 Born in Winterset, Iowa, on May 26,
1907, Hollywood legend John Wayne was a category III inductee into
the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of
Fame on April 9, 1979. Category III inductees are those
individuals, who having made a mark in sports, have gone on to
contribute significantly to life in other fields. Wayne was a star
football player at Glendale High School, before earning a
scholarship to play at the University of Southern California.
However, he lost his scholarship due to an injury and started
working in the film industry to help pay his tuition. Wayne went on
to have a five decade long career as an actor, director, and
producer, appearing in more than 175 films. In 1969, for his role
in "True Grit," he won the Oscar for Best Actor. Wayne was also an
ardent supporter of America and freedom. His impact on American
life was so great that he won the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979,
and Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980, the two highest civilian
honors awarded by the American Government. Wayne died in
1979. |