The memories of the exceptional people whose lives and work represent the very best of what it means to serve high school athletes will be at the heart of the next NKY History Hour, as three legendary coaches and educators present “The History of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.” The next NKY History Hour will be held virtually on Tuesday, July 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Though not widely known to the public, the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame has celebrated and preserved the legacy of outstanding athletic leaders for decades. Presenters Grady Brown, Charlie Coleman and Mike Swauger, all inductees themselves, will share the origins of the Hall, how it has evolved, and the incredible stories behind some of its members.
NKY History Hour is free to attend, but registration is required for Zoom participation. Register and receive a Zoom link online.
Participants can join the conversation and ask questions during the Q&A session following the presentation.
The event will also be streamed live on BCM’s Facebook page. All recordings of past episodes can be viewed at www.bcmuseum.org.
NKY History Hour programs occur every other Tuesday evening from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and are free to the public. To support NKY History Hour and access many other entertaining and thought-provoking programs for free, join BCM. Donations to support the museum’s educational programming are welcome.
Grady Brown’s love for sports began at a young age when his parents first took him to local high school games in Silver Grove, where he admired the players, aspiring to play one day himself. From wiffleball to his own invention of “Dice Baseball,” Grady found a love and talent for sports that stayed with him throughout his childhood. He went on to play varsity baseball and basketball at Silver Grove High School and baseball at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon Georgia and then Northern Kentucky University as the first ever junior college baseball recruit at the institution. He later coached baseball at Newport High School for nearly 40 years. He is a member of eight Hall of Fames including: The Brewton Parker College Hall of Fame in Southeast Georgia, The Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, The Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, The Kentucky Baseball Hall of Fame, The Newport High School Hall of Fame (twice), The Northern Kentucky Umpires Hall of Fame and The Kentucky Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. Newport Baseball Field is named in his honor.
Charlie Coleman grew up in Newport, where sports legends like Stan Arnzen, Charlie True, Sherrill Morgan, and Bob Vanderpool sparked his lifelong passion for the game. A graduate of Newport High School, he earned a B.A. in History and Government from Eastern Kentucky University (1970), an M.Ed. from Northern Kentucky University (1978), and a Rank I from Xavier University (1983).
He spent much of his career at Bellevue High School as a teacher, assistant principal, athletic director, and head football coach—earning a school-record 91 wins. Coleman later served as a Campbell County Commissioner from 2012 to 2016.
He is a member of multiple halls of fame, including the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame, NKY Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, NKY Sports Hall of Fame, and Bellevue High School Hall of Fame, and currently serves on the NKY Sports Hall of Fame board.
Coleman is the author of Northern Kentucky Sports Legends of the 1950s, edited by James C. Claypool. The book, available in the BCM gift shop, inspired a current exhibit at the museum. He and his wife Cheryl have three children and nine grandchildren.
Mike Swauger is a Bellevue native and 1965 graduate of Bellevue High School, where he earned 10 athletic letters across football, basketball, and baseball. He played and later coached baseball at Northern Kentucky State College (now NKU), earning his BA in 1972 and an MEd from Xavier University in 1977. Swauger dedicated his 30-year coaching career to Bellevue High School, serving 23 years as head basketball coach — the longest tenure in school history — and achieving a school record of 285 varsity wins. His teams won three conference championships, appeared in 10 regional tournaments, and twice competed in the All “A” Classic Championship.
In addition to coaching, Swauger served as public address announcer for Bellevue football for 35 seasons and other high-profile regional sporting events. He played a key role in organizing the 9th Region All-A Classic Tournament and the statewide All “A” Classic, serving on its board of directors. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including inductions into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, and Bellevue High School Hall of Fame. Known for his community engagement, Swauger has been a master of ceremonies for several athletic banquets and a regular contributor to the Bellevue Community News since 2019.
A beloved figure in Bellevue, Swauger was honored with two city proclamations of “Mike Swauger Day” and received the Key to the City upon his retirement. His passion for sports, leadership, and mentorship has left a lasting legacy on Northern Kentucky athletics.
For more information, visit www.bcmuseum.org.
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