By FRED KRONER
Homer High School’s Hall of Fame has one distinct disadvantage over its other area counterparts.
Most districts have a bevy of new candidates each year as graduates reach the end of the mandatory waiting period and become eligible for inclusion.
Homer doesn’t have the luxury of having new prospects to consider. The high school shut down following the 1987-88 school year.
“We do know that at some point, we will run out of candidates,” committee member Perry Dable said.
The inaugural class of five individuals and one team were enshrined on May 28, 2011.
The 10th Hall of Fame group was scheduled for induction this year, the Saturday before Memorial Day. The ceremony was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My guess is we won’t elect anyone new next year, but will honor these people so we don’t mix anyone else in,” Dable said.
The latest chosen for induction were Dick Felgenhour (Class of 1962), James Morrison (Class of 1942), Steven Kasper (Class of 1976) and L. Carl “Sammy” Goad (Class of 1943) along with teams from different years.
Boys’ basketball teams from 1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74 and 1975-76 will be recognized as will basketball teams from 1938-39, 1941-42 and 1942-43.
Also chosen for induction were softball teams from 1936, 1939 and 1947.
These additions will raise the count in the Homer Hall of Fame to 38 individuals and 16 teams.
How many more selections will be made must still be decided.
“There are differing opinions on whether we’ve reached our limits,” Dable said. “We’ve gone back and forth on what is a Hall-of-Famer? When we collectively agree, that will be it.”
The seven-member selection committee – which includes three original members, Dable, Jim Butler and Stan Burton – likely has several more years of work ahead.
“My personal opinion is that there are probably 15 to 20 to 25 people who need to be honored,” Dable said. “We still have some All-Staters who are not in the Hall of Fame yet.”
The induction is scheduled around the annual Homer Alumni Banquet, which is traditionally held Memorial Day weekend in the multi-purpose room at Heritage Junior High School, in Homer.
Homer High School was in existence for more than a century. For at least 75 of those years, there were documented athletic teams.
Dable, Burton and Gary Cromwell were behind the original push to implement a Hall of Fame in a community which hasn’t had its own high school now for 32 years.
They had to start at the ground level.
“Any historic records were disposed of when Homer merged with ABL,” Dable said.
Undaunted, Dable began his research by studying old year books for highlights, statistics and information such as all-conference performers.
That was followed by hours at area libraries viewing microfilm and other archives.
“I enjoy doing the research,” Dable said. “We were able to rebuild the entire history of Homer sports as best as we could.”
The end result was valuable biographies on more than 100 former athletes and coaches.
The true end result was the ability to start the Hall of Fame for the Homer Panthers.
Though current Homer teen-agers attend Heritage High School, in Broadlands, they are not considered for the Homer Hall of Fame. Only those who were students at Homer – or who coached at Homer – are eligible.
Charter members of the Homer Hall of Fame were Bill Edwards (Class of 1973), Bill Lewis (Class of 1951), Jack Lewis (Class of 1953), Paul Lewis (Class of 1975) and Ray Litherland (who coached from 1935-52) along with the 1940-41 basketball (coached by Litherland), which compiled a 34-1 final season record.
Additional information can be found on Facebook at Homer High School Hall of Fame.
