NeveHarms Russ Platt has a long record of helping youth sports.
Russ coached women's softball in the early l96Os. In the 197Os he coached baseball in West Peoria. He has been president of the Manual Booster Club, has repaired bicycles for Toys for Tots, and volunteered set-up of the initial Jumpball Jamboree at the IHSA March Madress Experience.
Russ served as president of the Independent Sports Club in 1984, and for the past 11 years has served as treasurer for the ISC. Under Russ' watch, the ISC has grown to over 700 members, making it easier to perform its mission "...to help provide Peoria area youth the best sports programs in the country."
Russ and his wife Betty celebrated 50 years of marriage last year. He is proud to join the long list of friends who have received this award: Gary Trotter, Dan Shea, Jim Watson, and fellow worker from Illinois Mutual, Chuck McCord.
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Neve Harms Award
The Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame Neve Harms Award, formerly the Peoria Advertising and Selling Club's Annual Meritorious Service to Sports Award, was named the Neve Harms Award in 1966 and for a very good reason.
 As Director of Proctor Recreation Center, Harms observed the need for all youths to experience participation in sports activities, and not just the few who excelled. He, therefore, adopted a firm policy which assured that all youths would have an opportunity to play in games of the various sports controlled by Proctor Center. This plan met with much success and certainly with acceptance by parents whose children became more interested in sport activities at Proctor and consequently made good use of their free time. Neve carried through this policy when he was appointed Superintendent of the Peoria City Recreation Department which later became part of the Peoria Park District. In addition, he also developed a system of recognition for all youths so that each young person could feel good about his or her efforts. This kind of interest in all youths regardless of ability came from a most competitive and outstanding athlete. Neve was a four-sport player at Manual High School and a three-sport letter winner at Bradley University. He was a member of the 1929 Manual High School State Championship Basketball team.
Awards prior to 1981 were offered through the Peoria Advertising Club, rather than the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. We don't have biographies for these individuals. If anyone would be able to provide the bios that were written by the club at the time of the awards, we would very much appreciate receiving them for posting. We are also missing the Bruce Saurs' bio that was written in the 1991 Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame Banquet book, and we would like to receive it also. We are specifically interested in the bios written at the time of the awards, not more or less current. Please contact Rick at rkestner@pekinhigh.net. |
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