BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum is bringing four world-class Olympians to the museum as part of a month-long lecture series called “Olympic Glory.” The program will inspire conversations about the role of sports in American culture and how the values of discipline, determination, sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, perseverance, and doing your personal best mirror the values necessary to achieve success in everyday life.

“Olympic Glory” is supported through a Rebirth Grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and the Friends of Louisiana Sports and History (FLASH). Please join us for a lively conversation between Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Chairman and FLASH president Doug Ireland and Olympians Hollis Conway, Timothy Dement, Danielle Scott-Arruda, and Warren Morris as they discuss what it means to be a world-class athlete.

Free and open to the public, the on-site lecture series will take place every Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., May 8-May 29, 2021, at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, 800 Front Street, Natchitoches, LA. The schedule of conversations for “Olympic Glory” is as follows:

  • May 8: Hollis Conway
  • May 15: Timothy Dement
  • May 22: Danielle Scott-Arruda
  • May 29: Warren Morris

Recordings of each program will be posted on the Louisiana State Museum Facebook page and the Friends of Louisiana Sports and History Facebook page. Be sure to “like” and follow both pages for more details. For a complete schedule of museum events, check out the calendar at LouisianaStateMuseum.org.

Two-time Olympian Hollis Conway took home the silver medal in the men’s high jump at the 1988 Games in Seoul and the bronze medal in the men’s high jump at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Conway won ten USA championship titles (five outdoor, five indoor) and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1990 and 1991. In 2004, this Shreveport, LA, native was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Timothy Dement is a former American amateur boxer and Bossier, LA, native. He competed in the flyweight division at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Dement, a 17-year-old underdog, beat Bobby Hunter during the 1972 Olympic trials in the flyweight class, shocking the world. He finished ninth overall at the 1972 Olympic Games, losing his second bout to Calixto Pérez.

Danielle Scott-Arruda has two Olympic silver medals in volleyball, one at the 2008 Beijing Games and another at the 2012 London Games. She was a key member of Team USA for an unprecedented five consecutive Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012). She earned a spot on the USA Volleyball elite team for 19 years, competing in more than 400 matches and winning 20 medals. She is one of only four volleyball players from any nation to compete in five Olympics. The Baton Rouge, LA, native was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Warren Morris is a former college and Major League Baseball player and Alexandria, LA, native who took home the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He is most remembered for his two-out, ninth-inning, walk-off home run, which helped the LSU Tigers win the 1996 College World Series. The bat used in that game now hangs in the LSU Hall of Fame. He made his major league debut in 1999, going from non-roster invitee in spring training to starting second baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates early in the season.

The Olympic Games, more than any other athletic competition, unite humanity while demonstrating cultural values that are both historic and part of American culture today. Ingrained in our memories and cultural traditions, sports can serve as a bridge between people of diverse backgrounds as they work towards a common goal of victory for their community, team, and country. Coming from diverse backgrounds, athletes will share their personal stories and discuss how their participation in sports and the Olympics helped them develop the skills they needed to succeed in other aspects of life.

This program is funded under a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, 800 Front Street, Natchitoches, is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for students, seniors, and active duty military, and free for children six and younger. For more information, visit LouisianaStateMuseum.org.