For more information, call or email
Kevin Cook
(914) 231-4564
Since 1968 the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame has honored more than 200 outstanding professional and amateur sportsmen and sportswomen, living or deceased, who have gained prominence in their fields and who have made substantial contributions to sports in Westchester County.
Nominations for consideration by the Hall of Fame Committee are solicited from the public.
Nominees are reviewed, and the committee selects those who best meet or exceed the criteria of the Hall of Fame. A prospective candidate must be at least 25 years old and should be a person of integrity and good character who has gained prominence in either professional or amateur sports as a player, coach, manager, official, owner, sports media.
Individuals selected are inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame during the fall of each year. Each is presented with a Hall of Fame trophy and their name is inscribed on a plaque in the first-floor gallery at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
A wealth of outstanding people in Westchester are eligible for the Sports Hall of Fame. If you know someone you feel is qualified, please use the nomination form on the reverse side.
Nominations for the Hall of Fame committee are solicited from the public. The nominees are reviewed, and the committee selects those who best meet or exceed the Hall of Fame’s criteria.
The Sports Hall of Fame is sponsored by Westchester County Parks. For tickets to the awards dinner and more information about the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame, please contact Kevin Cook at 914-231-4564 or kdc2@westchestercountyny.gov
Congratulations to our 2023 inductees!
Robert L. Cimmino Jr.
Bob spent more than 28 years as the head coach of Mount Vernon High School’s (MVHS) varsity boys’ basketball team. His career record was 594 wins and 117 losses, with 594 wins the most in Section One history. His teams won 19 Section One championships, eight NYS basketball championships and four Federation Championships. He was named NYS Coach of the Year seven times and the Daily News/MSG Coach of the Year in 2000. His international experience includes coaching American teams in tournaments in Canada, Germany, France, China, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Denmark and Sweden. Bob was inducted into the NYS Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Margaret “Mugssy” Fraina
Mugssy is women’s basketball in Westchester. You can’t discuss the sport in the County or New York State without her name coming up. She is a teacher, leader, mentor and friend to hundreds of men and women who have participated in women’s basketball. Mugssy was a trailblazer in offi ciating women’s basketball, and in leading the state and local boards to expand opportunities for everyone connected to women’s basketball. She joined the Hudson Valley Board of Offi cials and began offi ciating at the high school and CYO levels. When she started offi ciating basketball in 1976, the sport was dominated by male offi cials. Mugssy has been a member of the HVBO/ WPWBOA since 1974. During more than 40 of those years, she has offi ciated at the highest levels of Women’s basketball and served on the executive board in various roles, including president. Mugssy’s 48 years of offi ciating have demonstrated her dedication to the craft and set an example for all other offi cials, particularly women. Mugssy was the fi rst recipient of the WPWBOA Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given to the person who has demonstrated sustained, long-term support of women’s basketball.
Sammy Maldonado
Widely considered to be the greatest football player in Section 1 history and one of the best to ever play in New York State, this Harrison High School (HHS) graduate broke every major rushing record while playing for the Harrison Huskies under legendary head coach Art Troilo Jr. In the late 1990s, during his junior year, Sammy broke the single season Section 1 rushing record and received numerous Player of the Year Awards. He was also awarded the NYS Heisman Award as the state’s top running back. As a senior, Sammy broke every major NYS rushing record, including years per season, yards per career and career touchdowns. After graduating from HHS in 2000, he went on to play under Coach John Cooper at Ohio State University as the top rated running back recruit in the nation.
Alexander “Ali” Marpet
Ali is a smalltown boy who “made it big.” He played offensive tackle and defensive end for Hastingson- Hudson High School, was a threetime varsity letterman, named second-team All-State, earned All-Section honors and was a two-time All-League selection. Ali quit football after his freshman year to focus on basketball, in which he earned an All-League selection twice. Ali rejoined the football team in his junior year and helped lead the Hastings squad to the Section fi nals in 2010. Ali chose Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWSC), a small liberal arts college. He played on its football team for four years. He was a three-year starter at left tackle, started 37 of the 43 games and helped the Statesmen win four straight Liberty League Championships. Ali played in four consecutive NCAA Division III Football Championships, advancing to 2012’s and 2014’s quarterfi nal rounds. Sports Illustrated named Ali the “biggest riser” at the 2015 Senior Bowl and included him on its All-Offense team. Ali signed a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the highest-drafted DIII player in NFL history. Ali was a member of the 2020 Bucs’ playoff run, which led the team to win Super Bowl LV. On February 27, 2022, Ali announced his retirement from professional football at age 28 after seven seasons.
Jim Turnbull
Jim became enamored with lacrosse when he saw it being played at Hofstra University, which was a mile from his home in Hempstead, NY. He went on to play four years of lacrosse at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, and was team captain his senior year. In 1964, Jim began teaching social studies at Yorktown High School (YHS). The next year, he helped found a 15-player boys’ team. In 1966, YHS boasted the Hudson Valley’s fi rst varsity public school team. Yorktown won the Hudson Valley League title from 1967 through 1971 and the Section One Championship in 1972, ’73 and ’74. He stepped down after the 1976 season with a record of 156 wins, 26 losses and four ties. Jim again became the varsity coach, this time from 1984 through 1993. During those 10 years, YHS won 10 sectional titles, seven state semi-titles and fi ve state championships (1984, ’89, ’91, ’92 and ’93). In 1984, YHS ended West Genesee’s 91-game winning streak in the state fi nals at Hofstra. He retired from coaching at YHS with a record of 354-52-4. Jim coached 34 high school All-Americans and 18 college Division One All-Americans. His wins included state championships in 2003, 2006 and 2014. Jim was inducted into the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches