The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame marked its 26th year of honoring South Bay sports legends by inducting four new members.
The inductees hail from the upper echelon of collegiate, professional and/or Olympic competition. Although from different sports in different eras, they have made a lasting impact both on and off the field of play.
How to Watch the Induction Ceremony
Tune in to NBC Bay Area at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, to see the Bay Area sports legends get honored.
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The ceremony took place on Nov. 16 at the SAP Center in San Jose.
San Jose Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Inductees
- James Jones (Football), three-sport athlete at Gunderson High School and standout WR at San Jose State University who became a top receiver in the NFL and won Super Bowl XLV as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
- Mark Purdy (Sports writing), award-winning sports columnist at the San Jose Mercury News for 33 years whose keen opinions and incisive prose not only became must-reads for sports.
- Summer Sanders (Swimming), multi-titled NCAA champion swimmer at Stanford University whose long list of achievements also includes a four-medal performance (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games.
- George Seifert (Football), San Francisco native whose coaching career includes two stints at Stanford University and 17 years with the San Francisco 49ers; Seifert won five Super Bowl rings during his tenure with the Niners, including two as the Head Coach (SB XXIV and SB XXIX).
How Will Inductees be Recognized?
Each inductee will be recognized with a bronze plaque permanently installed on the concourse at the SAP Center in San Jose. Including the 2021 inductees, there will be 118 South Bay sports icons enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The annual induction is an event of the San Jose Sports Authority, San Jose Arena Authority, SAP Center Management/San Jose Sharks, and the City of San José. The event benefits Special Olympics Northern California and high school sports programs.
