Kilgour, Stroup, Tucker Voted into NLL Hall of Fame
from press release
The National Lacrosse League has announced the members of its
Hall of Fame Class of 2010: Rich Kilgour, Dan Stroup and John
Tucker. The Class of 2010 will mark the fifth class of the
league’s Hall of Fame, which inducted its Founding Members in
2006. The three new members received the highest number of
votes among the six nominees for this year’s Hall of Fame
Class. The Hall of Fame ballots were cast by the
league’s member clubs, current members of the league’s
Hall of Fame and senior members of the league’s covering
media.
Rich Kilgour had an 18-year playing career (1992-2009), all with
the Buffalo Bandits. At the time of his retirement, he had
played in 18 of the league’s 23 seasons of history. His
team’s made the playoffs 13 times and won four championships
(1992, ‘93, ‘96 & 2008). The 1993 champion
Bandits were the only team to go undefeated through the regular
season and playoffs (10-0) in league history. Kilgour played in 200
career regular season games as a forward and faceoff man for the
the Bandits, scoring 317 career points (94 goals, 223
assists). Kilgour was a leader, as he served as Bandits
captain for twelve seasons from 1998 to 2009.
Rich Kilgour joins his brother Darris Kilgour, who was inducted
into the Hall of Fame in 2007. “As much as you can play
by yourself, you’re only going to be as good as your
teammates on most nights. We had some great leaders here in the
beginning in Derek Keenan, Kevin Alexander and Bob Hamley. I
learned a lot from those guys and hopefully I passed it along to
the guys I played with later”, said Rich Kilgour, after being
informed that he had been voted into the NLL Hall of Fame earlier
today.
Both Rich Kilgour and Dan Stroup were voted into the Hall of Fame
in their first season of eligibility.
Dan Stroup played 13 seasons in the league (Baltimore, Toronto,
Vancouver, Colorado, Edmonton and Portland). Stroup is currently
12th on the league's all-time goal scoring list with 294. In 182
career regular season games, Stroup scored 294 goals and 235
assists for 529 points. A durable and dependable player, he was in
the lineup for all but four games (182 out of a possible 186)
during his thirteen seasons. He played some of his best lacrosse in
the playoffs, scoring 30 goals and 13 assists (43 points) in 14
career playoff games over eight seasons of playoff appearances. He
played on four championship-winning teams, winning three titles in
Toronto (1999, 2000 & 2002) and one in Colorado (2006). Stroup
continues to serve the game as an Assistant Coach for the
Washington Stealth.
“This is amazing. I was shocked and surprised”,
said Stroup, upon being notified that he would be entering the Hall
of Fame. “I never could never have imagined this. I am
just getting over retiring and not playing, and this is
incredible.”
“I’d like to remembered from my playing career as a
good team guy. In a sport like ours, that’s what’s it
all about. You can’t win with just all-stars. Teams are
made of 23 guys”, commented Stroup, who said the
championships and the friends he’s made playing the game are
what he cherishes most from his NLL playing career.
The wait for John Tucker was a bit longer, but the current Wings
assistant coach is thrilled and deeply honored to be part of the
Class of 2010.
Tucker, an original player in the league, played from 1987-1994.
Tucker played his first six seasons with the Philadelphia Wings and
his last two seasons with the Baltimore Thunder. He played 47 games
with the Wings from 1987-1992 and was first team all-pro each of
the first three seasons the honor was given (1990, 1991, 1992). He
led the league in scoring in the inaugural 1987 season with 26
points. In his 47 games with the Wings, Tucker scored 78
goals, and 96 assists for 174 points. A member of two league
championship teams (Wings 1989, 1990) Tucker scored 24 points on
eight goals and 16 assists in the playoffs. He was the 1989
Championship Game MVP scoring a goal and adding four assists in an
11-10 win over New York. Tucker became a head coach in 1997,
leading Baltimore to the championship series in 1998. After a
four year stint as a head coach in Baltimore & Pittsburgh from
1997-2000, Tucker has returned to the league in 2010 as an
assistant coach with the Wings.
“All the guys like myself who played at the beginning years
of the league, our goal was to help create something that would
take hold and establish an opportunity for the next generation of
players. I am extremely proud to be part of that”, said
Tucker. “I can’t begin to explain how thrilled
and humbled I am by my selection to the NLL Hall of
Fame”.
The date and location for the Hall of Fame ceremonies will be
announced in the coming days. For more information on the
National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame, please visit
www.NLLHallofFame.com.
