The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (LHOF) is an hall of fame exhibit that honors the accomplishments of athletes, coaches and other sports figures in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located in a facility in the downtown historic district of the city of Natchitoches, the LHOF is part of the broader Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum – Natchitoches. The LHOF formally opened on June 28, 2013.[1]
The museum had been fifty-five years in search of a permanent home. Many of the artifacts had previously been stored at Prather Coliseum on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there were concerns that the proposed museum would be removed from the list of approved projects in 2005 by the Louisiana Bond Commission. However, then-state representative Taylor Townsend informed Hall of Fame executive director Doug Ireland that the sports museum, unlike other similar proposals, had survived the vetting process.
Natchitoches Mayor Lee Posey said the museum is a "tremendous" boost to Natchitoches-area tourism.[2] On June 28, 2013, the LHOF was officially opened.[1] Then-Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne, whose office handles state tourism matters, was on hand for the grand opening.
In 2016, Ronnie Rantz, a former Louisiana State University pitcher and sports broadcaster, was chosen to lead the Sports Hall of Fame.[3] In 2020, the exhibit postponed its induction ceremony for the Class of 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
The first inductees were named to the Hall of Fame in 1958.