The Ahepan Spring 2020 - 31

ATHLETICS

AHEPA Celebrates Karras' Pro-Football Hall of Fame Selection
AHEPA expressed its elation at the news of former Pro Football
Player Alex Karras' posthumous selection to the Pro-Football
Hall of Fame and conveyed its congratulations to the Karras family, announced Supreme President George G. Horiates. The ProFootball Hall of Fame announced Karras' election on January
15, 2020.
"All Greek Americans who grew up loving sports, know that
Alex Karras was the gold standard," Horiates said. "He was one
of the greatest defensive linemen of his era and also wore his
Greek heritage proudly on his sleeve."
He added, "AHEPA takes pride in Karras' election especially
because of his induction in the AHEPA Hellenic Athletic Hall of
Fame's Inaugural Class of 1974."
AHEPA has long advocated for Karras' inclusion in the ProFootball Hall of Fame and served as an official nominator and supporter of Karras' candidacy to the Pro-Football Hall of Fame and
its voting panel when nominations opened in September 2019.
Horiates commended the AHEPA Athletics Committee,
chaired by National Athletic Director Chris Atsaves and

Committee Member Gregory Stamos, past supreme counselor,
for their perseverance and vision to drive this issue for AHEPA
in recent years in order to keep Karras' memory alive and recognize him for all that he accomplished.
"Alex is one of the pillars of Greek American athletics, being
in the storied inaugural AHEPA Hall of Fame Class along with
greats such as Jim Londos, Milt Pappas, and Harry Agganis,"
National Athletic Director Atsaves said.
Karras, a defensive tackle, was a member of the NFL's 1960s
all-decade team and made four Pro Bowls. During his 15-year
career, Karras missed only one game. Although sacks were not
kept as a stat, it is estimated Karras tallied between 100 and 110
career sacks.
Karras is the patriarch of a respected football family. His
younger brothers, John and Ted, also were former National
Football League standouts. They joined Alex in the AHEPA
Hellenic Athletic Hall of Fame. Additionally, Alex's his grandnephew, Ted Karras, is the starting Center for the New England
Patriots.

Ivy League Honors HoF Member Leondis
Steve Leondis, a member of the AHEPA Hellenic Athletic Hall of
Fame, was selected for induction into the Legends of Ivy League
Basketball, Class of 2020.
According to a statement from The Ivy League, "These
Legends contributed significantly to - and left a lasting impact
on - their respective basketball programs, universities and chosen professions."
Leondis starred for the Yale Bulldogs from 1979 to 1983. He
was a three-time All-Ivy selection and was the 1980 Ivy League

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THE AHEPAN · Spring 2020

Rookie of the Year. Leondis finished his career with 1,540 career
points to rank fifth in program history.
Leondis is a sponsor of an AHEPA Athletics scholar-athlete
scholarship and has travelled with AHEPA All-star basketball
teams to Greece. In 2006, Leondis founded "Hoops on the Hill"
a not-for-profit organization based in Long Island, New York,
whose mission is to empower and encourage at-risk teenagers
and develop their God-given potential.

Next Deadline:

May 1, 2020
www.ahepa.org

http://www.ahepa.org

The Ahepan Spring 2020

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