What is the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame?
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame is an organization formed in 1980 to honor Chautauqua County, New York area sports celebrities.
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame
features memorabilia to capture the interest
of visitors.
Honorees are chosen by a committee under which a volunteer has as much an opportunity to be selected as an outstanding athlete in the professional or amateur ranks.
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame held its first meeting at the Fenton Mansion on December 6, 1980. Russ Diethrick, the Jamestown City Parks and Recreation Director, invited various sports-minded people of the community to this meeting to discuss the formation of the hall. There was a great deal of interest with a group numbering around 15 getting together, first monthly, then weekly, to form the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
The first meeting was held at the Fenton Mansion because it was a possible site for the first sports hall. The proposal for the Hall of Fame was greeted enthusiastically by the organizers. It was decided that having a Hall of Fame honoring area celebrities would enhance a hall of sports memorabilia.
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame committee decided it would be up to the public to send in nominations, along with the achievements of their candidates. Ballots will be placed in Chautauqua County newspapers with a deadline date for submitting nominations.
2011-2012 Board of Directors
| Randy Anderson - President | Ron Melquist - 3rd Vice-President |
| Bill Rollinger - 1st Vice-President | Russ Ecklund - Secretary |
| Bill Race - 2nd Vice-President | Lee Johnson - Treasurer |
| Kay Anderson | Phil Klinginsmith |
| Dick Barton | Fred Larson |
| Cal Cederquist | Wendy Lewellen |
| Lou Deppas | Denny Lundberg |
| Russ Diethrick | Stan Marshaus |
| Joe DiMaio | Jim Painter |
| Tom Heppeler | Dave Polechetti |
| Terry Heslink | Tammy Rea |
| Wally Huckno | Jim Riggs |
| Chip Johnson | Charles Sinatra |
| Scott Kindberg | Komo Tane |
| Ed Tomassini |
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame welcomes new members and encourages them to be involved. A copy of the by-laws is included here to assist those interested in understanding how the organization functions.
Free Adobe Acrobat Reader required to download by-laws.
Join the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame
A membership program is available to persons who are interested in preserving the history of sports in Chautauqua County and honoring the outstanding individuals who have created our cherished sports memories.
In addition to helping the CSHoF carry out its twin missions of maintaining a hall of fame and a sports exhibit hall, members will receive several value-added benefits for their membership fee.
To join, please contact Russ Ecklund at 716-484-7684 or e-mail to membership@chautauquasportshalloffame.org
Inductees are honored at the hall in Jamestown, NY.
