American Football Association Selects Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame . . . "CLASS OF 2009"
Media - contact AFA National Office (877) 624-4485
(e-mail) amerfoot@aol.com
(website) http://www.americanfootballassn.com/
Recently the AFA/Hall of Fame selection committee completed its annual task of reviewing personal profiles of qualified individuals nominated for induction into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame as the. . . "Class of 2009". Information submitted by HOF alumni and subsequent review by the selection committee resulted in the selection of 23 people for enshrinement this year. The American Football Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation in its 29th year of operation and is dedicated to the advancement of adult (semi-pro) football from coast-to-coast. This year's Class of HOF'ers will be enshrined as the "Class of 2009" at the AFA's 29th annual Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner which will take place at Indian Lakes-Hilton, Bloomingdale, Illinois on Thursday thru Saturday, October 22-23-24, 2009.
The big semi-pro football weekend will kick off with the annual AFA/HOF Alumni "Huddle" cocktail party Thursday evening.
Friday evening will find the "Class of 2009" Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees being honored by their family, friends and football peers, as they accept enshrinement into the American Football Association's highest place of recognition. During the evening the inductees will be introduced by their 'presenters' and/or alumni sponsors.
Saturday morning will feature our annual Semi-Pro Football Alumni Clubs Breakfast followed by the AFA Golf Tournament sponsored by the Elmhurst Travelers Football Alumni Association in the afternoon.
The e nshrinement of this year's class of 23 new hall of famers will see the 29-year total number of inductees expand from 569 members to 592 members. Since the inaugural enshrinement in 1981 (including the Class of 2009) the AFA has recognized 329 players; 96 coaches; 75 executives; 25 officials; 20 pioneers; 20 media/historians; 11 trainer/equipment men; 6 associated with youth football; 5 involved with international semi-pro; 4 from the women's level; and even 1 'super fan'.
The American Football Association is proud to present the names of those who will be enshrined into the AFA Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame as the "Class of 2009" (names in parentheses indicate sponsors of the new inductees):
PLAYERS CATEGORY:
John "Johnny" Duncan - Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania - (Steve Oldt Larry Rydbom )
Frank "Buzz" Grady - Englewood, Florida - (Don Busch, Fritz Fiorelli, Pat Albanese, Jerry Schropp)
Mal Yarke - Wentzville, Missouri - (Roman Strzala, Norm Nissen, Joe Wolfe, Don Johnson)
Andre Holland - Bolingbrook Illinois - (Jim Nugent Cheri Kardas)
David "Skip" Hernandey,Sr.- Downers Grove, Illinois- ( Elmhurst Travelers Alumni)
Fred Robinson - Elgin, Illinois - (Greg Skowronski)
Mike Blazitz -Novi, Michigan - (Chuck McElligott)
Jeffery Hudson - Seattle, Washington - (William H. Coleman)
Joe Milek - Lake Forest, Illinois - (Ralph "Moose" Fahey)
Jay McGee - New Bedford, Massachusetts - (Peter O'Kane)
Mike Brennan - Hawley, Pennsylvania - (John Kennedy)
Torre Ossmo - Chicago, Illinois - (James Eric Avery)
Jay "Tug" Binstead - Salisbury, Maryland - (Joe Thomas, Jr.)
David Moulton - Fort Myers, Florida - (Larry Devoe)
Jim Bejna - Westchester, Illinois - (Chico Cain, Neal Anderson, Gary Thomas)
Eugene "Chick" Cichowski - Northbrook, Illinois - (Patrick O'Brien, Larry Schmidt, Al Klaeren, Ken Stone)
EXECUTIVE CATEGORY:
Glenda Cain - S. Elgin, Illinois - (Pat Sharpe)
Stephen McAllister - Floral Park, New York - (Joe Loughran)
OFFICIALS C ATEGORY:
James Kruschwitz - Gurner, Illinois - (Craig Ochoa, Paul Whiteside)
Don Manchester - Chicago, Illinois - (Charlie Bliss)
COACHES CATEGORY:
Bill Alexander - Monroe, Washington - (Wes Fisher)
Harold "Harry" Hopple - Chambersburg, Pennsylvania - (Dave Bonsell, Richard Landis)
Charles "Chick" Rader - Scranton, Pennsylvania - (Mark Lloyd)
Room reservations can be made by calling the Indian Lakes-Hilton toll free at 800-334-3417 or their local number 630-529-0200. Be sure to mention you are connected with the American Football Association (by name) to take advantage of the AFA's discount room rate. Room rates are $109 single/double. Reservations requests received after the cutoff date of 10/1/2009 5:00 PM will be taken on a rate and space availability basis. Annual Hall of Fame Dinner tickets are $55 each and can be ordered by emailing amerfoot@aol.com.
About the American Football Association: The American Football Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation in its 29th year of operation and is dedicated to the advancement of adult (semi-pro) football from coast-to-coast. Our slogan is Semi Pro & Proud®. We are not affiliated with any other national semi-pro/minor league organization. The AFA, Hall of Fame, American Football News™ and AFA logo design are registered trademarks of the American Football Association. All other AFA-related trademarks are trademarks of the American Football Association. 0A
