The Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame was originated by Walt Gamage, longtime sports editor of the Palo Alto Times. Gamage, who had previously worked on a number of neighborhood newspapers in the Chicago area, moved to Palo Alto in 1944 and quickly became interested in Stanford sports.
In early 1954, Gamage set out to organize a Hall of Fame. The first class of inductees, including 34 of the greatest names in Stanford sports history, was announced in a full-page spread in the Palo Alto Times on December 21, 1954.
The Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame totals 470 individuals (including 32 multi-sport athletes), most recently including the Class of 2023: Joe Borchard (baseball/football), Kori Carter (women's track and field), Grace Luczak (women's rowing), Nicole Gibbs (women's tennis), Paul Goldstein (men's tennis), Lauren Lappin (softball), Arthur Lee (men's basketball), Andrew Luck (football), Melissa Seidemann (women's water polo) and Tom Wilkens (men's swimming and diving).
Student-athletes are eligible for induction 10 years after their final competition season.