LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three native Kentuckians from bygone eras will soon be inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF). The hall of fame's Class of 2020 consists of:

• Pete Browning, a dominant slugger from the early MLB days and the namesake of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat;
• Anna May Hutchison, a star sidearm pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), made famous in the film A League of Their Own, and;
• Clarence "Cave" Wilson, a collegiate basketball star and longest-tenured player-coach for the Harlem Globetrotters in the 1950-60s.

The announcement was made Thursday by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC). The 2020 KSHOF class was honored at a press briefing on Feb. 4, 2021, at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory in downtown Louisville.

“Pete Browning, Anna May Hutchison and Clarence Wilson are fabulous additions to the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame,” said LSC President and CEO Karl F. Schmitt Jr. “All three were superstars in their chosen profession and we’re thrilled to recognize their contributions to sports and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. And we are thankful for the financial support from our primary sponsor that goes a long way in ensuring the KSHOF continues to recognize women and men who exceled at the highest levels.”

Louisville native Pete Browning was a star player in the 1880s and 1890s, winning three batting titles during a .341/.403/.467 lifetime batting average.

“Hillerich & Bradsby Co. tips its cap to the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame for inducting Pete Browning, one of baseball’s earliest, greatest and most underappreciated superstars,” said Anne Jewell, vice president and executive director of the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. “His accomplishments on the diamond are remarkable, and his tie to the beloved Louisville Slugger brand is undeniable. Bestowing this honor upon him rightfully places Browning in the line-up of Kentucky’s sports legends.”

Another Louisville native, Anna May Hutchison was a star pitcher in the AAGPBL, made famous in the 1992 film A League of Their Own. In 1947, she set records for most wins (27), most shutouts (12) and most innings pitched (360), and pitched two, 19-inning games.

“Seventy-five years ago this spring, a young woman was approached by her manager to demonstrate a sidearm pitching motion for the president of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League,” said Dr. Kat D. Williams, president of the International Women’s Baseball Center. “By season’s end, Louisville’s Anna May Hutchison had rewritten the record books for pitchers in the AAGPBL, including pitching the league’s only nine-inning no-hitter in an astonishing 51 appearances. She was honored as an All-Star and led her Racine (WI) Belles to their second league championship in just four years. ‘Hutch’ was a champion, and it is fitting that she is being recognized a part of Kentucky’s sport heritage.”

After turning down an opportunity to play in the big leagues, Horse Cave native Clarence "Cave" Wilson traveled around the globe playing and coaching the Harlem Globetrotters.

“Our dad would be honored to have been recognized for achievements that he viewed as nothing more than natural gifts,” said Clarence Wilson Jr., spokesperson for the family. “He never once bragged about his unique skills or wins in sports; he just played for the love of the game. Abe Saperstein (founder and earliest coach of the Harlem Globetrotters) called, which began a 15-year career playing basketball around the world for a kid from Horse Cave, Ky.”