Skip to main content
Sporting Hall of Fame

The Sporting Hall of Fame is an educational resource that acknowledges and honours members of the Bankstown community for their outstanding sporting achievements.

 

About the Hall of Fame

​In August 2011, Council endorsed the proposal to revive the Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame within the new Centre of Excellence constructed at Bankstown Memorial Park.

The Sporting Hall of Fame is an educational resource that acknowledges and honours members of the Bankstown community for their outstanding sporting achievements. The Hall of Fame serves as a point of interest to residents, visitors, sport enthusiasts and school children.

In 1988, Council and Bankstown Sports Club established a Sporting Hall of Fame as part of the Bicentenary Program. On 26 November 1988, 101 names, representing 25 different sports were unveiled on a roll of honour or board located at Bankstown Sports Club. The original intention was for Council to add new names as they qualify, however, this only happened in 1991 when a further 7 names were recognised and added to the board. Athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame during this period included Steve and Mark Waugh, John and Isla Konrads and Terry Lamb to name a few. The 2012 Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame recognises all inductees from t​he 1988 Hall of Fame by automatically inducting them into the new Sporting Hall of Fame.

In 2012, the Steering Committee setup by representatives from Council, Bankstown Sports, Bankstown-Canterbury Torch Newspaper and Bankstown District Cricket Club called for nominations from the community to form a new induction cycle at the official opening of the new facility in March 2013. From the nominations, 23 athletes and administrators were chosen by the Committee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Among the athletes inducted were Hazem El Masri, Brett Emerton, Ian Thorpe and Bilal 'Billy the Kid' Dib.

Sporting Hall of Fame​ inductees
Search by sport category

Athletics

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Cricket

Cycling

Gymnastics

Rugby League

Rugby Union

Soccer

Swimming

Touch Football

Track & Field

Weightlifting

Wrestling

All Filters
Swimming
Janet Hogan
Janet made a major impact on the swimming scene as a twelve year old by winning the National Junior 110yds (100M) National Breaststroke title.
Cricket
Jeff Thomson
Jeff was known as an easy-going uncomplicated big occasion cricketer whose immense physical strength enabled him to bowl faster than any contemporary Australian. “Thommo”, was one of the fastest bowlers ever to play Test cricket and was the opening partner of fellow fast bowler Dennis Lillee. Their combination was one of the most fearsome in Test cricket history.
Athletics
Jessica Hull
Jessica Hull (Jolliffe) is an Australian middle and long distance runner who is the current world record holder in the 2000 metres, set on 12 July 2024 with a time of 5:19.70
Swimming
John Byrom
John became the Australian Champion for 110yds (100M) Backstroke as a 15 year old in 1962 and held the title until 1965. He was a member of the Australian Swim Team in 1963 that would tour London, Europe and Moscow. John was also selected to represent Australia at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games as a 17 year old and would reach the Semi Finals in the 100M Backstroke.
Rugby Union
John Freedman
John excelled in two sports representing Australia in Rugby Union and Yachting. John was selected to represent Australia in 1962 at the age of twenty seven in the Test Series against New Zealand. His final Test Series was against South Africa at Pretoria in 1963. He was then selected to crew on ‘Gretel' and ‘Dame Pattie' in Australia's challenge of the America's Cup in 1962 and 1966.
Rugby League
John Greaves
Canterbury still considers John Greaves among the finest centres to play for the club and he established himself in an era that produced so many great backs. A powerful player with strong fend, Greaves took over the Captaincy of Canterbury in the 1970s until he left the Sydney scene at the end of 1972 and joined Campbelltown City.
Wrestling
John Kinsela
John established his sporting credentials early, as a 16 year old when he would become NSW State Champion in 1966. John went on to win the Australian Flyweight Championship in 1968, 1972 and 1975. John was selected to represent Australia at two Olympic Games, in Mexico in 1968 and in Munich in 1972. John wore the green and gold again while representing Australia at the World Championships in Istanbul in 1974.
Swimming
John Konrads
Escaping worn torn Europe as a 6 year old John Konrads would emerge by 1958 as a swimming sensation and within 5 years set an astounding 14 world records.By the time his international career finally ended in 1964 Konrads had won 1 Olympic gold medal and 2 bronze and 3 Commonwealth Games gold medals set 26 individual world records and helped set 6 relay world records.
Surf Life Saving
John Leard
John established his sporting credentials within a year of commencing rowing. By 1981 he had reached the Quarter Finals at the State and Australia Surf Life Saving Titles.John represented Australia vs New Zealand in 1987 and his career spanned the decade, covering rowing distances from 7K to 65 K Marathosn over three days to 171K over seven days.
Tae Kwon Do
John Rhodes
In 1979 John became the Australian Tae Kwon Do Champion in the Heavyweight Division and kept this title until 1984. He was selected to represent Australia from 1979 in the Asean Games, Hong Kong.
Baseball
John Stephens
John's sporting prowess was recognised early in his career when he was signed in 1998, as a 16 year old by the Baltimore Orioles. An intelligent pitcher who used pinpoint control combined with a curve and circle change, John was more interested in out thinking a batter than blowing fastballs by him. Due to a shoulder injury early in his international career his fastballs rarely exceeded 85 mph. John was selected to represent Australia at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, winning Silver and would be selected as a member of the Australian 2006 World Baseball team.
Table Tennis
John Tawadrous
John demonstrated his ability early in his career and in 1998 he would compete and win the Under 14 age group at the Australian Junior Championships. In 2001 he was selected to represent Australia at both the Commonwealth and World Championships and would again wear the green and gold at the Commonwealth Games Manchester in 2002.
Indoor Bias Bowls
Joy Kable
Joy consolidated her position as national Indoor Bias Bowls champion over a period of 4 years from 1978 to 1982. She would successfully represent Australia in New Zealand for 6 years from 1978 to 1983.
Indoor Bias Bowls
June d'Astoli
June represented the Bankstown District Sports Club in State and National Championships and won a National Title in 1972. She was runner-up in 1981 and 1983. June was also a member of the Australian International Test Team and has represented Australia on four occasions, in 1975-76 and 1985-87.
Basketball
Karen Dalton
Karen Dalton is an Australian Basketball superstar who has represented her country on 252 occasions including the 1984 Opals team that was the first women's basketball team to represent Australia at an Olympic Games.
Booking information

Guided tours of the Hall of Fame are available by appointment with the Bankstown District Cricket Club and are suitable for families, schools and community organisations.

Memorabilia from athletes is displayed throughout the facility and the interactive touchscreens allow users to scroll through the inducted athletes and see their achievements.

The Hall of Fame also operates as a business meeting space ideal for workshops or seminars. It can seat 25 people board style or 60 people theatre style with a kitchen available for use.

Click here for more information on using the Hall of Fame