Kurt Ainsworth (Marucci Sports) and Kelly Richardson (Richardson) will join 192 retailers, team dealers, manufacturers, and industry leaders who have earned the NSGA Hall of Fame Award since its inception in 1955.

The selections of Ainsworth and Richardson for the Class of 2027 were made by the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee at its annual meeting in May.

“The Class of 2027 has made a significant impact on our industry and the world of sports and they are very deserving of this highest honor,” said Gordon Geiger, chairman of the NSGA Board of Directors. “Welcoming Kurt and Kelly to the Hall of Fame is a big thrill and it’s fantastic to see them recognized for their career achievements.”

The Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will be held May 25, 2027 at The Wigwam in the Phoenix suburb of Litchfield Park, Arizona, the site of NSGA 2027 Leadership Conference. Details on attending the event will be announced soon.

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Kurt Ainsworth was a first-team All-American and NCAA champion at powerhouse Louisiana State University and a first-round pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. He won a gold medal with the 2000 Olympic team and compiled a 6-8 record in 29 big-league games with the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles from 2001-04.

After his playing career ended, he began handcrafting bats in the backyard shed of his home in Baton Rouge, LA, which led to the co-founding of Marucci Sports in 2009. Marucci expanded its line to fielding and batting gloves, on- and off-the-field apparel, footwear and other accessories. In 2025, Marucci and one of the brands under its umbrella, Victus Sports, became the Official Bats of Major League Baseball.

Giving back is also a key component of Marucci Sports with the Marucci Cares program, which is designed to help those in need and increase youth sports participation. Marucci Cares has worked with the foundations of several MLB athletes and continues to create partnerships and support the work of athletes and partners aiming to provide access to diamond sports.

Kelly Richardson had a plan in the late 1970s of using the University of Oregon as a stepping-stone to a professional baseball career as a pitcher. Realizing his dream wasn’t going to happen, he joined the burgeoning family business of Richardson Sports that was owned by his father Neil, who had a brief minor league pitching stint, and included Kelly’s mom and older brother on a staff of six.

Richardson has grown to more than 450 employees, and evolved under Richardson’s leadership since he took over as president and CEO in 1995, to become one of the top cap companies in the sporting goods industry.

Athletic equipment was the core business for Richardson from 1970 until 1999, when Kelly and the company decided to focus exclusively on its new headwear line. That decision helped establish Richardson as a trusted and authentic on-field brand.

Richardson focused on improving the quality, fit and shape of its baseball caps and introduced the Performance Team Series line specifically for players. But Richardson also saw the baseball-style cap’s popularity making it something for everyone and not just players.

Richardson also has a commitment to giving back to the community and supporting organizations that are helping underserved and at-risk kids. He is also a half-owner of the Springfield Drifters summer collegiate wood-bat baseball team in Springfield, OR.

Images courtesy NSGA