Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame

Long Island’s boxing history is tremendous, which is why it’s so rewarding to see Long Island Boxing Charities recognize greatness and bring the boxing community together. It was a tremendous opportunity to recognize Gerry Cooney and Buddy McGirt with our @SuffolkHOF presidential medal for their contributions to sporting culture. McGirt is a former world champ and Cooney is one of the greatest and hardest heavyweight punchers in boxing history. Both products of Suffolk County, they’re the greatest fighters to come from our region. Bravo to Matt and Tony for a great event and for keeping the light shining brightly on Long Island boxing. 🥊

It was “Bring Your Brother to Work Day” at Miller Place High School today … just kidding! But it was our biannual opportunity to reignite the educational partnership between the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame and the Sports History class at MPHS, taught by my brother. I had the opportunity to speak with his students about the Hall of Fame, Suffolk County’s rich sports history, and, most importantly, why local sports culture and preserving our history matter. It will forever be one of my greatest responsibilities and privileges to represent the hundreds of incredible individuals who have been inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame. Whenever I lecture about our history, I do it with our inductees in mind. Their accomplishments, stories and contributions deserve to be remembered, preserved and shared. By telling their stories, we honor their legacies while using them to educate and inspire the next generation. That’s what our Hall of Fame is about: preserving the past, celebrating those who helped shape it and making sure their stories continue to have an impact well into the future. 🇺🇸

What an incredible evening celebrating the rich sports history of one of Suffolk County’s most passionate communities! We were proud to unveil the East Islip exhibit of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame at the East Islip Public Library, bringing together generations of athletic excellence, community pride and unforgettable memories. Hall of Fame inductees shared stories from their remarkable journeys as an appreciative audience of residents, family members and alumni listened to every word. East Islip is a special community with an extraordinary sports legacy. From Boomer Esiason and Sal Ciampi to Pete Blieberg, Vera Truhlar, Guy Leggio and so many others, the history runs deep, and the pride is unmistakable. A special thank you to Jamie LaBelle for coordinating this wonderful event and helping us bring our eighth library exhibit in Suffolk County to life. These exhibits preserve stories, connect generations and remind young people of the greatness that came before them. Honor the past. Inspire the future. #EastIslip #LongIsland #SportsHistory #CommunityMatters

Today was special … and historic for Suffolk County and Long Island. Carolina Hurricanes goaltender and Sound Beach native Brandon Bussi brought the #StanleyCup home to #LongIsland, celebrating in true #SuffolkCounty fashion at the place where it all began for him: The Rinx in Hauppauge. Brandon’s journey is an incredible source of inspiration for the next generation of Long Island hockey players. As the first and only Suffolk County native to win the Stanley Cup as a player, he has carved out a unique place in our region’s sports history. It was my privilege, on behalf of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, to recognize Brandon as the inaugural Suffolk County Sportsperson of the Year - a new honor celebrating individuals whose accomplishments and impact represent the very best of Suffolk County sports. I was honored to present the recognition to Brandon at The Rinx alongside Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, District Attorney Ray Tierney and Sheriff Errol Toulon, with a packed house of family, friends, young hockey players and Long Islanders who came out to celebrate Brandon and Lord Stanley. A Stanley Cup champion from Sound Beach. A piece of Suffolk County history. And, most importantly, an example for every young athlete on Long Island dreaming about where the game might take them. Congratulations, Brandon … thanks for making us proud! 🏆🏒

Sachem Family ... join me at the Sachem Library on September 14 as we unveil the latest local exhibit for the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame. Of course, this one hits close to home, so come down as we recognize Suffolk HOF inductees with connections to the Sachem community!

I love some of the projects we've worked on between the @SuffolkHOF and Suffolk County Police Athletic League-PAL. We unveiled a new print on the centerfield wall at PAL Valero Field of Dreams Stadium in Holtsville. The large-format print celebrates the people, moments, and stories that have helped shape Suffolk County baseball history while highlighting their connections to the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame and PAL. Many of these amazing individuals have influenced the success of the Suffolk County PAL, especially its baseball program; from coaches to players, each one had a definitive effect on our youth. Thanks to George Waldbauer, Don Yorie, Ken Kortwrite and Gregg Sarra for joining me to make it official. Read more: suffolksportshof.com/suffolk…

So proud of what we're building on a local level with the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame during America's 250th anniversary. Our library exhibits are opportunities for people to reconnect with their hometowns, celebrate local history, and honor the athletes, coaches and leaders who have shaped our communities. That's exactly what happened last night at Sayville Library. A sincere thank you to Jamie LaBelle and James Bertsch for organizing such a memorable evening. An especially meaningful addition was the gathering afterward at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum. Thanks to James, who serves on the museum's board, our guests had the chance to experience a place that beautifully preserves the legacy of one of Long Island's greatest American heroes. For anyone from Suffolk County, having a connection to Lt. Murphy's story is something truly special. It was an honor to speak at the museum and express my profound appreciation for Lt. Murphy, his family, and the brave men and women who have served our country. I also reflected on my grandfather's service with the U.S. Navy's Underwater Demolition Team during World War II, the elite unit that became the foundation for today's Navy SEALs. A brick honoring his legacy is featured at the museum. I spoke about the power of community and the role our Hall of Fame can play in inspiring the next generation. We preserve history not simply to remember the past, but to encourage young people to dream bigger because they can see greatness that came from their own neighborhoods. Seeing so many of our extraordinary inductees join us throughout the evening made that message even more meaningful. These are the moments that remind us why preserving local history and celebrating local excellence matters. 🇺🇸

Congrats to @SuffolkHOF inductee @lindacohn on a legendary career at @espn. After 34 years and 5,000-plus episodes of @SportsCenter, she retired this past week. A few years ago, I presented her Suffolk HOF plaque in California, where she lives and does the West Coast version of SportsCenter every night. Don't mind the casual nature of this ... it was the club/park where Linda plays tennis. The Newfield High alum has made us proud, served as a great example for young women sportscasters and has left her legacy on sports and media. Bravo, Linda!

One word: community. I want everyone to be fiercely passionate about their hometown. It’s the most important message I offer on our America 250 tour with the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame. We unveiled another local library exhibit tonight. This one in Bayshore - Brightwaters and I was inspired by the stories our Hall of Famers shared about their upbringings and humble beginnings. The tears, the journeys, the heartfelt tributes to the people who matter in their lives. The people are the fabric of each community. This is our 11th exhibit with many more to come. Honor the past, inspire the future! 🇺🇸

Now that’s a way to induct someone into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame … on the court at The Garden during the NBA Finals! MSG/ESPN broadcaster Alan Hahn couldn’t make our ceremony in May because he was covering the Knicks playoff run, so we made this happen tonight during the watch party. Fun fact: this is the second time someone received their Suffolk HOF plaque at The Garden. I presented Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson with his plaque when he was an assistant with Golden State. 🏀 🏅

Another library exhibit in the books (see what I did there 😏). Thanks to Lindenhurst Library for partnering with the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame on our fourth library exhibit and 11th overall. Thanks again to Jamie LaBelle for coordinating. It was also special to have former basketball All-American Monika Kost with us for the ribbon cutting. She will be inducted to the Hall this week! The more eyes on our inductees and mission, the better. We are celebrating America 250 through expansion, education and keeping the legacies of our Hall of Famers alive. 📚

The love and support in the room for our 2026 @SuffolkHOF induction were electric. Every inductee brought their village. It’s always bigger than the inductee. It’s really about family and community. You could see it. You could feel it. 🧵

Our third @SuffolkHOF library exhibit, and 11th exhibit overall, is at Bayport-Blue Point Library, a gorgeous location on the south shore. We cut a ribbon last week and said a few words about the meaning of community while being joined by the families of a few inductees. Dr. Donatelli, a BBP resident, also spoke about his career. This exhibit will rotate locations and seasons within the library, which is a converted convent and one of the most unique libraries on Long Island with tremendous history. Special thanks to Suffolk Sports Hall of Famer, Jamie LaBelle, for organizing. Much more to come! Honor the past, inspire the future.🏅 📚

History lives here in Suffolk County. Tonight, we proudly unveiled our eighth Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame exhibit … the latest at the Hauppauge Library, celebrating inductees with strong ties to the Hauppauge community and their lasting impact on local sports history. This exhibit is part of our new 2026 initiative to bring the Hall of Fame into local libraries, making these stories more accessible than ever. Hauppauge marks our second installation, following last month’s debut in Brentwood, with several more planned throughout the year as we expand our historical efforts during America 250. Special thank you to HOFer and committee member Jamie LaBelle for spearheading the library exhibit initiative. Honor the past. Inspire the future. 🇺🇸

🎥Thanks to @Gregg_Sarra for having me on @Newsday TV this week to talk about this year's @SuffolkHOF induction class. Sayville alum and former NFL QB Mike Buck, being inducted this year, joined me on set to talk about his career. 📺 Watch here: tv.newsday.com/watch/sports/…

🏒 Jumped on Canadian radio this week to join Inside Sports with Ken Farrell on 989 XFM. We spoke about @SuffolkHOF inductee, Long Island Ducks hockey legend, and Nova Scotia native John Brophy, and much more. Have a listen: soundcloud.com/chris-r-vacca…