Event bringing Barry Sanders, Lynette Woodard and Jim Ryun back to Wichita postponed
An event that was going to gather 150 of the greatest high school athletes in Wichita history together at Koch Arena has been postponed until next summer due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, organizer League 42 announced Friday.
What once was billed as “150 for 150,” to celebrate Wichita’s 150th birthday, has been renamed “151 for 151” and will be held at Koch Arena on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021.
The event is still scheduled to host the likes of all-time great athletes like Barry Sanders, Jim Ryun and Lynette Woodard.
“I’ve always considered it shortsighted that we, as a city, have neglected to truly appreciate the great athletes who have come out of our high schools,” said Bob Lutz, League 42 founder, in a news release. “It could be argued that Barry Sanders is the greatest football player in history, that Lynette Woodard is the greatest women’s basketball player in history and that Jim Ryun is the greatest middle-distance runner in history, especially at the high school level. And they all grew up within blocks of one another in our city. Not to mention the many other great athletes we have produced. It’s time to shine a light on the accomplishments of these tremendous athletes and people.”
Tables and sponsorships are available by contacting league42wichita@gmail.com. General admission tickets, starting at $20, for seating in the Koch Arena bowl will go on sale at a later date. Lutz said he will also be compiling a printed event-day program that will feature information on all of the athletes.
League 42 has been working in partnership with Visit Wichita, Wichita State athletics, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and It Takes A Village to coordinate the event. Lutz, a former long-time sports columnist at The Eagle, has been in charge of selecting the 151 athletes to be recognized.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 11:28 AM.
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