Tebow, Chipper, Dunn entering Florida Sports HOF

Tim Tebow, Chipper Jones and Warrick Dunn highlight the 2017 Florida Sports Hall of Fame induction class.

The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 8 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach with a portion of the event proceeds benefitting hurricane and flood relief in Florida.

To be considered for induction into the Hall, a candidate must have either been born in the state of Florida or had significant portion of their careers occur within the state of Florida.

Joining Tebow, Jones and Dunn will be former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and former LPGA standout and Florida State graduate Colleen Walker.

In addition, the 1967 Coral Gables High School football team, declared the state’s “Team of the Century” by the Florida High School Athletic Association, will be honored on the 50th anniversary of its state and national championship run.

“Without question, this is one of the most talented, eclectic and accomplished classes in Florida Sports Hall of Fame history,” Florida State Hall of Fame president Barry Smith said. “The contributions these individuals have made within their chosen sport, to their communities, the nation and indeed on a worldwide stage, demand recognition and we are honored to welcome them as the newest members of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.”

Tim Tebow

Tebow played college football at the University of Florida, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2007. He played an instrumental role in helping the Gators to the 2006 National Championship as a freshman and was the starting quarterback for Florida’s 2008 national title campaign as a junior.

He was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and was named All-America three times.

Tebow played three years in the NFL, and he currently plays professional baseball in the New York Mets’ minor league organization for the St. Lucie Mets.

Larry “Chipper” Jones

A native of Pierson, Jones was the first pick overall in the 1990 Major League Draft by Atlanta, where he would go on to a 19-year career with the Braves.

His career totals included a batting average of .303 with 468 home runs and 1,623 RBI. Jones was the 1999 National League MVP in a season where he hit .319 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI.

He had 14 seasons with 20 or more home runs and nine seasons with 100-plus RBI. An eight-time all-star and a 1995 World Series Champion, Jones had his number “10” retired by the Atlanta Braves and is widely speculated to be a first ballot Hall of Fame selection in 2018.

Warrick Dunn

Dunn broke onto the national scene at Florida State University as a freshman in 1993 where he helped the Seminoles to its first national championship.

In four seasons, Dunn rushed for a then-school record 3,959 yards and earned first team All-America honors as a senior.

Dunn would go on to play 12 seasons in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Bucs (1997-2001, 2008) and the Atlanta Falcons (2002-07). Dunn’s 10,967 career rushing yards ranks 21st on the NFL all-time list. He also gained more than 4,300 yards receiving and scored 61 touchdowns in his career.

Dunn played in three pro bowls and was the winner of the 1997 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

He is equally known for his charitable works. Dunn founded the Home for the Holidays Program in 1997, which provides down payment assistance for single mothers to purchase homes. In 2005, he was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year for his works in the community.

Tim Finchem

A University of Virginia law school graduate and former White House aide in the Carter Administration, Finchem served as Commissioner of the PGA TOUR from 1994-2016.

The PGA’s headquarters is located in Palm Beach Gardens.

Finchem’s tenure included the creation of the FedExCup and Presidents Cup; formation of the International Federation of PGA Tours, World Golf Championships and World Golf Foundation; introduction of The First Tee youth initiative; creation of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.

He is also credited with taking a leading role in efforts to return golf to the Olympics for the 2016 Games in Brazil. He retired at the start of 2017.

Colleen Walker

A native of Jacksonville, Walker played collegiate golf at Florida State University where she was named the team’s most valuable golfer in both her junior and senior seasons (1977-78).

She went on to a professional career that included winning nine LPGA Tournaments, one of which was a major -- the 1997 du Maurier Ltd. Classic.

Walker passed away at age 56 after a lengthy and valiant battle with breast cancer in 2012.