Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Welcomes Three Iconic Figures in Class of 2025

CONTACT
Julie Pitts, NSGA Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Secretary
hof@nsga.org
(847) 296-6742, ext. 1180

DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS (September 3, 2024) – The Class of 2025 of the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame features three inductees who made significant contributions to different segments of the industry.

John Cardinal (Cardinal’s Sporting Goods), Chris Considine (Wilson Sporting Goods) and E.J. “Ned” Hamilton (Peter Glenn Ski & Sports) will join 185 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 Cardinal, Considine and Hamilton were made by the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee at its annual meeting in May.

“The Class of 2025 is a phenomenal group of inductees who made great contributions to the industry,” said Gordon Geiger, Chairman of the NSGA Board of Directors. “Welcoming them to the Hall of Fame is a huge thrill and it’s wonderful to see them recognized and honored for their accomplishments and careers.”

The Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will be held May 20, 2025 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the site of the NSGA 2025 Leadership Conference. Details on attending will be announced soon.

John Cardinal

John N. “Johnny” Cardinal never forgot his challenging upbringing in his effort to make sure all young athletes had the opportunity to participate in sports.

Cardinal, who passed away in 2013 at 87, was part of a family of six that grew up in a one-room farmhouse in northwestern Texas and became an iconic figure in the state through Cardinal’s Sport Center.

Cardinal played football at West Texas State College and had a background in education as a coach and principal before he became a partner and road salesman at Buck’s Sporting Goods in Amarillo, Texas in 1959.  In 1968, he sold his stock in Buck’s, purchased the Sport Center in Lubbock and changed the name to Cardinal’s. The retail aspect of the business was successful and grew to four stores but John Cardinal’s passion was always on the team dealer side of the industry. He had a huge heart for young athletes and would donate shoes, equipment and support to any kid who needed help.

Cardinal’s, now known as QuarterFour, became a family business as his son Tony and grandson John also became involved.

After retirement, Johnny Cardinal started a weekly group for active and retired coaches to meet at Cardinal’s Coffee Shop and trade old stories. Cardinal was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Lubbock Independent School District Hall of Honor’s Class of 2017.

Chris Considine

Chris Considine’s philosophy of “honor the past and lead to the future” served him well in his 40-plus years in the sporting goods industry. Considine joined Wilson Sporting Goods in 1982 after graduating from Miami (Ohio) University as a sales planning assistant and accelerated the company’s success in a variety of executive roles that included serving as President from 2005-14.

Considine also served Wilson as Vice President Sales & Promotion, General Manager of Footwear and President of the Team Sports Division. He accelerated product innovation, secured multiple adoptions and endorsements and focused Wilson on what sporting goods consumers and customers needed. Wilson secured multiple technology patents and launched game-changing products such as the Solution and Evolution basketballs, the GST football and the revitalized A2000 baseball glove franchise under his leadership.

Connections between Wilson and professional and collegiate athletes were also strengthened under Considine’s leadership with the signings of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Greg Maddux and Mike Krzyzewski to endorsement contracts. Tennis stars such as Roger Federer and Serena and Venus Williams were signed to the Wilson advisory staff.

Considine founded Onward Advising in 2014 and has been the CEO at True Sports since 2020.

He has led revenue growth as True Temper golf shafts are the No. 1 brand on the PGA Tour, True Hockey is the fastest-growing hockey brand and 44Pro custom ball gloves are used by professional and collegiate players. Considine has also been committed to keeping manufacturing jobs in the United States and served on the advisory board of the Positive Coaching Alliance.

E.J. “Ned” Hamilton

Selling snow sports equipment to Florida snowbirds would not appear to be a great business model.

E.J. “Ned” Hamilton proved otherwise as he opened multiple Peter Glenn Ski & Sports shops in the Sunshine State and in Georgia, Arizona, California and Alaska. Hamilton also made tremendous contributions to skiing growth.

In 1958, Hamilton owned a men’s clothing shop and coached a women’s college ski team in Vermont. A local sporting goods store refused to carry ski equipment so Hamilton stocked it in the basement of his store and as that department grew he named it after his son, Peter Glenn Hamilton. Ned Hamilton expanded the business with franchise stores and area shops throughout Vermont before he moved to Florida in 1975.

Hamilton created the Consolidated Buying Associates (CBA) of 20 retailers in 23 states to make skiing and snowboarding more accessible to the public and help build participation. These stores brought a high level of customer service that helped ensure new participants had a good snow sports experience and increased the chances of creating lifelong enthusiasts.

Hamilton has also dedicated his time to the industry as the chairman of the National Sporting Goods Association Board of Directors in 1972 and his election to the Snowsports Merchandising Corporation Board of Directors in 2004. Snowsports Industries Association (SIA) honored him with its Retailer of the Year award and the SIA Industry Achievement Award in 2008.

About the National Sporting Goods Association

Since 1929, the National Sporting Goods Association has been the leading voice and go-to resource for sporting goods retailers and dealers. NSGA helps the industry grow the business 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, 185men and women have been inducted. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 induction class. The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2025. 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.