06/04/2026
INTRODUCING THE CLASS OF 2026‼️
The Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame is thrilled to unveil the Class of 2026, recognizing seven inductees whose achievements and contributions have helped shape Hamilton’s
rich sporting history. This year’s class features three outstanding athletes, a decorated sports journalist, a championship team, a historic organization, and the recipients of the Sharon Garden
Memorial Volunteer Award:
🏁 Jimmy Howard (Athlete – Motor Sports)
🏈 John Barrow (Athlete – Football)
🏒 Kevin Rempel (Athlete – Para Ice Hockey)
📰 Steve Milton (Builder – Media)
⚾️ 1978 Hamilton Cardinals (Team – Baseball)
🥇 Hamilton Olympic Club (Organization – Track & Field)
⛳️ Ian & Ruth Giles (Sharon Garden Memorial Volunteer Award – Golf)
The 2026 Induction Luncheon is set for Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Carmen’s Event Centre. Doors open at 11:00 a.m., and the program begins at 12 noon. Tickets are available now at hamiltonsportshalloffame.com. Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting [email protected].
ABOUT THE 2026 INDUCTEES
JIMMY HOWARD
A legendary figure in Canadian short-track racing, Jimmy Howard became one of Hamilton’s most accomplished motorsports competitors during a career that spanned decades across Ontario and the northeastern United States. Known for his fearless driving style and consistency on the track, Howard
became a fan favourite at Flamboro Speedway and numerous premier racing circuits. Howard earned championships at the Canadian National Exhibition Speedway and enjoyed success in
both supermodified and stock car competition. He was named Rookie of the Year at Oswego Speedway and competed against some of the top drivers of his era. His accomplishments and lasting impact on Canadian motor sports were recognized with his induction into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame and the Yesterday’s Speedways Hall of Fame.
JOHN BARROW
Considered one of the greatest defensive linemen in Canadian Football League history, John Barrow anchored the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defence for 14 seasons from 1957 to 1970. A two-way player and dominant force on both the offensive and defensive line, Barrow was named a CFL all-star 11 times and earned Eastern all-star honours 15 times during an extraordinary career that helped define one of the greatest eras in Tiger-Cats history.
Barrow appeared in nine Grey Cups over an 11-year span and helped Hamilton capture championships in 1957, 1963, 1965, and 1967. In 1962 he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding
Lineman, and in 1967 he was recognized as the CFL Lineman of the Century. A University of Florida standout and later a member of both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and University of Florida Hall of Fame, Barrow remains widely regarded as one of the most dominant players ever to wear a Tiger-Cats uniform.
KEVIN REMPEL
Kevin Rempel’s journey from motocross athlete to Paralympic medalist stands as one of the most inspiring stories in Canadian sport. After suffering a spinal cord injury in a motocross accident in 2006 that resulted in incomplete paraplegia, Rempel was told he would never walk again. Within a year he had defied those expectations, and by 2008 he had discovered the sport of para ice hockey. Representing Canada on the international stage, Rempel won Paralympic bronze at the 2014 Sochi Games, along with gold and bronze medals at the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships. He also captured multiple medals at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. Beyond competition, Rempel has
become a passionate ambassador for para sport, mentoring athletes, developing instructional resources for para ice hockey players, and inspiring communities across Canada through speaking engagements and grassroots involvement with the Hamilton Sledgehammers organization.
STEVE MILTON
For nearly four decades, Steve Milton was one of Hamilton’s most respected and recognizable sports voices. A longtime columnist and sportswriter with The Hamilton Spectator from 1986 to 2023, Milton chronicled generations of Hamilton athletes, teams, and sporting moments while earning a reputation as one of Canada’s premier sports journalists. He continues his work today as a multi-platform columnist with Hamilton Sports Group. Milton was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame media wing in 2012 and later into both the Ontario Skating Hall of Fame and Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame as a builder. Over his
distinguished career, he authored or co-authored 25 books, published more than 9,000 columns and stories, and covered everything from the CFL and NHL to the Olympics, Major League Baseball, figure skating, and junior hockey. His work appeared across numerous national publications and broadcast platforms, helping shape sports journalism in Hamilton and across Canada.
1978 HAMILTON CARDINALS
The 1978 Hamilton Cardinals captured the first and only intercounty Baseball League championship in franchise history, completing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Hamilton sports history. Just two years earlier, the club finished last in the IBL with only seven wins, but under a new ownership group led by Doug Smith and Earl Talley, the Cardinals rebuilt the organization around local talent, strong leadership, and community pride. In 1978, the Cardinals finished first in the East Division before embarking on an unforgettable playoff
run. Hamilton defeated the Brantford Red Sox (a young Wayne Gretzky was Brantford’s shortstop and pitcher in that series) before eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs and ultimately defeating the powerhouse London Majors in six games to claim the IBL championship. Playoff MVP Jim Hrach hit .418 during the postseason, while manager Phil Duffy and several Cardinals players earned league all-star honours. The team’s championship restored baseball pride in Hamilton’s baseball community
and remains one of the city’s great underdog sports stories.
HAMILTON OLYMPIC CLUB
The Hamilton Olympic Club played a foundational role in the development of amateur athletics in Hamilton and across Canada. Under the leadership of legendary sports builder Bobby Robinson, the club became a national force in track and field, producing elite athletes and promoting the values of discipline, sportsmanship, and athletic excellence. Robinson transformed the Hamilton Olympic Club into one of the country’s premier athletic organizations through structured training, athlete development, and a commitment to international competition. The club’s influence extended well beyond Hamilton, helping lay the groundwork for the inaugural 1930 British Empire Games, now known as the Commonwealth Games, which were hosted
in Hamilton. The Hamilton Olympic Club’s legacy remains deeply woven into the city’s sporting history and Canada’s amateur athletics tradition.
IAN & RUTH GILES
For more than five decades, Ian and Ruth Giles have dedicated themselves to the growth and development of amateur golf in Hamilton and across Ontario. Their volunteer leadership has impacted generations of young golfers through countless tournaments, championships, and community initiatives.
Ian served as president of the Ontario Golf Association and later as a governor with Golf Canada, where he chaired the 2012 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. Together, Ian
and Ruth played major roles in organizing provincial and national junior championships at Chedoke and King’s Forest, while also helping lead the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour for decades. In 2022, Golf Canada recognized their extraordinary commitment to the sport with its Distinguished Volunteer Award.
