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DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS (September 2, 2025) – The Class of 2026 of the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame features four inductees who made significant impacts on different categories of the industry.
Sam Barcelona Jr. (Barcelona Sporting Goods), Tim Boyle (Columbia Sportswear), Mort Finkelstein (MC Sporting Goods) and Scott Hedrick (Pro Athlete, Inc.) will join 188 retailers, team dealers, manufacturers and industry influencers who have been honored with induction into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame since it was established by the National Sporting Goods Association in 1955. The selections of Barcelona, Boyle, Finkelstein and Hedrick for the Class of 2026 were made by the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee at its annual meeting in May.
“The Class of 2026 have been tremendous contributors and ambassadors to our industry and they are so deserving of this highest honor,” said Gordon Geiger, Chairman of the NSGA Board of Directors. “Welcoming them to the Hall of Fame is a great thrill and it’s wonderful to see them recognized for their achievements.”
The Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will be held May 19, 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee, the site of NSGA 2026 Leadership Conference. Details on attending the event will be announced soon.
The late Sam Barcelona Jr.’s Hall of Fame career in the sporting goods industry was assisted by longtime best friend Slater Martin, who played in the NBA for 11 years and is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. After Barcelona served in the Navy in World War II, he worked as a salesman for Holt’s Sporting Goods in downtown Houston, Texas and before joining Martin as co-owners of Slater Martin Sporting Goods.
Barcelona became the sole owner of the company, renamed it Barcelona Sporting Goods in 1956 and continued working until age 94. Barcelona, who passed away June 11, 2024 at 97, became a respected figure in the sporting goods industry through innovation, dedication and hard work. But this was truly his passion as he developed strong relationships with hundreds of coaches, athletic directors and sports organizations.
Barcelona and his brother Dennis grew the company into multiple locations that operated for more than 60 years. He valued relationships with long-time customers and employees and possessed an ability to lead and inspire. His generosity included donating equipment for athletes who did not have the means to play sports.
The pioneering work in the industry by Barcelona set standards and inspired numerous individuals. He shared many insights from his years of experience and his influence, mentorship and guidance shaped the careers of many young professionals. His contributions to the industry are numerous and have left an incredible mark that continues to enrich the lives of many.
Tim Boyle
Tim Boyle is the Chairman, President and CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company, originally becoming President and CEO in 1988 and later becoming Chairman in 2020. Columbia Sportswear was founded in 1938 by Paul Lamfrom, the father of Gert Boyle. The company began as a family-owned hat distributor called the Columbia Hat Company, named after the nearby Columbia River. After the sudden death of his father in 1970, Tim and his mother Gert took over the operations of Columbia, rescuing it from bankruptcy.
Under Tim Boyle’s leadership, Columbia Sportswear has grown into a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing, and distribution of outdoor apparel and footwear. The company is known for its innovative products, such as the Interchange System and Omni-Heat Reflective technology. Columbia Sportswear went public in 1998 and has since acquired several notable brands, including SOREL, Mountain Hardwear and prAna.
Today, Columbia Sportswear is a global corporation, with almost 10,000 employees, selling in more than 100 countries. Tim Boyle’s leadership has been instrumental in the company’s success and growth over the years, with almost $3.4 billion in net sales in the past year.
Gert Boyle was the first woman inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2003. Gert and Tim Boyle will be the first mother and son combination of inductees in the Hall of Fame.
The late Mort Finkelstein epitomized evolution. First it was transitioning the family business into sporting goods and helping MC Sporting Goods grow into a prominent regional and national retailer. After the family sold the business in 1990, Finkelstein remained a fixture in the industry in a variety of areas until his death in 2023 at 93.
Finkelstein’s father Jack started a men’s clothing business and switched to government surplus products during World War II. As that business began to wane, Mort and his brothers Edward and Raleigh became interested in sporting goods and changed the company’s name from Michigan Clothiers to MC Sporting Goods. The company was sold to a publicly traded company in 1986 and became the largest sporting goods retailer in the United States with more than 80 stores in seven states.
The Finkelstein family ran the company until they retired in 1990 but Mort was far from done with his involvement in the industry. He worked with MacGregor, Sand-Knit, Riddell, Multi Grip and First American Corporation in sales and marketing and supported other sales agents in the industry. Mort teamed with Ed Tobergte in ownership of Gear 2000 football protective pads and Stromgen Supports and after selling those companies he purchased Shoeless Joe baseball and softball gloves.
Finkelstein was regarded as a leader, mentor and tough businessman with a fair and kind touch. He also was deeply involved in giving back to local, state and national Jewish organizations and Michigan State University.
Scott Hedrick’s family started Pro Athlete Sporting Goods in 1987 as a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer but he had a vision for even greater success via the internet just before the start of the 21st century. Hedrick led a successful digital transformation in sporting goods retail with ecommerce websites such as JustBats.com, JustGloves.com and the recent creation of JustPaddles.com for pickleball.
The use of ecommerce opened the door for Pro Athlete to do business throughout the country and in 2004 moved strictly to online sales. JustBats.com has been ranked in the top 10 for several years running in America’s Best Online Shops by Newsweek.
Hedrick has also set out to create a culture of excellence, innovation and community engagement at Pro Athlete. His leadership and mentorship have impacted many lives and Pro Athlete has been nominated and selected several times as one of the top companies to work for in the Kansas City area. In 2020, Pro Athlete and Hedrick won the prestigious Mr. K Small Business Award named after the late Kansas City Royals founder Ewing Kauffman.
Philanthropy has also been a significant part of Pro Athlete from the company’s involvement in a local adaptive sports program to its annual JustBats June Jam baseball tournament in Kansas City where thousands of dollars in prizes are donated to the champions and runner-ups of the event.
About the National Sporting Goods Association
Since 1929, the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) has been the leading voice and go-to resource for the sporting goods industry. NSGA helps the industry grow its businesses through research, advocacy and networking. For more information about membership or NSGA’s products and services, please visit nsga.org.
About the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame
NSGA created the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 1955 to honor sporting goods pioneers, innovators and leaders, while recognizing and encouraging continued excellence in the industry. Since the first induction in 1956, 188 men and women have been inducted.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2027 induction class. The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2026.
Nomination forms and information can be found at www.nsga.org/hall-of-fame.
Questions can be directed to Julie Pitts, Hall of Fame Committee secretary, at hof@nsga.org.
Topics
Scott Hedrick Pro Athlete Sporting Goods Class of 2026 Sam Barcelona Jr. Barcelona Sporting Goods Tim Boyle MC Sporting Goods Sporting Goods Industry Hall of FAme Mort Finkelstein Columbia Sportswear