SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A pair of basketball players with Lima connections are on the ballot for the Veterans Committee of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
Cleo Vaughn, who moved to Lima from Alabama at an early age, graduated from Lima Central High School in 1952. He played college basketball at Ohio State, becoming the first Black athlete to earn a scholarship, start and earn a varsity letter with the Buckeyes. He later returned to Lima, working as a social worker. He died in 2010.
Don Otten, from Bellefontaine, played basketball there and went on to Bowling Green State University, where he was the all-time leading scorer in Falcon history. He played professional basketball for seven years. Eventually, he moved to Lima as an industrial engineer at Ford Motor Company and was active in community affairs before dying in 1985.
Finalists will be announced Feb. 16, with the class announcement on April 6 and enshrinement Aug. 16-17.
