Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame was an outcome of Chris 'Honky' Clark, a director of Aboriginal owned and operated sports complex in Condobolin, New South Wales.[1] Clark saw the need to inspire indigenous youth through sports photographs.[1] The costs of establishing a permanent photographic exhibition was too expensive. Musician and historian Ted Egan recommended a low cost book.[1] The outcome was the book Black diamonds : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame published in 1996.[1]

The Hall of Fame was a joint project of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and Macquarie University under the management of Colin Tatz with photography by Paul Tatz.[2]

Giant tennis racquet commemorating Evonne Goolagong at Barellan, New South Wales. She won the Wimbledon tennis title twice

The inaugural list of 129 members was determined by well known indigenous athletes: Mark Ella, Sydney Jackson, Faith Thomas and Charlie Perkins. They were assisted by three non-indigenous historians: Ted Egan, Colin Tatz and Alick Jackomos.[1] In 1999, the list of members was increased by 43. The 1999 selection committee comprised: Arthur Beetson, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Lloyd McDermott, Mark Ella, Gary Ella, Charlie Perkins, Ted Egan, Ken Edwards, and Colin Tatz. The committee was assisted by three statisticians/historians: Colin Hutchinson (Australian rules), David Middleton (rugby league) and George Bracken (boxing).[1] After the 1999 selection, the full list of 172 members with brief biographies was published in the book Black Gold : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame.

Statue of Lionel Rose at Warragul, Victoria. Rose was the first Indigenous Australian boxer to win a world title

The 2008 selection panel included seven Aboriginal selectors:Arthur Beetson, Carl Currey, Gary Ella, Sydney Jackson, Lloyd McDermott, John Maynard and Nova Peris. 2018 selection panel comprised Gary Ella, Katrina Fanning, Gilbert McAdam, John Maynard, Nova Peris, David Middleton, George Bracken, ColHutchinson and Colin and Paul Tatz.[3]

In 2018, there were 276 members of the Hall of Fame.[3]

There is no permanent home for the Hall of Fame but there have been several photographic exhibitions in Australia.[1] Colin and Paul Tatz donated to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 110 photographs from the Sports Hall of Fame.[4]

Members were selected if they met the following selection criteria:[1][3]

• represented Australia or their state/territory
• held a national or international record or title
• achieved a notable first or distinguished performance
• in the case of Australian football, were acclaimed senior players and/or medal winners
• had notable success as referees or umpires
• those who through their coaching , administration or organisation have helped create Aborigibal teams and a space for them in competitions
• person's contribution to Aboriginal or Islander identity.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards

• Tatz, Colin (1987), Aborigines in sport, Australian Society for Sports History, Bedford Park, S. Aust.
• Tatz, Colin (1995), Obstacle race : Aborigines in sport, New South Wales University Press, Sydney, ISBN 0868403490
• Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (1996), Black diamonds : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Allen & Unwin, Sydney ISBN 1864480653
• Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (2000), Black gold : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra ISBN 0855753676
• Tatz, Colin and Tatz, Paul (2018), Black Peals : the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra ISBN 9781925302950