Halls of fame on Long Island

STAFF WRITER

For sports enthusiasts in search of a day trip, there is the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, 74 Hauppauge Rd., Commack; 631-462-9800, jewishsports.org), where plaques honor Jewish athletes and others who distinguished themselves in the world of sports. Many inductees excelled in high school athletics; bigger names include Bob Nystrom of Islanders fame and Abe Saperstein, founder, owner and coach of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. There is also the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow (800-227-3988, womenssportsfoundation.org).

Scheduled to open in January is the 80,000-square-foot Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame (62 S. Ocean Ave., Patchogue; 631-758- 7463). More than 200 people with ties to Suffolk County -- high school sports stars, physically challenged competitors, pro athletes and community leaders -- have been inducted since 1990. Interactive exhibits will let visitors don a football helmet and hear Boomer Esiason, former Jets and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, call a play. Displays will include jerseys of Jets legend Marty Lyons and former Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson. "We're a local community museum. We're not just about professionals," says Edward Morris, executive director of the museum.

Nassau County also honors its great athletes in an online hall of fame. Found at nassausports.org/awdsdinner/halloffame.html, the virtual museum has names and photos of 25 inductees since 2000. Big names include basketball great Julius Erving and Al Arbour, best known as the architect of the Islanders hockey dynasty.

Eventually, the Nassau County Sports Commission would like to find a permanent home for inductee plaques and artifacts, says Bryan Revello, executive director of the commission. For more information, call 516-365-9625.