there lifting weights. My father and grandfathers were coal miners and I admired their strength. All of a sudden, God gifted me a coach to harness the strength. Alot of good things happened after it.”

The induction dinner will be held in September.