Jeter, Vitale, and Rampone Among 13 to be Inducted Into NJ Hall of Fame

Derek Jeter (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The New Jersey Hall of Fame, housed in a mobile museum that travels the state, will induct 13 new members at a ceremony on October 22 at Convention Hall in Asbury Park. Among those being inducted are three prominent sports figures with ties to the Garden State; Derek Jeter, Christie Rampone, and Dick Vitale.

Former New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter was born 41 years ago today in Pequannock Township, New Jersey. The Jeter’s lived in New Jersey until they moved to Michigan when Derek was four years old. The 14-time All-Star and 5-time World Series Champion finished his career with a .310 average.

Christie Rampone grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It was right here where Rampone developed into one of the best woman soccer players in the country. Rampone was a four-sport athlete at Point Pleasant Boro High School and became a very highly recruited star. She decided to attend Monmouth University where she would play soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. During her senior year, Rampone stepped away from basketball in order to train with the United States Women’s National Soccer Team. She still plays both professionally and internationally as a member of the Sky Blue FC and US Women’s National Team. Rampone currently sits second on the all-time caps list.

Dick Vitale is arguably the best college basketball sportscaster of all-time. Vitale was born in Passaic, New Jersey and spend a lot of his life right here in the Garden State. His first coaching job came at an elementary school in Garfield, NJ. He then moved on to the high school ranks at Garfield High School and East Rutherford High School. After eight years of coaching high school ball, Vitale moved on to the college ranks as an assistant coach at Rutgers University. He would then be hired as the head coach at the University of Detroit. Vitale spent one season as a head coach in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons. After that season, he took up broadcasting and as been a staple in the industry ever since. There’s no doubt Vitale would say, “It’s awesome baby!” in reaction to his being inducted to the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Other 2015 inductees include comedian Jon Stewart, the musical group Kool and the Gang, writers James Fenimore Cooper and Anna Quindlen, and the late U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs, Fox Studio founder William Fox, Morgan Stanley executive Carla Harris, and philanthropists Lewis Katz and Bernard Marcus also will be honored.