Hughes, Gillies Nassau Hall of Famers

Tuesday night makes four Halls of Fame for Sarah Hughes, the 2002 Olympic figure skating champion from Kings Point. At the annual Nassau County Sports Commission's "salute to champions'' dinner, Hughes and former Islander Clark Gillies, who played on four Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s, were inducted into the 12-year-old Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.

Gillies, too, previously had been immortalized, named to the hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. For Hughes, the list includes the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame -- her mother is Jewish -- and the Irish-American Hall of Fame -- her father has Irish roots.

"It's been a nice May so far,'' said Hughes, who celebrated her 26th birthday Monday.

Both Hughes and Gillies noted the special honor of being recognized locally. Though Gillies hails from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, his 12 years with the Islanders long ago caused him to put down roots here. "This is home,'' he said. "There's no question about that.''

Because she "grew up on Long Island, went to school on Long Island, trained on Long Island toward realizing my dream in figure skating,'' Hughes said, "to be recognized by the Nassau County Sports Commission brings it all back home. "It's been a long time'' since she won her Olympic gold medal, Hughes said. "When I'm back home and skating with little kids who are 8 years old . . . they weren't even born when I won.''

Along with the two Hall of Fame inductees, the commission Tuesday night handed out awards to 16 local high school and college athletes and coaches, along with two "national awards:" One to the country's outstanding college football tight end, Arkansas' D.J. Williams, in the name of Roosevelt native John Mackey; the other to TV commentator Mary Carillo, named after Dick Schaap.

Uniondale's Andrew Quarless, a tight end on the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, was named the commission's professional athlete of the year and C.J. Papa received the broadcast media award.