The Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame honors people with connections to the state of Connecticut for their achievements and contributions in the sport of golf. The Hall of Fame was created in the mid-1950s by noted local golf journalist Skip Henderson. The event was originally organized by Greater Hartford Jaycees and the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance. During the first phase of the ceremony, the award was bestowed equally to obscure amateurs and famous professional golfers. By the 1980s, however, the Hall was disestablished. However, in 1991, under the auspices of the Connection State Golf Association, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony was renewed.
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History
editIn November 1954, The Hartford Times sportswriter Charles Stuart "Skip" Henderson, Jr. brought up the idea of creating a state golf Hall of Fame to the Greater Hartford Jaycees. The organization was instituted the following February.[1] The organization was created through a collaboration between the Jaycees and the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance.[2] The purpose of the Hall of Fame, it was later described, was to "[recognize] an individual who has state connections, participated in a golf-related activity in Connecticut and has brought honor through golf endeavors at the state, regional, or national levels."[3]
The first induction ceremony was held at the Golf Club of Avon in April 1955. It was held during the third annual Connecticut PGA Spring Golf Show. The selection was completed by the sportswriters of Connecticut. Robert M. Grant was the unanimous choice for the award.[4] Grant was a leading amateur golfer and president of the Connection State Golf Association (CSGA), the New England Golf Association, and Wethersfield Country Club.[5] In 1956, the ceremony began to be held at Wethersfield Country Club after the conclusion of the Insurance City Open, a local PGA Tour event held at the club. The selections continued to be determined by the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance.[6]
In the early years, the awards' distribution alternated between star professional golfers and obscure local golfers. After Grant's selection, local amateur golfers Charles C. Clare, W.W. "Mike" Sherman, and Frank D. Ross won the award.[6] In 1959, the award went to pathbreaking female golfer Georgianna Bishop.[6] In 1960, electrician and former Connecticut Amateur champion, H.H. Mandly won the award.[7] Following that, legendary golfers Julius Boros and Gene Sarazen won the award consecutively.[8][9] Immediately thereafter, former U.S. Open champions Billy Burke and Tony Manero earned Hall of Fame honors in respective years.[10][11]
By the late 1960s, the ceremony moved to Glastonbury Hills Country Club in Glastonbury, Connecticut and then Elmhurst Country Club in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.[12][13] During this era, the award was bestowed upon Dr. Ted Lenczyk, a dentist and former Connecticut Open champion, and his sister, Grace Lenczyk Cronin, a star amateur golfer in the 1940s.[13][14] In the early 1970s, the ceremony returned to the Golf Club of Avon.[15] Despite the changes in location, the awards ceremony was consistently conducted at the annual Connecticut PGA Spring Golf Show.[16] During this era, the event was still sponsored by the Jaycees and the election process was consistently decided by the local sportswriters.[17] In late 1983, however, the ceremony ceased to exist.[18]
In 1991 the awards were "reinstituted."[18] The CSGA, not the sportswriters, now "assumed administration" of the ceremony.[19] During this era, several CSGA executives earned honors. In 1991, former executive for the CSGA, Marty Moraghan, earned the award. "I can't tell you what this means to me," said Moraghan, "to be in the same company as Dick Siderowf and Bobby Grant is something I'll never forget."[20] The following year, Jim Killington, another executive for the association, was inducted.[18] In 1997, former CSGA executive director Russ Palmer was inducted. Palmer was instrumental in merging the CSGA with Connection Section PGA.[21]
In the early 21st century, a number of awards were distributed posthumously to early 20th century golf figures. In 2000 and 2001, the award was dispensed, respectively, to leading 1920s professional Johnny Golden, and the amateur Dick Chapman, former U.S. Amateur and British Amateur champion.[22][23] In 2005, Skip Henderson, the sportswriter who originated the idea of a Hall of Fame, was selected for the award.[24]
Inductees
edit| Year | Inductee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Andy Bessette, Bruce Edwards |
| 2021 | Suzy Whaley, Mike Ballo Jr., James A. Becker |
| 2020 | Genevieve Hecker |
| 2019 | Stan McFarland |
| 2018 | John Paesani, Dr. Bob Ruby |
| 2017 | Malcolm McLachlan, Tim Petrovic |
| 2016 | Jeff Hedden, Tom Gleeton |
| 2015 | J. J. Henry, Richard J. Zanini |
| 2014 | Roy Pace, Betty Boyko, Ted May |
| 2013 | Bruce Guthrie |
| 2012 | Bill Hermanson, Thomas W. Lane, Angela Aulenti |
| 2011 | Ron "Red" Smith, Gary Reynolds, Art Williams |
| 2010 | Dave Szewczul, Heather Daly-Donofrio, Bob Hopkins |
| 2009 | Bruce Berlet, Fran Marrello, Barbara Young |
| 2008 | Dick Mayer, William T. “Bill” Lee, E.B. “Pete” Broadbent |
| 2007 | Leslie Shannon Stewart, William Hadden III, Frank Selva |
| 2006 | Ken Green, Richard M. "Dick" Tettelbach |
| 2005 | Doug Dalziel, Skip Henderson |
| 2004 | Sanford P. Young |
| 2003 | John A. Gentile, |
| 2002 | Allan Breed, Edwin H. May, Jr., Harry V. Keefe, Jr. |
| 2001 | Glenna Collett-Vare, Charles G. Arnold, Everett Fisher, Dick Chapman, James T. Healey, Sr. |
| 2000 | James Grant III, John J. Murphy, Walter “Bud” Smith, Johnny Golden |
| 1999 | Dr. Philip T. Sehl, Robert D. Pryde, Caroline Keggi |
| 1998 | Herbert L. Emanuelson Jr., Anthony Patricelli, Owen Griffith |
| 1997 | Lida Kinnicutt, Russell C. Palmer |
| 1996 | Alpheus Winter IV |
| 1995 | Fred Kask |
| 1994 | Terry B. Calabrese |
| 1993 | Robert N. Shea |
| 1992 | James H. Killington |
| 1991 | Martin J. Moraghan |
| 1984–1990 | No awards given |
| 1983 | Ernest J. Gerardi |
| 1982 | Robert L. Kay |
| 1981 | Donald Hoenig |
| 1980 | Carol Patton |
| 1979 | Walter Lowell |
| 1978 | Charles Baskin |
| 1977 | Charles Petrino |
| 1976 | Marcia Dolan |
| 1975 | Jerry Courville, Sr. |
| 1974 | Dick Siderowf |
| 1973 | Harry Nettelbladt |
| 1972 | Doug Ford |
| 1971 | Edward Burke |
| 1970 | William H. Neale |
| 1969 | Grace Lenczyk Cronin |
| 1968 | Dr. Ted Lenczyk |
| 1967 | Pat O'Sullivan |
| 1966 | John Reardon, Ph.D. |
| 1965 | Felice Torza |
| 1964 | Tony Manero |
| 1963 | Billy Burke |
| 1962 | Gene Sarazen |
| 1961 | Julius Boros |
| 1960 | Harold H. Mandly, Jr. |
| 1959 | Georgianna Bishop |
| 1958 | Frank D. Ross |
| 1957 | Wilton W. Sherman |
| 1956 | Charles C. Clare |
| 1955 | Robert M. Grant |
Source:[25]
References
edit- ^ "Hartford Courant 20 Nov 2005, page Page E14". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 07 Oct 1992, page Page 48". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 29 Aug 1999, page Page 74". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 19 Apr 1955, page Page 32". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 02 May 1999, page Page 73". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b c "Hartford Courant 02 Aug 1966, page 43". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 11 Oct 1997, page Page 58". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 29 Sep 1963, page 73". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Tampa Bay Times 05 Aug 1962, page 22". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 18 Aug 1963, page 16". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "The Bridgeport Post 26 Jul 1964, page Page 64". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 16 May 1967, page 17". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b "Hartford Courant 24 Apr 1968, page 26". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 22 Apr 1969, page Page 52". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 21 Apr 1971, page 54". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 16 Apr 1975, page 57". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 18 Apr 1979, page 52". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ a b c "Hartford Courant 07 Oct 1992, page Page 48". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 25 Apr 1999, page Page 91". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 09 Oct 1991, page Page 149". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 28 Sep 1997, page Page 321". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 26 Nov 2000, page Page 174". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 25 Nov 2001, page 102". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Hartford Courant 20 Nov 2005, page Page E14". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame Inductees – CSGA". Retrieved 2023-05-17.