THE SASKATOON OUTLAWS BASEBALL TEAMS, SASKATOON, SK. will be inducted into the “Team Category”, of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame, Saturday, August 15, 2015, at Battleford, Sk.

The Outlaws were an original member of the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League in 1980. After 33 years the outlaws are the only original member still playing in this league. The team, then called the Bad News Outlaws, got off to an inauspicious start as their wins were few and far between. In the province they were known as the “Tournament Team”. If there was a tournament/sports day and the town needed an extra ball team to complete the draw, the Outlaws were often asked to compete, including many in the Coteau Senior Baseball League.

As the years went by, and with the addition of new players and the maturing of the founding players, the Outlaws began to improve then became a force to be reckoned with. It took 8 long years for the Outlaws to go from last to first place.

It took 17 years for the Outlaws to reach the highest point in their history, when, in 1997, the team, captured what is considered to be the “Triple Crown”. That year they took the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League Championship [SSBL], the Provincial Title and the Western Canadian Title, in Regina. The Outlaws went on to capture the Provincial Senior Title for ten consecutive years from 1997 to 2006, and also two Western titles and four second place finishes. One more Provincial Title was added in 2010.

The 1997 team was the only “Outlaw” team to win the “Triple Crown”.

The 1997 Outlaw team consisted of a majority of veterans sprinkled with several younger players that created the Karma that propelled that team to their wins that year. The Provincial championship team gave up 5 runs in 5 games. Solid pitching and defense, as well as clutch hitting enabled the team to advance to the Westerns in Regina. For these Western Canadians the Outlaws were able to pick up a 35 year old pitcher and a 38 year old outfielder/coach. It turned out to be the right mixture as they were able to win in Regina, against a talented pool of teams from Western Canada, including the Regina Canadians who were allowed to pick up a lot of players for the championship as the host team.

Some of the teams after 1997 might have had as good or better talent, but, according to Pete Fylyma, the team player/manager for 28 years, the mixture of veterans and young players resulted in the Karma necessary to win the “Triple Crown”.

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The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 17th group of inductees, the Class of 2015, on ESPN during the WNBA All-Star game at US Airways Center in Phoenix. The six members of the Class of 2015 are: Janeth Arcain (player), Kurt Budke (coach, posthumously), Gail Goestenkors (coach), Janet Harris (player), Lisa Leslie (player), and Brad Smith (coach). The Class of 2015 will be formally inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on June 13, 2015 in Knoxville, TN. With the addition of the Class of 2015, the WBHOF will recognize the 1972-74 Immaculata College Mighty Macs for their contributions to the game in a display at the Hall entitled “Trailblazers of the Game”.

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors serves as the selection committee in determining which individuals will be inducted each year and which groups will be honored as “Trailblazers of the Game”. Voting is based on various factors, which include moral character, integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, national or international recognition, and contributions to the game of women’s basketball.

Visit www.wbhof.com for more information.

The new Athletic Hall of Fame for Marshall University tells a story of excellence. The central element of the space is the large “M” logo hanging above the tribute to the 1970 plane crash. The wall plaques and digital touch screens on the east and west walls will honor every Marshall Hall of Fame member over time. Additionally, the large image wall above the Hall of Fame highlight important events and key figures.

Large double-sided glass display cases filled with Marshall athletic memorabilia showcase an amazing collection of historical artifacts of this great program. The new Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame is a place of pride for all Marshall fans and athletes, past and present.

Former Marshall quarterback, Chad Pennington (who the Hall of Fame is named after), said in an interview about DI, “…And to their credit, they went back, they studied our story, they studied our history, they really engulfed themselves into our community to get a real sense of what our university and our program is all about.”

See more of the Marshall University project, as well as many others, at www.dimin.com

 

Jim Gregory, Vice-Chair of the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced today that one of hockey’s most renowned team leaders, Lanny McDonald, will become the next Chair of the Board effective July 1, 2015. This appointment to fill the vacancy left by the untimely passing of Pat Quinn on November 23, 2014, was confirmed at the Board of Directors meeting held this morning in Toronto with the effective date to occur following McDonald’s final meeting as a member of the Selection Committee in June.

As a perennial supporter since his induction in 1992 and a member of the Selection Committee for the past nine years, Lanny is familiar with the affairs of the Hockey Hall of Fame just as the hockey world remembers his achievements during his outstanding playing career,” said Gregory.

I am thrilled and honoured for this opportunity to contribute at the Board level in support of the best sports hall of fame and museum in the world,” said McDonald. “The Hockey Hall of Fame is a very special place to me, as it is to hockey fans of all ages.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Brenda Michael, daughter of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Benny Binion, has been chosen to receive the Ken Stemler Pioneer Award at the Cowboy Ball at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Aug. 7.

Michael was chosen for her commitment to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with her continued support of the Benny Binion World Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale, which benefits the Hall of Fame and youth educational scholarships.

She has continued the legacy of her father and his dedication to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and has demonstrated her own commitment to the future success of the Hall and its mission.

The Ken Stemler Pioneer Award recognizes those who have provided ground breaking, innovative ideas and forward thinking that help the development, advancement and success of the PRCA and/or the Hall of Fame and their missions. It is given to recognize those whose significant contributions through their service, dedication and positive influence, have enhanced the scope, reach or future success of both organizations.

Ken Stemler was the recipient of the inaugural Pioneer Award in 2014, given to him posthumously, and it was named after him starting this year.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – World Champion Cowboys Tom Nesmith, Mark Garrett, Bob Wegner and Harry Charters, along with rodeo notable Jack Hannum, the Hendricks Brothers specialty act and four-time team roping head horse of the year Precious Speck (Walt) head the 2015 induction class for the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

They will be enshrined Aug. 8 during ceremonies in the sculpture garden adjacent to the Hall, along with the rodeo committees from the Red Bluff (Calif.) Round-Up, the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo and Iowa’s Championship Rodeo (Sidney).

The induction week will kick off with the 28th annual ProRodeo Hall of Fame Golf Tournament on Aug. 6, the Cowboy Ball on Aug. 7, and then culminates with the Induction Ceremonies and the Commissioner’s Classic Team Roping competition on Aug. 8.

Nesmith, of Bethel, Okla., was a soft-spoken cowboy whose best events were steer wrestling and calf roping, and he captured the 1962 all-around and steer wrestling world championships.

“This is just great, and I’m flattered on behalf of my dad for him to honored,” said Janette Nesmith, Tom’s daughter. “I remember traveling from one rodeo to the next with my dad. I think he would’ve been able to achieve so much more if he hadn’t gotten sick.”

Nesmith died of a heart attack on Oct. 16, 1972, at the age of 37. In the years leading up to his death, Nesmith battled a rare form of heart disease, and there was no cure at the time.

In Nesmith’s double gold buckle season, he won $32,611 to claim the all-around title and $16,789 to win top steer wrestling honors.

“He was an even better horseman than he was a cowboy,” Janette Nesmith said. “For him to be recognized with the best cowboys ever is a very good feeling.”

Nesmith also finished fourth and third in the 1958 and 1961 calf roping world standings. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder’s first PRCA rodeo was in 1953 at Fort Smith, Ark., and he credited Dick Truitt and Everett Shaw with teaching him the respective skills of steer wrestling and roping.

Garrett, 49, the 1996 world champion bareback rider, was known for his ability to come through under pressure. He won his only gold buckle with a clutch ride in Round 10 at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, scoring 83 points on Big Bend Rodeo Company’s Spring Fling, a 2014 inductee into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

That ride also clinched the NFR average title for Garrett with a then-bareback riding record of 786 points on 10 head. He also set the NFR bareback riding earnings record that year with $78,517. He had entered the 1996 NFR about $30,000 behind his older brother, Marvin, who was the bareback riding leader.

Mark Garrett said he was thrilled to join his brother in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Marvin Garrett, who won four gold buckles (1988-89, 1994-95), was enshrined in 1998.

“It’s dang sure an honor,” Garrett said. “I’m pretty shocked, I guess. A lot of your heroes and your friends are in the Hall of Fame, but I sure didn’t plan on joining them. You don’t really count on something like this, but I’m sure happy that it happened. It’s an honor to be mentioned with those guys.”

Further evidence of Garrett’s ability to perform when it mattered most was his win at the 1996 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho, where he won both the semifinal and final rounds of the tournament-style rodeo.

Garrett qualified for the NFR nine times (1989-91, 1994-97, 1999-2000). Apart from his world championship in 1996, his highest finishes were third in 1995, sixth in 2000 and seventh in 1994 and ’99.

Over an 11-year span from 1956-1966, Wegner finished among the top five bull riders in the world standings 10 times, earning a world championship in 1964 and four reserve world championships (1958-59, 1961, 1966). He twice won the NFR average (1964, 1966).

The Ponca City, Okla., native joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association, precursor to the PRCA, in 1953 and from 1958-62, he never finished worse than third in the world standings. The 5-6, 140-pound Wegner finished second to seven-time bull riding world champion Jim Shoulders in 1958-59.

Wegner passed away March 30, 2014. He was 80.

“This would have meant so much to him,” said Edna Turnbo, who lived with Wegner the last 24 years of his life in Bandera, Texas. “I’m just so overwhelmed and thankful to the PRCA. He loved rodeo and he had a passion for bull riding.”

In his prime, Wegner could use his feet – and get out of a jam – as well as anyone since Shoulders was at his peak. Bull riders also talked about the way “Weg,” as he was known, could use his inside leg – pulling it high like a jockey – and let the bull throw him back up when he  started down, inside a spin.

Although Charters did not buy his RCA permit until 1958, at the relatively advanced age of 33, he managed to compete at an elite level for a decade. He won his only world championship as a rookie steer wrestler in 1959 and went on to put nine NFR qualifications on his career résumé – six in bulldogging and three in tie-down roping.

He barely missed a second world title in 1962 when he finished second by $773 in the steer wrestling to fellow Class of 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Nesmith.

“If he would have started (with the RCA) as a young guy,” fellow Hall of Fame inductee Dean Oliver said, “He probably would have won more than anyone in the history of bulldogging.”

At 6-6, 250 pounds, Charters was perhaps the biggest world champion in rodeo history, and yet was described by his peers as “dazzling fast and fleet of foot.”

Charters was also well-known for his innovative approach to timed-event technique. He is thought to be the first calf roper to dismount from the right side of his horse and his bulldogging style was uniquely his own, giving the appearance that he was picking up his steer, spinning it around and flinging it to the ground.

His Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up record of 5.0 seconds stood for 11 years.

Charters died of cancer on July 7, 1981, at the age of 56.

Hannum was a five-time qualifier for the National Finals Rodeo and a longtime administrator with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

He made his big breakthrough in his first year of full-time competition when he won the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days all-around title in 1977 on his way to qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo as a tie-down roper.

Hannum made it to the NFR four more times as a steer wrestler (1978-80, 1983), enjoying his best season in 1979 when he finished third in the world behind Stan Williamson and ProRodeo Hall of Famer Byron Walker.

Both of Hannum’s sons, Olin and Jake, have qualified for the Wrangler NFR. Olin, 37, went to the WNFR in 2011 as a steer wrestler, and Jake, 34, qualified in 2007 as a tie-down roper.

“Our dad gave a lot of his time and effort to the PRCA, and our family knew how much he did for rodeo, so we’re real excited and happy that the PRCA would honor him by putting him in the Hall of Fame,” Olin Hannum said. “He was a big-time influence on my brother and me as far as how to be a cowboy.”

In 1981, Jack Hannum was hired by the PRCA Board of Directors to serve as the head of rodeo administration, dealing with rodeo sanctioning applications, rule infractions and all things related to membership.

It was the start of more than 25 years of service to the PRCA as Administrator, Circuit Coordinator and Chief of Officials. Hannum is largely credited with taking the judging program to a major-league level.

“He gave up teaching and coaching so he could dedicate his life to rodeo and take a job at the PRCA because it meant so much to him,” Olin said. “He always wanted to influence things for the best, and make rodeo better.”

Hannum died Sept. 16, 2014, in an Ogden, Utah, hospital of organ failure at the age of 70.

The Hendricks Brothers – identical twins Byron and Lee – entertained rodeo audiences from the 1940s into the 1960s, with a variety of acts that included daredevil Roman riding, bridle-less jumps, dancing horses and dogs.

The Flying Twin Act, with Byron and Lee riding Roman style, had each of them jumping their horses over an automobile in opposite directions. It became their most famous stunt, but probably seemed easy for the brothers, who were both Army paratroopers during World War II.

The Hendricks Brothers delighted rodeo crowds at many of the major rodeo venues, including Madison Square Garden. Rodeo promoter, singer and actor Gene Autry called a dog act of the Hendricks family the “greatest thing I have ever seen.” Byron had a dog act that included them jumping rope, and it was featured on television’s Ed Sullivan Show.

“I’m very excited,” said Lee, 91, who said Byron died in 1996. “I know Byron would be very excited, too. It’s a great honor.”

Travis Tryan’s horse Precious Speck, best known as “Walt,” was one of the best to ever carry a team roping header.

Walt was voted the AQHA/PRCA Team Roping Heading Horse of the Year from 2007-09 and four times overall (also in 2003). He was also third in the balloting twice.

“This is like a family member going into the Hall of Fame,” Tryan said. “When you have a horse for 10 years, and he’s a huge part of your career, to see him go into the Hall is one of the coolest things that can happen.”

Tryan once called Walt “the greatest horse that has ever lived.” He rode Walt nine times at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (2001-09). His brother, Clay (a three-time world champion), rode Walt at the 2001 WNFR, as did 21-time World Champion Trevor Brazile – in 2005.

“When I got Walt I was 19 years old, and when I first rodeoed on him I was 20 and made the Finals,” Travis Tryan said. “We kind of started our careers at the same time, and I learned a lot from him. He was so good that all I had to do was go out and rope, and he took care of the rest.”

While riding Walt at the 2008 WNFR, Travis Tryan and his partner, Cory Petska, tied the then-world record time of 3.5 seconds in the eighth round.

The horse died April 24, 2010, of an aneurysm while warming up for morning slack at the Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo. He was 20. Walt was buried under an oak tree at PRCA team roper Bert McGill’s Annadale Equine Center in nearby Sanger, Calif.

All three of the rodeos selected for enshrinement are among the oldest and most prestigious PRCA events on the schedule. The Red Bluff Round-Up just completed its 94th annual event last weekend while Iowa’s Championship Rodeo, named the PRCA Small Rodeo of the Year in 1997, will be celebrating its 91st anniversary in July, and Guymon Pioneer Days, the 2002 PRCA Large Rodeo of the Year, is producing its 83rd annual event next month.

ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees are selected by a committee of former contestants and rodeo experts. More than 150 individuals are nominated each year and selection is based on contributions to the sport of professional rodeo in any one of seven categories: contestant, stock contractor, contract personnel, rodeo committees, livestock, media and notables/lifetime achievement.

Including this year’s inductees, 243 people, 29 animals and 25 rodeo committees have been selected for enshrinement in Colorado Springs since the Hall opened in 1979.

Negro Leagues Beisbol traveling exhibition is ready for rentals. The exhibition explores the historical connections of African American baseball to Hispanic culture and communities. It first appeared in the fall of 2014 in Kansas City and has now been retrofitted for travel.  The display features historical timelines, photographs, and large photographic panels of key countries, teams, events, and individuals from 1860-1960. It was designed by Exhibit Associates and prepared for travel by Display Studios, both Kansas City based companies.

The traveling tour of Beisbol has been dedicated to the memory of Orestes “Minnie” Minoso, who passed away in March 2015.  The Cuban born Minoso was a baseball legend in the Negro Leagues, Major Leagues, and Caribbean Baseball.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) seeks to fill dates (up to six weeks)  from July 2015 through October 2020 for galleries and museums in Major League Baseball cities primarily, but other locations will be considered. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Raymond Doswell at [email protected], or 816-221-1920 to request an information package with venue requirements and costs.

Marking its 25th Anniversary in 2015, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Inc. is located in the 18th & Vine Jazz District of Kansas City, Missouri.  It is designated by the United States Congress as “America’s Home for Negro Leagues Baseball history,” researching and preserving the history of African American Baseball from the late 1800s through the 1960s. Go to  www.NLBM.com or www.facebook.com/negroleaguesbaseballmuseum for more information.

 

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (March 17, 2015) – America’s Ski Town U.S.A, Steamboat Springs, will honor 10 new inductees to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame as the site of the annual induction ceremony capping off the April 6-12 Skiing History Week in the famous Colorado resort. The celebration of skiing history coincides with the centennial of Steamboat’s famous Howelsen Hill.

The Class of 2014 Hall of Fame inductees include a host of notable athletes and sport pioneers from Olympic champion Ross Powers to World Championship medalist Erik Schlopy, along with big mountain skier Chris Davenport, Professional Ski Instructors of America founder Curt Chase, ski goggle pioneer Bob Smith and more.

The weeklong gathering in Steamboat is a collaboration between the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and the International Skiing History Association. The annual event, open to anyone, brings together hundreds of ski history enthusiasts for skiing, social events and informal skiing presentations, as well as the annual Hall of Fame Induction Saturday, April 11 at the Steamboat Grand – expected to attract a sellout crowd of over 500.

“Our sport has a great legacy,” said Hall of Fame Chairman Tom Kelly. “Skiing History Week and the Hall of Fame Induction have grown considerably the last few years to celebrate the stars and pioneers of our sport and to reminisce about the great history of skiing that we all enjoy.”

Among the highlights will be the Hall of Fame’s Snow-100 Film Festival at Steamboat’s Chief Theater, featuring some of the best ski films of the past century. The film festival runs continuously from 4:00-10:00 p.m. daily from Wednesday through Friday, April 8-10.

Skiing History Week will kickoff Wednesday, April 8 at the fabled Howelsen Hill Lodge, celebrating the hill’s centennial. Two Legacy Lectures are planned. On Thursday evening, April 9, speakers will focus on Steamboat’s own Buddy Werner, to be held at the Buddy Werner Memorial Library from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Friday, April 10 attention will focus on an Olympic panel discussion, exploring how and why Steamboat Springs became such a hotspot in producing Olympic athletes.

Friday night, the International Skiing History Association will hold its annual awards dinner at the Steamboat Grand. Among the honorees will be the legendary Willy Bogner alongside notable local Honored Members Billy Kidd, Hans Geier, Nelson Carmichael and Deb Armstrong.

The week will culminate at the Steamboat Grand Saturday evening with the annual Hall of Fame Induction. Among the honorees will be a host of ski and snowboarding stars and ski industry pioneers. Each inductee will be honored with a medal and given the chance to share stories of their colorful careers with their family, friends and peers. A late night afterburner celebration party will follow on Gondola Square.

Skiing History Week closes on Sunday, April 12 with an opportunity for fans to enjoy First Tracks with the Hall of Famers.

Skiing History Week is held annually in April with past sites including Park City, Vail, Seattle/Crystal Mountain, Sun Valley, Deer Valley and other major American resorts.

Registration is still open for Skiing History Week, including discounted skiing and lodging at the Steamboat Grand. Tickets are still available for the Hall of Fame Induction, but it is expected to sell out. To see a full schedule and register for any or all of the week’s festivities, please go to www.skihall.comand click on Skiing History Week or call 906.485.6324.

SKIING HISTORY WEEK SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 8

4:00-10:00 p.m. – Snow-100 Film Festival Opening Night (Chief Theater)
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Welcome Reception, Salute to Howelsen Hill-100 Years (Howelsen Hill Lodge)
7:30-9:00 p.m. U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame – “Jerry Awards” – Celebrating The “Snow-100” – The Best Ski Films of The Century (Chief Theater)

Thursday, April 9
Noon-1:00 p.m. – ISHA Lunch meet-up (Bear River Bar and Grill – Gondola Plaza)
4:00-10:00 p.m. – Snow-100 Film Festival Opening Night (Chief Theater)
5:00-7:00 p.m.  – Legacy of Buddy Werner presentation (Buddy Werner Memorial Library)

Friday, April 10
Noon-1:30 p.m. – “It Takes a Village to Raise an Olympian” panel discussion (Bear River Bar and Grill – Gondola Plaza)
4:00-10:00 p.m. – Snow-100 Film Festival Opening Night (Chief Theater)
5:00-9:30pm International Skiing History Association Awards Dinner (Steamboat Grand – Korbel Grand Ballroom)
9:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. – Legends Brew Party with live entertainment, presenting “Buddy Werner Brown” (Butcher Knife Brewing Company)

Saturday, April 11
6:00-9:00 p.m. – U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Steamboat Grand – Korbel Grand Ballroom)
10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. Inductee Celebration Afterburner Party – (Bear River Bar and Grill)

Sunday, April 12
8:00-11:00 a.m. Closing day breakfast (Bear River Grill & VIP Patio – Gondola Plaza)
8:30 a.m. – Hall of Famer First Tracks (Plaza Gondola)

CLASS OF 2014 – HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Curt Chase – Founder of Professional Ski Instructors of America
Joe Cushing – Visionary of modern ski area planning and design
Chris Davenport – One of the world’s most highly acclaimed big mountain skiers
Kristina Koznick – World Cup winner and one of America’s most accomplished ski racers
John McMurtry – Played pivotal role as development leader of U.S. Ski Team
Ralph Miller – One of America’s most accomplished ski racers of the 1950s.
Ross Powers – 2002 Olympic halfpipe snowboarding champion
Erik Schlopy – 2003 World Championship giant slalom bronze medalist
Bob Smith – Inventor and pioneer in the advancement of the ski goggle
Jeannie Thoren – Groundbreaker in the evolution of women’s specific ski equipment

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tom Kelly, [email protected]