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The Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Hall of Fame Committee selected two individuals to enter the Gold Medal Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Sims and Willburn join Hall of Fame 040107 sports 2 JuneauEmpire The Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Hall of Fame Committee selected two individuals to enter the Gold Medal Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Sims and Willburn join Hall of Fame

Class of 2007 features broadcaster, player

The Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Hall of Fame Committee selected two individuals to enter the Gold Medal Hall of Fame on Saturday.

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Class of 2007 inductees Bob Sims and Ed Willburn became the 97th and 98th inductees.

Sims becomes just the fifth play-by-play radio announcer to reach the Hall of Fame.

Sims has been broadcasting Gold Medal games for KINY radio for 32 years, starting in 1975. This year, Sims broadcast nearly every game by himself.

In total, Sims has done play-by-play for more than 350 games.

While many fans recognize his voice every March, many more surely see him wearing a referee's shirt.

Sims is among the most active officials in town. He refereed Gold Medal games from 1983-87 and also officiates high school volleyball, basketball, softball and football games in town.

Willburn posthumously enters the Hall of Fame as one of the tournament's most accomplished players.

"It's important that we do something to honor his memory," former teammate and Hall of Fame member Dewey Skan said.

Willburn played a key role in the Klawock Totems' success in the 1980s.

Willburn was named tournament MVP when his Totems won the 1985 Mighty B championship.

He played in 11 Mighty B Gold Medals in all and helped lead Klawock to second-place finishes in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1988.

He was an All Tournament selection in 1981, 1982, 1985 and 1988 and won the sportsmanship award in 1990.

"He understood the game well," Skan said. "We'd have chalk-talks in our room and he'd implement the strategy and all I'd have to do is call timeouts."



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