Poster for the documentary The Ragin’ 13. The image shows a victorious weightlifter in a red singlet featuring a large white fleur-de-lis, holding a trophy high overhead. His face is lit with pride and determination. The background is textured in warm tones, with laurels along the bottom noting multiple film festival awards. Text at the top reads “The Ragin’ 13.”

Special Event: The Ragin’ 13 Documentary Screening

Sun, Nov 16, 2025

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Natchitoches

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum

The museum will open for special evening hours to welcome LHSAA Cross Country State Championship participants and their families, offering a chance to explore Louisiana’s rich sports legacy and regional culture. The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame honors nearly 500 athletes, coaches, and ambassadors, celebrating the stories that shaped the state’s unique sporting tradition.

At 5:00 p.m., enjoy a screening of the award-winning documentary The Ragin’ 13 by University of Louisiana at Lafayette alumnus Nicholas Campbell. The film chronicles the university’s powerhouse weightlifting team, which captured eight national championships between 1957 and 1971, including an extraordinary five-year streak. Through the journeys of team members Walter Imahara, a Japanese-American WWII internment survivor, and Walter Perrin, a Cajun athlete overcoming cultural barriers, the film explores resilience, unity, and triumph amid the struggle for acceptance in mid-century America.

Following the screening, join a Q&A and panel discussion with filmmaker Nicholas Campbell, 2023 LSHOF inductee Walter Imahara, and author Warren Perrin, whose companion book The University of Louisiana’s National Championship Weightlifting Teams further explores this inspiring history.

Admission is free, and complimentary refreshments will be served. For more information, please call (318) 357-2492.