The Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ( CMSA ) will hold its first Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 31 at Spyners Pub, 4623 N. Western, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The very first group to be inducted consists of Peg Grey, Marcia Hill, Jimmy McKinzey, Sam Molinaro and Dick Uyvari.
Grey, one of the most important and pioneering activists in Chicago's LGBT community, passed away Feb. 24 of complications from cancer at the age of 61. Among her many other accomplishments, she was the first female co-chair of the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ) , which was officially formed after Gay Games II. Grey also participated in every Gay Games since 1986, including last summer in Chicago, and she helped to create The Race Against AIDS ( Proud to Run ) , an annual event held during Pride Week.
To say that Hill is an integral part of the CMSA would be an understatement. She has served in every position on the organization's board of directors: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer—not to mention a participant and official. She also founded the CMSA's women's flag football league in 1988.
McKinzey was instrumental in the start up of the CMSA men's volleyball league. He was the commissioner from 1982 to 1992, and was on the CMSA board of directors from 1984 to 1987. McKinzey also founded and ran the Chicago Fall Classic Volleyball tournament held over Thanksgiving until a few years ago, and brought the NAGVA ( North American Gay Volleyball Association ) tournaments held in Chicago in 1985, 1986, 1990 and 1991. McKinzey was a player, team manager, league director and an official.
Molinaro is also a local sports pioneer. Among other things, he co-founded the Gay Athletic Association, which eventually became the CMSA. He was president of the association during the years 1979-91.
Uyvari, who was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2006, has been an athlete, real-estate investor, and philanthropist. For almost three decades, he has been many things to the LGBT sports community, including a fundraiser, director and competitor.