Hall of Fame - Athletes

1986

DONALD LYONS

California

Basketball, Track - CSDS, UNLV, Oakland, Hollywood, WGD

An outstanding athlete in track and basketball during school days in Berkeley, Don was “All Everything” and top deaf player in the nation. Similarly he starred in both sports at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and had articles written about him, both in Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News, both of which are nationally known and circulated sports publications for the hearing world.

An outstanding towering and slim six foot-five forward during two seasons with University of Nevada at Las Vegas from 1967-69, Lyons averaged 15.9 points per game and helped lead the school now known as UNLV to a 43-14 record and two NCAA playoff appearances.

After being cut off by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1970, mostly because of his inability to hear, Lyons fought disappointment and continued playing basketball. He won gold medals in basketball in the World Games for the Deaf in 1973 in Malmo, Sweden and in 1977 in Bucharest, Romania. He won three silver medals in track in the 1965 International Games for the Deaf in Washington. He won sliver medals in both hurdle events, losing only to Deaf World Record holder, Skomarokhov of USSR.

Playing for four different teams over a 13 year span, he scored more than 900 points in American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD) competition in basketball, was on the All Star team 11 times, and was voted Most Valuable Player in 1977. Teams that he played for won six AAAD championships. In addition to twice being the leading scorer in an AAAD tournament, he always has been an outstanding defensive player, was leading rebounder in four tournaments. His exceptional leaping ability has helped him to block uncounted shots of opposing players. He holds the record of 124 points scored in three games in one tournament. In Northwest Association of the Deaf (NWAAD) competition, he was Most Valuable Player two times, while in the Farwest Association of the Deaf (FAAD), he was Most Valuable Player five times.