Patience is a proverbial virtue, but that doesn’t make it any easier to wait for something you know is right. Early in 2023, two former Cincinnati athletes finally were accepted into their respective professional halls of fame after years of anticipation. In January, former record-setting Bengals cornerback Ken Riley finally got the big validation he both craved and deserved, getting the nod for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after more than three decades of lobbying; his son Ken Riley II accepted the call on his behalf, as the great athlete had passed away in 2020. Later in January, the National Baseball Hall of Fame came calling for former Reds third baseman Scott Rolen in his sixth year of eligibility after playing 17 seasons in the majors and helping Cincinnati to a Central Division title. Both will be inducted — Riley posthumously — during ceremonies in 2023.

Here are the 2023 Best Of Cincinnati® Reader and Staff Pick winners for Sports & Recreation.

1. Soccer City
2. Town and Country Sports Health Club
3. Wall2Wall

1. Schmidt Boat Ramp and Ballfields
2. Riverside Park
3. Westside Sports Park

1. 700 WLW-AM
2. FOX Sports Ohio
3. WCPO-TV

1. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
2. YMCA Camp Ernst
3. Clifton Cultural Arts Center

1. Cincinnati Rollergirls
2. Florence Y’alls
3. Dayton Dragons

1. Barstool Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino
2. FanDuel Sportsbook
3. Betfred

1. University of Cincinnati football
2. Xavier University men’s basketball
3. Ohio State University football

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. FC Cincinnati
3. Cincinnati Cyclones

1. Sawyer Point Park
2. Camargo Racquet Club
3. The Club at Harper’s Point

1. Fifty West Production Works
2. Knotty Pine Rock Club and Tiki Bar
3. Cabana on the River

1. Body Alive
2. Shellates Studio
3. Pilates Center of Cincinnati

1. Red River Gorge
2. Hocking Hills State Park
3. Winton Woods

1. Sunlite Pool (Coney Island)
2. Ziegler Park
3. Kings Island

1. Flying Pig Marathon
2. Queen Bee Half Marathon
3. Thanksgiving Day Race

1. Sawyer Point Park
2. Fifty West Brewing Company
3. Dulle Park

1. Joey Votto
2. Jonathan India
3. Tyler Stephenson

1. Oakley Park
2. Blue Ash Recreation Center
3. Mt. Echo Park

1. ProForce Sports Performance
2. Strength Beyond the Weights
3. Trilogy Fitness Systems

1. Joe Burrow
2. Sam Hubbard
3. Tee Higgins