University of Tennessee Athletics
Pearl inducted into National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
June 08, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Bruce Pearl, along with eight others, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Sunday morning at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center in Commack, N.Y.
???It is a great honor to be inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame,??? said Pearl. ???To be included in a class that features Olympic gold medalists, pro football hall of famers and award-winning journalists is very humbling for me.???
In three seasons at Tennessee, Pearl has led the Vols to an average of 25.6 wins per year, two Southeastern Conference Eastern Division titles, an overall SEC championship, the school???s first No. 1 national ranking, a school record 31 wins and back-to-back appearances in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He has been named SEC Coach of the Year twice (2006 and 2008) and earned national coach of the year honors two times. He owns a career record of 394-108 in 16 years as a head coach, including a 77-24 mark in three seasons at Tennessee.
Joining Pearl in the 16th annual class are Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug, sportswriter/ESPN personality Tony Kornheiser, pro football Hall of Fame member Ron Mix, Olympic swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg, broadcaster Sam Rosen, 1940s St. John???s basketball player Hy Gotkin and Olympic fencing judge Daniel Bukantz.
Former Tennessee All-America and Olympian Ernie Grunfeld was elected to the NJSHF in 1993 and his son Dan is also a member. Other members of the hall of fame include former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, Harlem Globetotters founder Abe Saperstein, former NFL coach Marv Levy, NBA and college basketball coach Larry Brown, college and professional football hall of fame coach Sid Gillman, basketball legend Dolph Shayes and broadcasters Marv Albert, Mel Allen and Howard Cosell.
The NJSHF is dedicated to honoring Jewish individuals that have distinguished themselves in the field of sports. The objective is to foster Jewish identity through athletics. Plaques honoring those inducted are on permanent display at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center.
