INDIANAPOLIS —Peyton Manning won't be the only player from his great Indianapolis Colts teams that will be immortalized in bronze.
The Children's Museum in Indianapolis on Tuesday announced that former Colts great wide receiver Reggie Wayne will be among 16 sports figures being recognized with a statue at the facility's new Sports Legends Avenue of Champions in Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience, which opens next spring.
According to the Children’s Museum, the experience is intended to inspire visitors with individuals "who have left a significant impression on sports history, who have defied odds" and "who have given back."
Here's what they wrote about Wayne's selection:
*Reggie Wayne
Wide receiver Reggie Wayne was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, and helped the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI with a 53-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of the championship game. He was initially drafted by the Colts in the first round in 2001. By the end of his playing career in 2014, Wayne's name was in the record books multiple times. He was seventh all-time in NFL career receptions (1,070), eighth with 14,345 career receiving yards and 22nd all-time in career touchdown receptions with 82. Wayne was selected as the wide receiver for USA Football's 2012 and 2014 All-Fundamentals Teams, which honor 26 NFL players each year for executing the fundamentals of their position. Accolades were nothing new to Wayne who was a four-year starter at the University of Miami and set a school record of 173 career catches, including 36 consecutive games with a reception. Wayne retired in 2016 and can now be seen/heard on the NFL Network where his attention to detail continues to fascinate fans.*
Wayne wrote on Twitter Tuesday that, "I am truly honored to be part" of the Sports Legends experience:
Fifteen other athletic legends, each of whom have Hoosier ties, were also selected for the honor:
• DeMarcus Beasley (soccer)
• Larry Bird (basketball)
• Tamika Catchings (basketball)
• Indianapolis Clowns' players Henry "Hank" Aaron, Mamie "Peanut" Johnson and Marcenia Lyle "Toni" Stone (baseball)
• Pete and Alice Dye (golf)
• A.J. Foyt (racing)
• Wayne Gretzky (hockey)
• Bobby "Slick" Leonard (basketball)
• Reggie Miller (basketball)
• Oscar Robertson (basketball)
• Wilma Rudolph (track and field)
• Barbara Wynne (tennis)
And in other statue news, of course, the Colts will be unveiling their own statue of Manning on Saturday, Oct. 7 outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. The quarterback's No. 18 will be retired and he'll be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime of the next day's game against the San Francisco 49ers
