Saluki basketball Hall of Famer Mike “Stinger” Glenn is set to speak at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Morris Library on June 26. This event is part of the community’s Freedom to Freedom celebration.
Glenn will share insights from his life experiences and his collection of African American rare books, documents, and memorabilia. The presentation aims to offer lessons in history, hope, and inspiration. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 6 p.m. in the library’s John C. Guyon Auditorium, followed by a Q&A session.
Historian and author Rosemary Sadlier will introduce Glenn. Sadlier is known for her role as the former president of the Ontario Black History Society and for helping establish Canada’s Black History Month and Emancipation Day on August 1.
During his college career, Glenn scored 1,878 points for the Salukis, placing him fourth on their all-time scoring list. He played a key role in leading the team to the Missouri Valley Conference basketball title and the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 in 1976-77. A two-time first-team Academic All-American, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.
Glenn was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1977 and went on to play for several NBA teams over a decade-long career. After retiring from professional basketball, he became a sports broadcaster and author.
In addition to his sports achievements, Glenn founded a summer basketball camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in 1980, which continues today after 45 years.
