Finsterwald to be Inducted into Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

Dow Finsterwald, who captured the first PGA Championship in 1958, will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame April 8 at the Denver City Marriott. Hale Irwin, a University of Colorado football standout who became one of golf's premier champions with four Senior PGA Championships and three U.S. Open titles, will introduce Finsterwald during the Hall of Fame ceremonies.

Finsterwald won the PGA Championship at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pa., as the PGA Championship embarked on a new era among the season's four major championships. Finsterwald competed on four Ryder Cups and was captain of the victorious 1977 U.S. Team at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in St. Annes, England. Finsterwald captured the 1957 Vardon Trophy given to the PGA Tour player with the lowest scoring average. He served from 1964-93, as the PGA director of golf at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo.

A 2006 inductee into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame, Finsterwald also is a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame (1978) and the Colorado Golf Sports Hall of Fame (2003).

The remainder of the 2008 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inductees includes: Emory "Starr" Yelland - sportscaster, who earned in PGA of America honorary membership in 1963.

Frank Shorter - Olympic gold medal marathoner

Bill Noxon - Western State College football coach

Pierre Lacroix - President of the Colorado Avalanche

Fisher DeBerry - Air Force Academy football coach

For more information, call 720/258-3536 or visit www.coloradosports.org.