SCOTTSDALE – The Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission will officially induct its 2023 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame Class on Saturday, April 13, with four of the seven inductees being former University of Arizona coaches or athletes.
The four Wildcats are Olympic distance runner Abdi Abdirahman, former baseball player Terry Francona, former men’s basketball player Richard Jefferson and former baseball coach Jerry Kindall.
Abdihakim ‘Abdi’ Abdirahman, nicknamed the Black Cactus, is a prominent long-distance runner and a four-time USATF Champion at 10,000 meters. Born in Somalia, he became a U.S. citizen in 2000, after moving to the U.S. in 1990. Residing in Tucson, Arizona, Abdirahman has been a significant figure in athletics, becoming a five-time Olympic team member at age 43, and participating in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics in the 10,000m, as well as the 2012 Olympics marathon. He set a USATF Masters marathon record for the 40-44 age group in 2019 and 2020.
Terry ‘Tito’ Francona, manager of the Cleveland Indians, has a distinguished career in baseball. He played in the majors from 1981 to 1990, then managed minor league teams and the Philadelphia Phillies. Under his management, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and 2007. His career began at the University of Arizona, contributing to the Wildcats’ 1980 College World Series win.
Richard Jefferson played basketball at the University of Arizona from 1998 to 2001, averaging 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He was key in the team’s 2001 national championship run and was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor in 2012. He won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and is now a sports analyst at ESPN.
Jerry Kindall was a celebrated college baseball coach at the University of Arizona for 24 years, leading the Wildcats to three National Championships and three Pac-10 titles. He was the first to win a college baseball title as both a player and a coach. He made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, and five College World Series appearances, winning three NCAA titles in 1976, 1980, and 1986. He was recognized as College Baseball Coach of the Year in each championship…
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