* U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Presented by Allstate To Be Revived in Chicago * Fan Vote to Help Determine Class of 2004 at usolympicteam.com COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today the return of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Presented by Allstate, and supported by associate sponsor Kleenex® Brand tissue, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame has been inactive since 1992. In conjunction with today's announcement, the USOC introduced a list of finalists (see attached list) eligible for induction as members of the Class of 2004, along with an online interactive component, encouraging the public to cast votes at usolympicteam.com to help select the honorees. The Class of 2004 will be announced following the voting period, which starts today and runs through April 14. Three wrestlers are included in the list of 19 individual finalists: Two-time Olympic Champions Bruce Baumgartner and John Smith and Olympic Champion Jeff Blatnick. Baumgartner won Olympic gold medals in freestyle wrestling in 1984 and 1992, as well as an Olympic silver medal in 1988 and an Olympic bronze medal in 1996. He was the U.S. flagbearer for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. Smith won Olympic gold medals in 1988 and 1992 in freestyle wrestling. Blatnick won an Olympic gold medal in 1884 in Greco-Roman wrestling and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that did not attend the Moscow Olympics due to the U.S. boycott. Dan Gable (1972 Olympic champion in freestyle) is the only wrestler currently inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 1985. Distinguished Members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and gold medalists Bob Beamon (1968 Track & Field), Bart Conner (1984 Gymnastics) and Debbie Meyer (1968 Swimming) were on hand in Chicago to help announce the event. The awards show-style induction ceremony will be held July 1 in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre and will air in a nationally-televised special on USA Network (if and when the NBC-Universal merger closes). Envisioned as a lasting tribute to the pursuit of excellence and the Olympic ideals, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was established to celebrate the achievements of America's premier athletes in the modern Olympic Games. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame returns to its roots in Chicago where the charter class was enshrined in 1983, with such Olympic legends as Beamon, Cassius Clay, Peggy Fleming, Al Oerter, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Mark Spitz, Jim Thorpe and the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" Hockey Team. Annual additions continued through 1992, adding Olympic legends such as Conner, Donna de Varona, Dorothy Hamill, "Sugar Ray" Leonard, Carl Lewis, Greg Louganis, Phil Mahre, Meyer, John Naber and Mary Lou Retton. The Hall of Fame consists of 151 Distinguished Members, including 68 athletes from individual sports, five teams and 11 special contributors. Corporate support from presenting sponsor Allstate sparked the Hall's revitalization, along with additional support from Kleenex® Brand Tissue. "The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is a celebration of the unique spirit and heritage of the Olympic movement in America," said USOC Chief Executive and Chief of Sport Performance Jim Scherr. "We appreciate the support of Allstate Insurance Company, which has taken a lead role in reviving the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, as well as Kleenex for their commitment to honoring the accomplishments of America's Olympic greats and, in doing so, preserving the Olympic ideals." Many well-known names are among the list of finalists for the Class of 2004, including 19 individuals, six teams and five Paralympians. The complete list of 2004 finalists is attached, while the list of existing Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame is available at usolympicteam.com From today through April 14, fans are invited to log onto usolympicteam.com, the official site of the U.S. Olympic Team, to vote for the athletes they feel are deserving of Hall of Fame induction. Participating online voters will be automatically entered to win one of three VIP trips to Chicago to attend the 2004 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Earlier this year, a 10-person nominating committee consisting of athletes, distinguished members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, media, historians and USOC representatives selected the finalists for the 2004 ballot. Voting weight will be divided among U.S. Olympians, select U.S. Olympic family/media and fans. The Hall of Fame is comprised of five categories, each with different qualifications and processes for induction: Individual Sport/Event Finalist must be retired from Olympic competition for at least four years following the last Olympic competition to qualify. Nineteen finalists were selected by the nominating committee and six (6) will be inducted. Team U.S. team must have participated in Olympic competition at least four years prior to the induction ceremony and must consist of two or more athletes competing in an event. Six finalists were selected and one (1) will be inducted. Paralympian U.S. athlete must be retired from competition for at least four years following the last Paralympic Games. A Paralympic nominating committee selected five (5) finalists in this first-time category and one (1) will be inducted. Veteran An Olympian who competed 12 Olympiads (48 years) prior to the ceremony. The nominating committee selected the one (1) inductee to be announced in May. Special Contributor An individual who has demonstrated extraordinary service to enhancing the Olympic Movement in the United States. The nominating committee selected the one (1) inductee to be announced in May. U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2004 Finalists Individual Finalists - Six (6) to be inducted 1. Evelyn Ashford (Track & Field) 2. Greg Barton (Canoe/Kayak) 3. Bruce Baumgartner (Wrestling) 4. Joan Benoit (Track & Field) 5. Matt Biondi (Swimming) 6. Bonnie Blair (Speedskating) 7. Jeff Blatnick (Wrestling) 8. Valerie Brisco (Track & Field) 9. Oscar de la Hoya (Boxing) 10. Janet Evans (Swimming) 11. Rowdy Gaines (Swimming) 12. Florence Griffith Joyner (Track & Field) 13. Dan Jansen (Speedskating) 14. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Track & Field) 15. Mary T. Meagher (Swimming) 16. Shannon Miller (Gymnastics) 17. Tracie Ruiz (Synchronized Swimming) 18. John Smith (Wrestling) 19. Kristi Yamaguchi (Figure Skating) Team Finalists - One (1) to be inducted 1. 1976 Women's Swimming 4x100m Freestyle Relay 2. 1988 Women's Track and Field 4x100m Relay 3. 1992 Men's Basketball 4. 1996 Women's Soccer 5. 1996 Women's Gymnastics 6. 1998 Women's Ice Hockey Paralympian Finalists - One (1) to be inducted 1. John Morgan (Swimming) 2. Linda Mastandrea (Track & Field) 3. Randy Snow (Wheelchair Tennis) 4. Dennis Oehler (Basketball, Tennis, and Track & Field) 5. Diana Golden (Alpine Skiing) ________________________________________ "Allstate proudly maintains a relationship with its customers characterized by 'protection' and 'preparation,' and the company sees its U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame sponsorship as a way to extend those very concepts," said Allstate senior vice president and chief marketing officer Joe Tripodi. "By contributing to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame revitalization, Allstate is helping to protect the Olympic ideal and prepare America's blossoming athletes for the same commitment to excellence on which the Hall of Fame was built and will be reborn." Allstate's role as Presenting Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame completes the company's strategic Olympic involvement this year, including its recent sponsorship of USA Basketball. Allstate also supports youth basketball clinics at Boys & Girls Clubs in select cities. In 2002, Allstate began its Olympic sponsorship support, reuniting the celebrated 1980 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team. "The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will pay tribute to some of the