The Maine Sports Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2023 inductees on Tuesday. Ten new members will be inducted in ceremonies at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium on Oct. 29.
The inductees are:
Susan Elias, a Readfield native who was one of the world’s top-ranked bicyclists during the 1980s. She competed three times in the Tour de France, finishing fourth among women in 1989. As a track star at the University of Maine, Elias set school records in 800 and 1,500 meters and other events.
Bob Hillgrove of Rockland dominated Maine road races in the 1960s and early ’70s, winning 503 events including a remarkable 49 straight. He won every major race in Maine, including the Portland Boys Club race eight times and the Bangor Labor Day 5-Miler seven times.
Elizabeth “Biz” Houghton starred in basketball at Cape Elizabeth High before graduating in 1981. A 6-foot-2 center, she went on to become the leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker as a junior at Boston College. She played professionally in Ireland, leading Castledermot to the Irish National Cup.
David Hughes graduated from Yarmouth High and the University of Southern Maine, where he was captain of the sailing team. He is a two-time Olympian and a one-time Olympic coach. Hughes is a four-time World Champion and a multiple winner of World Cup, North American and U.S. National Sailing championships.
Ben McCrillis was a state wrestling champion at Westbrook High in the 1990s, and went on to win 123 matches at American University. He later won three national championships and was an AAU World Champion. He qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials, reaching the semifinals.
Kim Moody of Gorham was a top road racer during the 1970s and 1980s and most accomplished as an ultramarathoner. In 1983, she won the Chicago National Championship 50-miler, running the second fastest time ever by an American and third fastest in the world. Moody qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials in the marathon in 1984 and 1988.
Howard Paradis of Madawaska is known as much for building the sport of skiing as he is for his competitive teams. He led the effort to build Mt. Carmel near his home in Frenchville, as well as the cross-country trails that became Four Seasons. During his 35 years of coaching, Madawaska High won 15 girls’ and nine boys’ championships and produced 15 Maine Skimeisters.
Jonathan “Gabby” Price was a three-sport star at Bangor High and went on to play football at the University of Maine. He won two state titles and compiled a 129-52-1 record as the head football coach at Bangor High. Price became the first football coach at Husson University in Bangor, and later served as the school’s athletic director. His Husson football teams competed in four NCAA tournaments.
Will Sanborn of Standish is synonymous with St. Joseph’s College baseball. He played at Bonny Eagle High and at St. Joe’s, where he still holds three records as a player. He became the Monks’ head coach in 1993, winning numerous conference Coach of the Year honors. Sanborn recently won his 800th career game at St. Joe’s.
Mike Siviski won 287 games as the head football coach at his alma mater, Winslow High. He was a three-sport athlete at Winslow before playing football at the University of Maine. Siviski became the Black Raiders’ head coach in 1985, leading his teams to 11 regional and seven state titles over 35 years.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story