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⚠️ Please Note: This article was published in 2024. Visit our Events Calendar to view current upcoming events.
Article by Elena Ferrarin
Communications Coordinator
Northbrook Park District
Two phenomenal athletes and two exceptional volunteers will be inducted into the Northbrook Park District’s Hall of Fame on Thursday.
Baseball player Doug Rader and cyclist Dee Dee Scadron will be inducted into the 2024 Sports Hall of Fame. Community and park district volunteer Oscar Dahl, and baseball coach and volunteer Samuel Einhorn will be inducted into the 2024 Volunteer Hall of Fame.
“We are so glad to have the chance to honor these outstanding athletes and volunteers, whose achievements and dedication serve as an example to us all,” said Park District Hall of Fame Committee Chairman and Board Commissioner Michael Schyman. “We look forward to hosting them at next week’s induction ceremony in the clubhouse of our beautiful Heritage Oaks Golf Club.”
The 2024 inductees have distinguished themselves over the years for their personal and professional accomplishments in a variety of ways.
A native of Northbrook, Doug Rader is a graduate of Glenbrook North High School opens in new tab and Illinois Wesleyan University opens in new tab who played professionally as a Major League Baseball opens in new tab third baseman with the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays from 1967 to 1977. He won five straight Gold Glove Awards from 1970 to 1974. Later in his career, he managed the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and California Angels from 1983 to 1991.
Dee Dee Scadron, a resident of Northbrook since 1993, competed in road and track cycling events across the United States, England, Italy and Austria from 1973 to 2003. She is a three-time gold medalist in the UCI opens in new tab (Union Cycliste Internationale) Masters World Championships, where she set three records, and earned first place in USAC National Championships and USAC Illinois State Championships. She served as a USA Cycling opens in new tab official from 2006 to 2018, and helped give back to the sport by helping riders develop their skills and being active with the Northbrook Bicycle Club and the Northbrook Cycle Committee opens in new tab.
A resident of Northbrook since 1964, Oscar Dahl served on the Northbrook Park District board of commissioners for 20 years from 1987 through 2007, including two years as president. He coached youth hockey and baseball for many years, and started the park district’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He was also president of the Illinois Association of Park Districts opens in new tab, on whose board he served from 1994 to 2001. In 1999, he started the “2,000 trees by 2000” tree planting program in Illinois that has since yielded 500,000 new trees. In 2006, he received the IAPD Chairman’s Citation for Steadfast Leadership in Parks and Recreation.
Samuel Einhorn, who has lived in Northbrook since 1979, served as head coach for Northbrook Junior League baseball from 1979 to 1994. For 12 of those years, he also served as commissioner for the organization and established some of the group’s first fundraising programs. He actively helped raise funds by increasing business sponsorships and selling baseball jackets alongside his wife. His efforts helped ensure the continuation of all-star facilities at Village Green Park and travel to games at Thillens Stadium opens in new tab in Chicago.
The Northbrook Park District’s Hall of Fame has recognized about 70 volunteers and athletes over the last four decades. The effort started in 1978 by honoring volunteers who significantly improved the quality of park district programs or facilities. It was expanded in 1995 to include athletes who are from Northbrook or who have used park district facilities as their primary training location.
The most recent sports inductees were professional hockey player J.T. Compher, Olympic speed skaters Brian Hansen and Lana Gehring, and Olympic hockey player Jesse Compher. Longtime baseball coaches Gus Locallo and Stuart Spiegel were the latest volunteer inductees.
The 2024 induction ceremony will take place at 6pm on Thursday, October 17 in the Brook Room of Heritage Oaks Golf Club.
The event will include a presentation featuring individual recognition of each new Hall of Fame member and will be streamed live at on the Hall of Fame page of the Northbrook Park District website.