Photos: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony

The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame welcomed four inductees on Tuesday night, including former Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy, the first journalist inducted into the hall.

After stints at the Los Angeles Times and the Cincinnati Enquirer Purdy was hired at the San Jose Mercury News in 1984. Over the next 33 years at the newspaper, Purdy covered 14 Olympics, advocated for the construction of the current home of the Sharks in downtown San Jose, came up with the name of McCovey Cove outside of Oracle Park named after former Giants star Willie McCovey and made countless connections within the South Bay community.

The other inductees were San Jose State football star James Jones, Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders and 49ers coach George Siefert.

Jones, a receiver from Gunderson High School and San Jose State, overcame childhood homelessness to win a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. He is currently an analyst for the NFL Network.

Sanders, also an NCAA champion at Stanford, won four medals in the 1992 Olympics, including two golds. She is currently a co-host with the CBS’s “We Need to Talk,” an all-female sports talk show.

Siefert, who won five Super Bowls during the 49ers’ dynasty — including two as head coach — ended the evening.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: Guests are welcomed by music and cheerleaders from the San Francisco 49ers before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee and former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert, center, shares a laugh with former 49ers’ Ronnie Lott next to Seifert’s wife Linda, before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee and former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert, chats with inductee and former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy during a question and answer session during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee James Jones, left, former receiver for San Jose State University and the NFL, poses for a photograph with Brent Brennan, head coach of SJSU, during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert, chats with inductee and former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy and inductee and Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders chat during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee James Jones, former receiver for San Jose State University and the NFL, poses for a photograph with SJSU mascot Sammy the Spartan and SJSU cheerleaders during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: Yoshihiro Uchida, right, 101-years-old, chats with Danny Kikuchi during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductees, from left to right, former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy, Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders, former San Jose State University and NFL receiver James Jones, and Former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert, pose for a photograph next to mockups of their busts during a reception before the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Purdy, a former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist, speaks during the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee James Jones, former receiver for San Jose State University and the NFL, speaks during the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Summer Sanders, Olympic swimmer, speaks during the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee and former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert, speaks during the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Summer Sanders, Olympic swimmer, poses for a photograph with masters of ceremonies Robert Braunstein after receiving his award during the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Purdy, third from left, a former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist, poses for a photograph with his family after the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 16: 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Purdy, far right, a former San Jose Mercury News sports columnist, poses for a photograph with, from left to right, Ronnie Lott, Jaden Smith, son of Brandi Chastain, and Brandi Chastain, after the 2021 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)