Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet

The Induction Ceremony and Banquet was held on January 26, 2024 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. 

Congratulations to the 2023 MN-USSSA Hall of Fame class: 

Seth Brown (player), Cara Coughenour (player), Dale Heille (sponsor). John Kihslinger Jr. (player), Rachel McGowan (player),

Greg Oslund (player), Dustin Palm (player), Gary Pederson (senior softball) and Gene Thompson (senior softball).

Note: Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame is moving to alternating years - next induction for Class of 2025 will be January, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductees
Minnesota USSSA honors certain individuals who have contributed to the Minnesota United States Slow Pitch Softball program by electing them to the state’s Hall of Fame. This is considered the highest honor Minnesota USSSA may bestow on any individual. A person can only be inducted into the Hall of Fame once.

Minnesota United States Specialty Sports Association (Minnesota USSSA) annually hosts the Minnesota Hall of Fame slow pitch softball induction banquet to honor those players, umpires, directors, and sponsors who have excelled in softball and advanced the game in the state.

2021 Hall of Fame Inductees: 

Front Row (left to right):  Mary Bistodeau, Pam Schwartz, Gordy Gerlach, Shannon Higginbotham

Back Row (left to right): Dave Allen, Mathias Turbes Jr., Brandon Newman, Darin Holman, and Emcee Jerome Krieger

Not pictured: Dan Lauer

(2020 - No class inducted due to Co-vid 19)

2019 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Front Row (left to right):  Kris Phelan-Antoine (Bernie Phelan), Cathy Hoffman, Toni Rathman (Walt Gaugert), Lisa J. (Lantau) Rosauer, Patty Becker, Sonya Rippe          
Back Row (left to right): Steve Pease, Easton Sports rep. Rich Van Bellinger, Steve Scheunemann, Jeff Moritko, Dave Bremer, Emcee Jerome Krieger

2018 Hall of Fame Inductees:

Back Row (left to right): Dan Bergeron, Scott Weatherhead, Mark Dreier, Diane Broe, R.J. Olson, Garrett Beck - Emcee
Front Row (left to right): Missy Charboneau-Folch, Brian Karrich, Lon Stole, Reggie Jarrett, Pat Tuma

 

2017 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Back Row (left to right): Matt Hughes, David Steinbring, Erlihue Thompson Jr, Scott O'Neil, Garrett Beck - Emcee
Front Row (left to right): Roy Ward, Lyndell Frey, Tessa (Foth) Weinmeyer, Harlon Isom, Kenneth Hannemann

 

2016 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Back Row (left to right): Jerry Tollefson, Jon Glotzbach, Phil Boxwell, Wayne Kuffel, Troy Mickelson - Director
Front Row (left to right): Thomas, Thaden, Erin Brown, Penny Danks, Jerome Krieger

 

2015 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Back Row (left to right): Troy Mickelson - Director, Craig Wendt, Lacelle Cordes, Meghan Chandler, Dan Nelson
Front Row (left to right): Bill Geisbauer, Jeanne Vestal, Keith Wallace, Mike Brodzinski, Jeff Franks

Hall of Fame Committee
The MRPA Recreational Sports Commission will appoint a committee to review nominations and vote on induction into the Hall of Fame. A two-thirds majority vote from this committee is necessary for Hall of Fame induction.

Nominating Procedure
A candidate for the Hall of Fame must be recommended to the Minnesota USSSA Slow Pitch State Director.

Application / Nomination Form
Nominations will be reviewed for the 2023 inductions. Note: The Hall of Fame will be held every other year. The next Hall of Fame banquet will be held in January of 2024. 

Deadline
Recommendations must be submitted in writing no later than October 15 of the year prior to the banquet, using the official Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame application or nomination form. Application forms can be downloaded from the web links below, or obtained from the MRPA office.

Application information must include detailed background information, statistics, and a recent photograph of the candidate for proper consideration to be given. Unsuccessful candidates will be resubmitted up to 3x before being dismissed, with a new (updated) application to be re-submitted. 

Categories
A person must be recommended in one of the following categories to be considered for nomination.

• Adult Female/Male Player - Click here for nomination form.
• Umpire - Click here for nomination form.
• Team Manager/Coach - Click here for nomination form.
• Sponsor - Click here for nomination form.
• Director - Click here for nomination form.
• Meritorious Award - Special Category: manufacturer, sports writer, announcer, maintenance or any other individual who has outstandingly, beyond any doubt, contributed to the Minnesota USSSA program, but does not qualify to be nominated in any of the other categories.
• Posthumous Award - Special Category: Recognizing someone in appreciation to honor someone who has gone above and beyond or recognize a long-time volunteer or any other individual who has outstandingly, beyond any doubt, contributed to the Minnesota USSSA program, but does not qualify to be nominated in any of the other categories.
• Click here for Meritorious or Posthumous nomination form.

Age

• Hall of Fame nominees do not have to be retired to be nominated or elected.
• However, all nominees must be 40 years of age or older.
• Age requirement does not apply to deceased nominees.

Service
A nominee must have completed a minimum of ten (10) years of Minnesota USSSA service. The years of service requirement does not apply to any nominee who is deceased.

Induction
In mid-November of the year prior to the banquet, the next Hall of Fame inductees are announced. Inductees are honored at a banquet in January.

Hall of Fame Nomination forms: 

Female/Male Player - Click here

Director - Click here

Meritorious Service / Post humous - Click here

Manager/Coach - Click here

Sponsor - Click here

Umpire - Click here

Hall of Fame Inductees 1994 – 2021

Stu Alexander (1996) Dick Anderson (2010) Rick Anderson (2000) Anheuser-Busch (1995) Scott Bailey (2002) Tony Barilla, Jr. (1994) Bill Beck (2002) Garrett Beck (2013) Patty Becker (2019) Warren Bellm (1995) Doug Berfeldt (1995) Dan Bergeron (2018) Larry Bigelow (2004) Don Bowman (1995) Jim Bowen (2003) * Phil Boxwell (2016) Dave Bremer (2019) Scott Breuer (2013) John Brodzinski (2007) Mike Brodzinski (2015) Diane Broe (2018) Erin Brown (2016) Greg Brown (2009) Ray Brown (2008) Scott Brown (2013) Doug Bryant (2010) Pat Burns (2007) Rick Busch (1996) Steve Cahill (2007) * Meghan Chandler (2015) Missy Charboneau-Folch (2018) Butch Clayman (2003) LeAnn Connolly (2014) Paul Connor (2004) Tom Cook (1994) Lacelle Cordes (2015) Mark Dallenbach (2014) Jim Daly (2000) Tom Daniel (2002) Penny Danks (2016) Chaun DeMars (2012) Dianne Dingmann (1995) Venisa Dinius (2005) Barb Drake-Lindgren (2009) Mark Dreier (2018) Chris Duda (2007) Dudley Sports (1994) Mike Ellenz (2010) Michelle Erlien (2010) Joe Ericksen (2008) Dana Erickson (2014) LeRoy Ericson (1998) * Steve Ericson (2000) Kent Esby (1997)Easton Sports (2019) Lori Fisher (2004) Mike Fluegge (2013) Jeff Franks (2015) Lyndell Frey (2017) Todd Fuechtmann (2005) Linda Garbett (2002) Nancy Garbett (2004) Walt Gaugert (2019) * Kim Gavenda (1998) Bill Geisbauer (2015) Ed Ghostley (1997)* Ellie Ghostley (1997) Jeanne Ghostley (2001) Jon Glotzbach (2016) Babe Glumack (2008) Harold Graczyk (2004) Jon Gurban (2007) Steve Hackel (2007) Marty Hanft (2012) Kenneth Hannemann (2017) Laurie Hanrahan (2011) Harry Harrison (1998) * Fran Headline, Sr. (2011)* Fran Headline (2013) Bret Heitkamp (2001)

Pat Hentges (2003) Cathy Hoffman (2019) Scott Holt (2008) Scott Holum (2010) Kurt Hornnes (2009) * Bob Hortenbach (2005) Matt Hughes (2017) Harlan Isom (2017) Dave Irvin (2002) Jerry Irvin (2003) Reggie Jarrett (2018) Doug Johnson (2011) * Duke Johnson (2012) Galen Johnson (2011) Michael Johnson (2004) Randy Johnson (2005) Val Johnson (1999) Julie Jorissen (2003) Gary Jost (1996) Jim Kappelhoff (2003) Brian W. Karrich (2018) Matthew Kelsey (2014) John Keprios (2009) Scott Kevitt (1999) Jack Kirk (2010) Don Klatt (2008)* Bob Klick (2007) Dale Kolles (2011) Ed Korba (2007) Corine “Corky” Kottke (2000) Jerome Krieger (2016) Dan Krtnick (2008) Tom Kubalak (2005) Wayne Kuffel (2016) Jeff Kurkowski (2009) Dick Kuyath (2006) Steve Larson (2002) Dean Laager (2006) Ted Larson (1994) Colin Leitch (2005) Gene Leslie (1994)* Tedd Lindgren (2005) John Locke (2010) Dani Lombardi (2003) Mike Looby (1995) Tim Magner (2001) Denny Malarkey (2000) Jerry Marinelli (2002) Tom Maslowski (2001) Arnie Mavis (1994) * Mike McGowan (2005) Jennifer McGuinness (2012) Tom McKeon (1997)* Steve Michaud (2002) Bill Miller (2014) Perry Miller (2001) Ardell Moeller (2010) Steve Moncrief (2011) Dolf Moon (2000) Jeff Moritko (2019) Garry Morris (1999) Dick Mumbleau (2006) Steve Murr (1997) Steve Nauer (2006) Dan Nelson (2015) Darrell Nielsen (2013) * Erick Norby (2013) Pat O’Connell (1999) Jack O’Connor (2008) R.J.Olson (2018) Scott O'Neil (2017) Gregg Otten (1997) Jon Oyanagi (2011) Lori Palesch (2006) Dale Palm (1994) Gene Parrish (2003) Steve Pease (2019) Bart Peck (2013) Mike Pendzimas (2009) Bernie Phelan (2019) *

John Phyle (2013) John Petersen (2000) Don Phenow (2008) Lance Peterson (2002) Paula Price (2008) Jim Proulx (2012) Dave Purtle (2000) Randy Quale (2006) Sara Reiser (2008) Sonja Rippe (2019) Mick Ritter (2002) Dave Robinson (2003) Ron Rolle (2001) *Lisa J. Rosauer (2019) Mike Ross (2012) Dick Rostamo (2001) Jerry Ruegemer (2012) Paul Ruikki (2006)Steve Scheunemann (2019) Shelly Schoeberl (2014) Steven Schultz (2014) Greg Schwab (2010) Ron Schwartz (2004) Dave Serie (2007) Warren Sherer (2002)* Dave Slack (2011) Randy Sonnenfeld (2012) Al Snow (1996)* Pat Stanchfield (1998) * David Steinbring (2017) Ron Steiner (1996) Harold Stewart (1999) Philip Stewart (1999) Spectrum Screen Printing & Embroidery (1999) Steve Stinski (1998) Pete Strand II (2005) Pete Strand III (2016) * John Strangis (1996) * Richard Starner (1998) Roger Stawski (2011) Dave Strecker (1997) Belinda Strobel (2013) Lon Stole (2018) Shari Strommer (2008) Monty Stuhler (1996) Steve Swanson (2012) Jim Sweat (2009) Thomas Thaden (2016) Earlihue Thompson Jr. (2017) Jeff Thompson (2009) Jimmy Thurman(2006)  Kevin Thurs (2014) Deb Tix (2012) Jerry Tollefson (2016) Bob Tomhave (2001) * Al Trapp (2006) Mike Trewick (2009) Terry Truhler (1997) Gerry Turnberg (1998) Jerry Ujdur (2007) Lee Ulferts (1998) Jeanne Vestal (2015) Todd Volkers (2000) Dennis Wagner (2014) Jim Wajda (2004) Keith Wallace (2015) Ward Wallin (1999) Roy Ward (2017) Scott Weatherhead (2018) Tessa Weinmeyer (2017) Larry Wendell (2004) Jackie Werner Jr. (2010) Craig Wendt (2015) Darrell “Bozo” Wincek (1995) * Dan Yochum (2014) Chris Yungner (1999) Bob Yurch (1995) Kevin Zenk (1999)

*= deceased