6 superstars tabbed for Provo honor

In their own way, they either tipped their part of the country or the world, and their ties to Utah Valley will be honored during the opening ceremonies and reception for the Provo Senior Games on Aug. 25 at the new Provo Center for the Arts.

Fame? They've had it. Heroic status? They've earned it.

The public is invited to meet and greet six superstars, headlined by former Atlanta Braves outfielder Dale Murphy, at the gala which kicks off at 6 p.m. The center is located at 425 W. Center in Provo.

"As a part of this event, it's a tradition to pick some of our finest athletes and celebrate their lives," said Glen Tuckett, emcee of the festivities. "We've also created a new memorial award in the name of the late Clarence Robison, former Olympian and longtime BYU track coach. This year, we'll give that honor to 105-year-old Dr. Russell B. Clark."

The Provo Senior Games are a series of events open to men and women age 50 and over and will take place in late August.

The motto for the games is "get moving." Some of the events include senior competition in track and field, horseshoes, billiards, racquetball, tennis, table tennis, golf, basketball skills, bowling, softball and a fitness walk.

Tuckett said the public is invited to the opening ceremonies, where they can mingle with the celebrities. Here are thumbnail sketches of the celebrities who will be honored during the opening ceremonies:

DALE MURPHY: During the 1980s, Murphy was considered one of the best players in Major League Baseball. In 18 seasons, he hit 398 home runs, drove in 1,266 runs and scored 1,197 runs. He earned five Golden Glove Awards. A first-round draft pick in 1974 by the Atlanta Braves, Murphy was considered the top draft prospect in the country. Twenty years later, he was twice named the Most Valuable Player in the National League and was on the All-Star roster seven times, as well as the No. 1 "vote getter" in 1982.

MEL HUTCHINS: A member of the 1951 NIT championship team, Hutchins was the MVP of the tournament that year. In his four years playing basketball at BYU, Hutchins helped lead the Cougars to three conference titles and was named to the all-conference team those three years. As a senior, Hutchins was named first-team all-American and was the NBA's No. 1 draft pick in 1951, earning rookie of the year. During his seven-year NBA career, he was selected to the All-Star team seven times.