On Saturday, April 24th, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Minnesota Chapter held their 19th annual banquet and ceremony and inducted nine new members and honored two from the 2020 class who have contributed significantly to Minnesota Wrestling and beyond. The celebration was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn.
250 people were in attendance, including many former Hall of Fame inductees.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter is proud to announce the induction of nine new members for the Class of 2021. Ricky Ties Jr will receive the State Medal of Courage Award from Minnesota. Honorees for the Lifetime Service Award are Dr. John Berg Jr, Clay Nagel, Charlie Peterson, Terry Sworsky, Jim Tanniehill, Steve Techam, Ken Vogt, and Jim Williams.
The Banquet will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021, at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference Center, right off I-90, Exit 178A. The schedule includes a social hour at 12 Noon, dinner at 1:00 pm, and presentations, honoree speeches, green jacket parade, and marble plaque inductions at 2:30 pm. 2020 honorees Larry Goodnature and Bill Schmidt will give their postponed acceptance speeches first.
On Sunday, September 13th the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Minnesota Chapter held their 18th Annual Honors Banquet. The celebration was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn. Attendance was considerably less than normal because of the current pandemic.
2020 honorees Bud Heidgerken, Tom Beyer, Mary Davis, Mark Jensen, and Don Kuusinen were present and participated in the inductions. Also honored from the 2020 Class were the late Father Otto Weber, Brian Bakke, Larry Goodnature, and Bill Schmidt. Bakke was honored and inducted at a prior event. There was a social held for Father Weber at a prior event as well. Goodnature and Schmidt have opted to be part of the 2021 induction acceptance speeches.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter Banquet will take place on Sunday, September 13. The event will be held at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn. Attendance is expected to be considerably less than normal. Social distancing guidelines will apply.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter Banquet originally set for April 25, 2020, is on track to take place on Sunday, September 13, 2020. The event will be held at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn. Attendance is expected to be considerably less than normal. Social distancing guidelines will apply.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter Banquet originally set for April 25, 2020, has been moved to Sunday, September 13, 2020. The event will still be held at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter is proud to announce the induction of Bud Heidgerken as their Outstanding American from Minnesota. Brian Bakke will receive the State Medal of Courage Award from Minnesota. Honorees for the Lifetime Service Award are Tom Beyer, Mary Davis, Larry Goodnature, Mark Jensen, Don Kuusinen, Bill Schmidt, and the late Father Otto Weber.