NATCHITOCHES – Cox cable subscribers in 18 states can watch live coverage of Thursday afternoon’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2018 press conference, and two evenings later, live coverage of the Saturday 6 p.m. Induction Dinner and Ceremony as 11 state sports greats are enshrined.
Cox Sports Television, which has provided highlight shows reviewing the LSHOF Induction Celebration for 15 years, is launching live coverage of the two major events for the first time.
The press conference, presented by La Capitol Federal Credit Union, is live Thursday afternoon at 3. The State Farm Agents of Louisiana are the presenting sponsors for Saturday evening’s induction dinner and ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center.
CST serves cable subscribers in 18 states coast-to-coast. Over a million viewers in Louisiana have access to CST, noted for extensive coverage of the New Orleans Saints, LSU football, state college sports and high school sports, including the annual state championship football games.
Along with New Orleans and Baton Rouge, major markets served by CST include Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland.
Among noteworthy other markets are Sun Valley, Idaho; Omaha, Nebraska; Topeka and Wichita, Kansas, Macon and Warner Robins, Georgia; Roanoke, Virginia; Gainesville, Fort Walton, Pensacola and Ocala, Florida; Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, and El Dorado, Arkansas; and Bryan and Tyler, Texas.
States with Cox cable systems including CST are California, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The 11 members of the 2018 LSHOF Induction Class include football standouts Brandon Stokley and Reggie Wayne, coaching greats Lewis Cook and Jerry Simmons, Grambling and pro basketball star Larry Wright, 18-year MLB pitching veteran and LSU star Russ Springer, 1975 BassMasters Classic champion Jack Haines and the late Paul Candies, a member of the International Drag Racing Association Hall of Fame who also was a driving force for decades behind the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo.
Three contributors are being inducted: Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award winner Steve Gleason, the former Saints player who has become one of the world’s leading advocates for ALS patients as he battles the disease; and Distinguished Service Award in Sport Journalism recipients Scooter Hobbs of the Lake Charles American Press and Lyn Rollins, the acclaimed Pineville broadcaster who has done extensive work for CST.
For more information about the Hall of Fame’s Induction Celebration, including the free Thursday evening La Capitol Kickoff Reception from 5-7 at the museum and Friday’s free Rockin’ River Fest concert on the downtown Natchitoches riverbank, visit LaSportsHall.com.
