Want to start an argument? Just talk about who does and doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame.

Well, here are the athletes who were inducted into the halls for football, baseball, basketball and hockey in 2012. Were these selections deserving or dubious? We're sure there's no shortage of opinion.

2012 Sports Hall Of Fame Inductees Slideshow

 

Barry Larkin

The 12-time All-Star shortstop played 19 seasons, all with the Reds, hitting .295 with 2,340 hits, 1,329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases. He also won an MVP award and a World Series championship.

 

Ron Santo

Santo spent 15 years in the majors, all in Chicago (14 with the Cubs, one with the White Sox). He was an All-Star nine times and won five Gold Gloves.

 

Curtis Martin

Martin retired with 14,101 rushing yards, fourth on the all-time list. He became the NFL's oldest single-season rushing leader wtih 1,697 yards in 2004 when he was 31.

 

Chris Doleman

Doleman had eight seasons of 10 sacks or more, including 21 in 1989. He was NFC defensive player of the year in 1992 with 14.5 sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a safety.

 

Dermontti Dawson

Dawson, who replaced Hall of Fame center Mike Webster on the Steelers' line, earned first-team All-Pro six consecutive seasons (1993-1998). His streak of 170 games played is the second longest in franchise history.

 

Willie Roaf

Roaf made it to 11 Pro Bowls, and he was named first-team All-Pro seven times (four with the Saints, three with the Chiefs).

 

Cortez Kennedy

The third overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft, Kennedy made eight Pro Bowls as a defensive tackle for the Seahawks. He was selected to NFL's All-Decade Team of 1990s.

 

Jack Butler

Butler played nine seasons for the Steelers in the 1950s, and his 52 interceptions at the time of his retirement ranked second on the all-time list.

 

Joe Sakic

Sakic was captain for Colorado's two Stanley Cup championship teams in 1996 and 2001. He was MVP on the 2002 Olympics when he helped Canada win the gold.

 

Mats Sundin

Sundin is the Maple Leafs' all-time leader in goals (420) and points (987). He is just the second Swede to be inducted to the Hall of Fame (Borje Salming). He was also captain for Sweden's gold-medal team at the 2006 Olympics.

 

Pavel Bure

The Russian Rocket had back-to-back 60-goal seasons for the Canucks near the beginning of his career. Then he had consecutive seasons of 58 and 59 goals for the Panthers during an era when defense was dominant.

 

Adam Oates

Oates was one of the NHL's premier playmakers. His 1,079 assists ranked fifth all time at the time of his retirement, and he was the only center who played on a line with three different 50-goal scorers: Brett Hull, Cam Neely and Peter Bondra.

 

Reggie Miller

One of the NBA's greatest shooters (long distance, clutch or otherwise) played 18 seasons with the Pacers. He led Indiana to its only appearance in the NBA Finals in 2000.

 

Mel Daniels

Daniels was one of those legends who spent nearly his entire career in the old ABA. The big man helped the Pacers win three titles and was twice league MVP.

 

Katrina McClain

McClain was part of three U.S. Olympic teams, and won two gold medals, including in 1996 when she was the team's top rebounder.

 

Don Nelson

After 14 NBA seasons as a player, Nelson went to become the league's all-time leader in coaching wins with 1,335. Although he never won a title as a coach, Nelson was known for his innovations and ability to exploit mismatches.

 

Ralph Sampson

At 7-4, Sampson was dominant player at Virginia. His NBA career was derailed because of injuries, but he was the All-Star Game MVP in 1985 and helped the Rockets reach the NBA Finals in 1986.

 

Chet Walker

Walker was a seven-time All-Star and the starting small forward for the 1966-67 76ers that went 68-13 and won the NBA championship.

 

Jamaal Wilkes

Nicknamed "Silk" for his smooth style of play, Wilkes won two NCAA titles with UCLA and four NBA titles (Warriors, Lakers).

previous next

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to read them first!