After an hour of socializing, Gary Rohrer started the formal festivities by welcoming all of the honorees, their friends and families and the rest of the handball enthusiasts. Sheldon Silberman acknowledged all 56 of the first and second place finishers in the 1995 state tournaments.
After dinner, Gary explained the Minnesota State Handball Association has sponsored a space in the USHA Handball Hall of Fame building in Tucson. The sponsorship includes a permanent plaque on the Founders Wall in the Tucson Hall of Fame building and display space for a duplicate of our MSHA Handball Hall of Fame plaque. The Hall of Fame plaque and sponsorship fee is completely paid for by a donation received from Lu Putnam's estate. Lou is honored as part of the display. In addition, a permanent display housing the MSHA Hall of Fame plaque and other MSHA memorabilia was unveiled at the Minneapolis Athletic Club during the Open Singles Tournament in April. (Editorial Note: Stop by and see it.)
Al Abrahamson then emceed the Hall of Fame portion of the program, introducing the presenters. Ted Bergstrom introduced the first 1995 Hall of Fame inductee: Dick Crouser, Pat Dyer introduced Jack Hickman, Gene Richards introduced Rich Rawlings, and Jack Hickman presented Jim Tagney's award to his son, Jim.
Each of the presenters produced some little known facts and some time honored stories about the inductees. Then each inductee had a chance at rebuttal.
The induction ceremony was followed by the introduction of the 1995 Top Ten - led by Nationally #10 ranked Matt Hiber. Top Ten honorees and 1995 Sponsors Al Abrahamson (Kemps-Marigold), Scott Sayer (Warning Lites of MN, Inc.), Don Svitak (Pearson Candy Co.), and Steve Subak (Lifetouch National School Studios) each received an embroidered shirt.
The formal program was followed by the traditional raffle give-away, where nearly everyone won a prize from T-shirts to boxes of Pearson's candy to handballs and gloves.
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