InducteesAlf Van Hoose

For over 40 years, the Van Hoose byline was one of the most recognized in the South, appearing in the Birmingham News. He was a major force in recording day-to-day history of sports, the South, and the United States. Van Hoose joined the Birmingham News sports staff after a distinguished military career in World War II. He served as assistant sports editor and award-winning baseball writer for the Birmingham News in the era of the Birmingham Barons. Van Hoose also covered SEC football with distinction, the World Series, pioneered major league coverage and covered numerous special events. He became sports editor in 1969 and served until retirement in 1990.