Wanted: a home for the Catholic League Hall of Fame.

By the time you’re reading this, league director of athletics Vic Michaels and his staff of associate director Mike Evoy and office coordinator Brandon Malinowski — along with nearly 200 other archdiocesan employees — will be acquainting themselves with their new digs in the Capital Park area of downtown Detroit.

Like many others involved in the archdiocese’s move from 1234 Washington Blvd. and 305 Michigan Ave. two blocks away to the more compact 12 State St., the trio also will be adjusting to operating out of a cubicle instead of individual office space.

They’ll make-do with that, but what’s less certain is the future for the league’s Hall of Fame, formerly located on the seventh floor of the Gabriel Richard Building and serving as the meeting room for the athletics office as well as other archdiocesan departments.

I’ll venture that most in the Metro area, including athletes, coaches and officials allied with the Catholic League, aren’t aware a hall of fame existed with the typical memorabilia (plaques, photos, etc.).

Since 1976, the league has sponsored an annual academic-year-end banquet when inductees in a number of categories are honored. The totals to date: 276 athletes, 339 coaches, 158 officials, 31 persons of the year, 40 schools, 45 athletic directors, 37 administrators, 180 for distinguished service and 11 “Legends of the League.”

To give you an idea of the quality of the inductees, here are some notables I’ve selected randomly (Log on to chsl.com/hall-of-fame for the complete listing):

1. J. Armstrong, retired NBA guard (attended Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice); David Bowens, retired 12-year NFL linebacker (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep); Doug Brown, 3-time Olympian distance runner (Harper Woods Notre Dame); Mark Campbell, retired 10-year NFL end (Madison Heights Bishop Foley).

Gary Danielson, retired 12-year NFL QB, CBS Sports analyst (Dearborn Divine Child); Dave DeBusschere, former NBA forward/coach (Detroit Austin); Joe Delamielleure, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, 12 NFL seasons (Center Line St. Clement); Braylon Edwards, retired seven-year NFL receiver (Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher).

Andy Farkas, former seven-year NFL back (Detroit U-D Jesuit); Gus Johnson, Fox Sports announcer (Detroit U-D Jesuit); Mike Lodish, retired 11-year NFL linebacker (Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice); Meg Mallon, retired 14-year pro golfer, four LPGA majors wins (Farmington Hills Mercy).

Shawn Respert, retired five-year NBA player (Redford Bishop Borgess); Chris Sabo, retired 10-year MLB infielder (Novi Detroit Catholic Central); Jim Seymour, former three-year NFL receiver (Royal Oak Shrine); Frank Tanana, retired 21-year MLB pitcher (Novi Detroit Catholic Central).

And a pair of the league’s “Legends” — coaches Al Fracassa, retired last year after 53 years coaching football at Royal Oak Shrine and Brother Rice, a combined 430 victories, most in state history; and Diane Laffey, in her 46th year at Warren Regina, 1,091 wins in softball for most in the state and more than 600 wins in basketball.

Michaels, who has been connected with the CHSL for 20 years (eight as associate director, 12 as director), says the hall of fame is “one-of-a-kind that means so much to many people.”

One solution he says would be “ideal,” because it would give the hall and the inductees tremendous public exposure, would be inclusion in Ilitch Holdings’ proposal of a $650 million, 45-acre entertainment and business development district on Woodward across from Comerica Park. The centerpiece will be a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings.

“I’ve broached the idea to them and they told me it’s on their agenda,” Michaels says.

Until he hears from the Ilitches, he’s not thinking about any other options. However, do you have an idea or thoughts about the Catholic League’s dilemma? If so, give Michaels a call at (313) 237-5960.

Don Horkey may be reached at [email protected].